Stay tuned to meet a young
man whose dad was a drug dealer
00:00:01.36\00:00:04.30
and his mom was a shoplifter,
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his life is changed
and yours can as well.
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My name is Yvonne Lewis
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and you're
watching Urban Report.
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Hello and
welcome to Urban Report.
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My guest today is
Evangelist Diamond Garcia
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one of the youngest Evangelists
in the Adventist Church.
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Welcome to Urban Report
Evangelist Diamond... yeah...
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Hi...
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May I call you Diamond?
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Sure, absolutely.
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Okay, great, great, great great,
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thank you so much
for being with us,
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we're really
thankful to have you.
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Well, I'm glad to be here.
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So, your
testimony is so intriguing
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and I had the opportunity
to talk to you at ASI
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not too long ago,
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and you shared a bit
of it with us at the table
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and I thought, "We have
to have you on Dare to Dream
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and have you tell
about your journey"
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so tell is a bit about
yourself, where were you born?
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Well, I was born...
right here where I am now,
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I'm in the Island of Hawaii,
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specifically on
the Island of O'ahu.
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I was born here about
two decades ago, roughly...
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and I've been here ever since.
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Wow, so you've been in Hawaii
for your 20 years of life,
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almost 20 years of life.
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Almost 20 years... yeah.
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And... you grew up
in what kind of home?
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Well, I was not raised in a
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Christian or
Seventh-day Adventist home,
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my dad was a drug
dealer and my mom was a thief,
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she robbed
houses... robbed stores,
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robbed fast-food
joints to feed us...
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Yvonne: Oh... wow!
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Diamond: And... yeah.. so... I
was not raised in an environment
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where God was uplifted
nor was He the center of it,
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it was just...
chaos... it was sin basically
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and I just was in an environment
of sinful activities so...
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but God is good and
God brought me out of it.
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Yes, yes, so, when
you were coming up,
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at what point did you realize
that your parents were doing
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things that were
against the law...
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at what point
did you realize that?
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Well, you know, when
you're at a young age,
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you see your friends at school
and their parents are doctors
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and their parents
are... you know... whatever,
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lawyers or...
you know, whatever...
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and you hear
your parents just say,
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"Hey, don't tell
nobody about this... "
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or "Don't tell no one
about this or that... "
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and you kind of
suspect in your mind
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"Well, something must be
going on that's not right"
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and... and then of course,
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you get to an
age where you realize
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"something's going on" and
of course you realize it's drugs
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and it came to the point
where it was just normal for me
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and that I began to actually
deal drugs for my dad, so...
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Yvonne: And how did
that... how did that start?
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Diamond: Well, it started
from when I was a small boy
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just... "Hey Diamond, why don't
you just take some of this... "
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it was drugs...
it was Marijuana...
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"And why don't
you take it to your...
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to my friend down the road... "
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so I would walk
down the road by myself
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and meet this friend there
and she would give me money
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and I would give her the
drugs and I'd walk back home
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and I'd report back.
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And did you have any
idea of what you were doing,
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did you know what it was?
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Absolutely...
absolutely... yeah.
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Yvonne: Oh so, you
knew... Diamond: Yeah...
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Yvonne: And your dad...
did you ever get caught?
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Your dad never...
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Diamond: Never did...
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Yvonne: He never
seemed like it was...
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he was concerned about you
taking the drugs to someone,
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was he concerned about
what could happen to you?
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I don't think it
crossed his mind at that time,
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I mean... I look
back now and I am like,
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"Wow, I would never do that
to my kid" if I had a kid...
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and I wouldn't... I would
not want someone else's child
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in that position as well because
I mean, it's just so dangerous,
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you're holding drugs which
is very wanted in the ghettos
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and people could have just
jumped you or whatever they did
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and yeah, it was very dangerous
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but I don't think
it crossed his mind
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when you are in
the bed of sin...
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whenever I
preach, I always say this,
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"Sin makes you
stupid... " it really does,
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sin makes you stupid and
when you're in sin a lot,
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you just don't think... so...
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You know what?
That's really true,
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that is... I never
thought of it like that
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but that's really true because
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you're really
often not reasoning out
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from cause to effect... ,
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you just... and
you're in the throes of it
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and if you have anything
to do with drugs yourself,
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then your mind is not clear,
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your mind isn't clear
as you're doing this stuff,
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so I can see... I can
see what you're saying
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but wow... he put you
in a really bad position
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did you have other siblings
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and were they
doing the same things?
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They did... yes...
I have five siblings,
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I have four
brothers and one sister
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and we were all raised
in that same environment
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and it's sad today because
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all of my siblings
are down that same road
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and they have chosen
to follow the environment
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that surrounded them
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and they are now
into drugs and alcohol
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and I have four brothers
and they're all homeless...
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on the streets here in Hawaii...
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and then there's me... I just
chose to take a different path
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that God led me to and
that's where I am today.
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What do your siblings
think about where you are
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as compared to where they are?
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Sometimes, I can sense
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they feel really
bad about themselves,
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and sometimes they
feel jealous, per se...
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it's... it's not
me... it's not...
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it's not what I have
chosen to separate myself...
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it's simply... I
chose to follow a path
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that was God ordained
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and they chose to follow a path
which was towards destruction
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and life is all about
choices and sin is a choice
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sin is not something
where we're born with,
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its... we... we make that choice
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to choose a path
and they chose that path
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and I chose to follow God
and that's where I am now.
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And interestingly enough
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and I talk about this all
the time... on Urban Report
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that both God and Satan
have a plan for your life,
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they both have a plan.
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Yes, absolutely...
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So, God's plan is to prosper you
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and to give you
the abundant life
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and Satan's plan
is to destroy you...
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to take you from here
and take you all the way down
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as far as you can go and
further than you ever imagined
00:07:04.09\00:07:07.19
and God's plan is to take you
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further than you've
ever imagined and so...
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the path that you chose...
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and we'll take
about how you got there,
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but the path that you chose
has given you the abundant life
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and unfortunately...
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the path that your
siblings have chosen...
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that path... is taking them down
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and until they decide to
give their lives to the Lord,
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that's how their lives are
going to be... utter chaos.
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Diamond: Yes... utter
chaos... Yvonne: Utter chaos...
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utter chaos...
Diamond: Exactly...
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Yvonne: So, you grew
up in this environment,
00:07:37.65\00:07:40.02
your dad was a drug dealer,
your mom was shoplifting,
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unpack that a little bit for us,
like, what your dad was like,
00:07:44.33\00:07:48.43
what your mom was like...
and living in that environment.
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Diamond: Sure, you
know, growing up...
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whenever there's a
couple who is unequally yoked
00:07:53.27\00:07:57.04
and whenever
you're equally yoked
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it always happens
through God in the center
00:07:59.74\00:08:02.14
so whenever God is not there,
00:08:02.18\00:08:03.75
the relationship is
always unequally yoked
00:08:03.78\00:08:06.11
and, of course,
this was... that instance
00:08:06.15\00:08:08.78
and it was
fighting after fighting...
00:08:08.82\00:08:11.35
I mean pretty much every
day there was an argument,
00:08:11.42\00:08:13.66
they were throwing
things at you and just...
00:08:13.69\00:08:15.12
there were things
breaking in the house
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and just fighting...
cops were coming all the time
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and I was little... and it
was a normal thing to happen
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I'd would come home from
school and they were fighting,
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I would wake up in the
morning... they're fighting,
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or in the middle of the
night... they're fighting...
00:08:28.30\00:08:31.04
so... it was
just a normal thing,
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my mom and dad did
love each other, I think,
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yeah, they did, because they're
still with each other today,
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but... once again...
"sin makes you stupid... "
00:08:40.32\00:08:43.92
and they tried to do things...
my mom would rob houses
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and she would sell things
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and just to support
herself and the family...
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Yvonne: And was your mom on
drugs... was she on drugs...
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did she need to support a habit?
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Diamond: Yes... she was, yeah.
Yvonne: Okay... hmmm... hmmm...
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Diamond: And so...
so was my dad and...
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and my dad was more
of the stay-home guy
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and just... deal
through the front door
00:09:05.67\00:09:07.84
and then my mom was just...
00:09:07.88\00:09:10.11
she was the one
out... just doing things...
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Wow! and so...
in the midst of this
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you were caught up
in the midst of this
00:09:17.52\00:09:22.32
chaotic kind of environment...
00:09:22.36\00:09:25.49
at any point when you
were little, did you say,
00:09:25.53\00:09:28.86
"I do not want to have this
kind of life when I grow up. "
00:09:28.90\00:09:32.40
Absolutely, absolutely,
00:09:32.43\00:09:34.17
I saw... I mean,
sometimes, we would go hungry,
00:09:34.20\00:09:38.84
I mean, just, I
mean... my mom...
00:09:38.87\00:09:40.84
here in Hawaii... I mean...
you're there in the Midwest
00:09:40.88\00:09:44.28
but you guys have potatoes,
right? That's your staple...
00:09:44.31\00:09:47.68
we don't... we
hate potatoes here...
00:09:47.72\00:09:49.58
what we eat is
rice... there's rice,
00:09:49.62\00:09:52.42
it's white rice and...
and sometimes for dinner
00:09:52.45\00:09:56.39
she would just have to buy a
bag of rice for the whole week
00:09:56.42\00:09:59.56
and just put some
soya sauce on the rice
00:09:59.59\00:10:01.96
and that was your dinner...
and that was your breakfast
00:10:02.00\00:10:03.87
and that was your lunch...
00:10:03.93\00:10:05.27
and that was just the way you
grew up and just... cans of Spam
00:10:05.30\00:10:08.67
and other stuff... I mean it
was just a normal ghetto life
00:10:08.70\00:10:12.24
and I loved it actually...
it was nice and simple
00:10:12.27\00:10:15.04
but, I mean, it
was... like you said,
00:10:15.08\00:10:17.28
"utter chaos... " and yeah...
00:10:17.35\00:10:20.35
So, how did you get out?
00:10:20.42\00:10:23.45
Tell us how you went from
being in the midst of this whole
00:10:23.49\00:10:29.26
chaotic environment...
00:10:29.29\00:10:31.39
knowing that both of
your parents were doing things
00:10:31.43\00:10:34.43
that were wrong but it was...
00:10:34.46\00:10:37.40
it was normal for
you... that was normal...
00:10:37.47\00:10:39.67
that was your normal...
how did you get out of that?
00:10:39.70\00:10:43.51
Well, before... let me...
let me back up one second,
00:10:43.54\00:10:46.91
before I go there, when
you went to High School,
00:10:46.94\00:10:50.28
did you... were you caught
up in that lifestyle as well
00:10:50.31\00:10:54.48
when you went to High School?
00:10:54.52\00:10:55.85
No... no, I was converted right
before I went to High School.
00:10:55.88\00:11:00.92
Okay, tell us
about your conversion.
00:11:00.96\00:11:03.09
Sure, so one day... it's a hot
Hawaiian day here in Hawaii...
00:11:03.12\00:11:06.86
and I was at my
grandmother's house
00:11:06.90\00:11:08.73
and I was in a...
mind you, she loves to cook
00:11:08.76\00:11:11.37
so, she has all these cookbooks
00:11:11.43\00:11:12.83
and boxes of just cookbooks
and cookbooks and cookbooks
00:11:12.87\00:11:16.20
and so I was bored... it
was a boring day in Hawaii
00:11:16.24\00:11:19.11
and I was going
through boxes of cookbooks...
00:11:19.17\00:11:20.91
and opening them... looking
at them... imagining the food
00:11:20.94\00:11:24.01
and then... on the
bottom of a box of cookbooks
00:11:24.05\00:11:26.85
was this book here
called "The Great Controversy"
00:11:26.88\00:11:29.52
Yvonne: Ah...
00:11:29.55\00:11:30.99
Diamond: And I found
this book and I was like,
00:11:31.02\00:11:32.95
"Wait a minute... hmmm...
this is not a cookbook... "
00:11:32.99\00:11:35.06
so, I was like... "Why is this
book in the box of cookbooks?"
00:11:35.09\00:11:39.49
So I opened to the
first page and the first words
00:11:39.53\00:11:42.40
that Ellen White says, she
says, "If THOU hadst known... "
00:11:42.43\00:11:46.67
and she's quoting from
Scripture and I was like,
00:11:46.70\00:11:48.94
"You know what? I
can't read this...
00:11:48.97\00:11:50.94
this is... I
mean... who knows what
00:11:50.97\00:11:52.91
'If THOU hadst known'
means?" It makes no sense to me.
00:11:52.94\00:11:55.01
Now, how old were
you, how old were you here?
00:11:55.04\00:11:57.88
I was... at this
time... I was eleven years old.
00:11:57.91\00:12:00.35
Okay...
00:12:00.38\00:12:01.92
Yeah, and so... yeah...
00:12:01.95\00:12:04.19
and so now I go
towards the back of the book
00:12:04.22\00:12:06.32
and I read the
last two chapters,
00:12:06.35\00:12:08.82
"God's People Delivered"
and "The Controversy Ended"
00:12:08.86\00:12:12.96
those last two chapters and...
to make a long story short,
00:12:12.99\00:12:17.07
I became a
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:12:17.10\00:12:18.47
Don't make it
short... we have some time...
00:12:18.50\00:12:20.50
Diamond: Okay...
00:12:20.54\00:12:22.70
Yvonne: So you read the
book, you saw in the book
00:12:22.74\00:12:26.94
that there were things that
just kind of resonated with you
00:12:26.98\00:12:30.55
did you talk to your
grandmother about that?
00:12:30.58\00:12:33.52
Diamond: Yeah...
Yvonne: Like... what...?
00:12:33.55\00:12:36.38
Diamond: I was like,
"Hey, where is this book from,
00:12:36.42\00:12:38.72
why do you have this book?"
00:12:38.75\00:12:40.09
And she was
like, "Well, years ago,
00:12:40.12\00:12:41.99
I was baptized into the
Seventh-day Adventist Church. "
00:12:42.02\00:12:45.13
Now, this was when she
was when she was in her 20s...
00:12:45.16\00:12:47.80
and she was only in
the church for a few months
00:12:47.83\00:12:50.40
and then left...
for about 35 years...
00:12:50.43\00:12:53.30
but yet, she still
had that book in her house
00:12:53.34\00:12:56.17
from all those years...
00:12:56.20\00:12:57.67
Yvonne: Wow! now, had she raised
your mom as an Adventist too?
00:12:57.71\00:13:00.94
Diamond: No... no...
00:13:00.98\00:13:02.41
Yvonne: So, she had
been out of the church...
00:13:02.44\00:13:04.75
for a while when
she has your mom.
00:13:04.78\00:13:06.68
Diamond: Yeah...
00:13:06.72\00:13:08.25
Yvonne: And so,
you just happened...
00:13:08.28\00:13:11.32
and I say, "happened... "
00:13:11.35\00:13:12.79
because we know that God
orchestrated all of that...
00:13:12.82\00:13:15.79
to read... to find
"The Great Controversy"
00:13:15.82\00:13:19.59
at eleven... and it
appealed to you at eleven.
00:13:19.63\00:13:23.40
Yeah, and you know,
I look back on it now
00:13:23.43\00:13:27.44
and I'm thinking, "Man!
what must have been going on
00:13:27.47\00:13:30.01
in the sphere of this great
controversy in the house... "
00:13:30.04\00:13:32.47
I mean, I was imagining angels
as having me go towards that box
00:13:32.51\00:13:36.48
and keep digging and keep
digging... and there is a book
00:13:36.51\00:13:39.21
called, "The Great Controversy"
and I believe that...
00:13:39.28\00:13:41.92
that God has ordained that every
person should read this book
00:13:41.95\00:13:46.69
because it contains the
past, present and future
00:13:46.72\00:13:49.69
of this world and...
it's such an amazing book
00:13:49.72\00:13:53.43
and the history, the
prophecy, the future events,
00:13:53.46\00:13:57.07
just inspired me and I
was intrigued to read more
00:13:57.10\00:14:00.00
and study more and so I
told my grandma, I said,
00:14:00.04\00:14:02.90
"Hey, so, what church is this
because this is pretty cool"
00:14:02.94\00:14:05.61
and she said,
"Well, I was baptized
00:14:05.64\00:14:07.21
in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church"
00:14:07.24\00:14:08.71
and I was like,
"Well, I want to go there"
00:14:08.74\00:14:10.78
and she said, "Okay,
well, I'll drop you off"
00:14:10.81\00:14:12.78
and so, that next Sabbath,
she dropped me off at the church
00:14:12.81\00:14:17.39
and I walked in to
a sea of gray hair...
00:14:17.42\00:14:20.36
it was all old people...
00:14:20.39\00:14:22.16
Yvonne: Hey watch it...
00:14:22.19\00:14:23.89
of course "old" to you...
"old" to you is probably 30...
00:14:23.93\00:14:30.57
but that's another
story, so, you walked in...
00:14:30.60\00:14:33.74
a bunch of old
folks... and what did you do?
00:14:33.77\00:14:36.71
Diamond: And I just
walked right to the front
00:14:36.74\00:14:39.57
on the right pew... I sat
down and next to me was this...
00:14:39.61\00:14:42.64
this tall gentleman...
his name was Michael Carter
00:14:42.71\00:14:45.78
and we just kind of hanged
out and then after a potluck
00:14:45.81\00:14:48.75
he told me, "Hey, do you
want to make some money?"
00:14:48.78\00:14:50.82
I was like,
"Yeah, sure, why not?"
00:14:50.85\00:14:52.59
And he's like, "Okay, well,
00:14:52.62\00:14:54.29
have you read the book
called 'The Great Controversy?'"
00:14:54.32\00:14:58.13
I was like, "Yeah, yeah, I have,
00:14:58.16\00:15:00.23
well, I mean, I read the
last two chapters of it...
00:15:00.26\00:15:03.03
and then eventually,
I read the whole book"
00:15:03.06\00:15:06.23
and he was like, "Oh, so
how did you rate the book?"
00:15:06.27\00:15:08.54
I was like, "Yeah, yeah... "
00:15:08.57\00:15:09.90
and he was like, "Okay,
well, why don't you come with me
00:15:09.94\00:15:12.61
and... I go door to
door, knocking on doors
00:15:12.64\00:15:14.78
selling that book,
'The Great Controversy'
00:15:14.81\00:15:16.91
and the money that you make
00:15:16.95\00:15:18.88
can go towards you going to
a Seventh-day Adventist School"
00:15:18.91\00:15:22.12
I was like, "Oh,
that sounds good... "
00:15:22.15\00:15:24.09
and so, I ended up
joining him going door to door
00:15:24.12\00:15:27.66
every night of
the week for five days
00:15:27.69\00:15:29.49
for about a whole year straight
00:15:29.52\00:15:30.86
and I saved up money
00:15:30.89\00:15:32.23
and I ended up going
to the local academy.
00:15:32.26\00:15:35.13
Wow! now, what were some
of the experiences you had
00:15:35.16\00:15:38.93
when you were
going from door to door?
00:15:38.97\00:15:40.84
Now, this was the first night,
00:15:40.87\00:15:43.57
my first night ever
going door-to-door canvassing,
00:15:43.61\00:15:46.54
it was the first
night, I'm in O'ahu here
00:15:46.57\00:15:49.28
and we pull up
and it's just pouring
00:15:49.31\00:15:51.25
because we are here in
Hawaii and it rains a lot
00:15:51.31\00:15:53.15
that's why it's so green here
00:15:53.18\00:15:54.75
and it was raining
and raining and raining,
00:15:54.78\00:15:56.69
it couldn't stop pouring and we
were parked there in the stall
00:15:56.72\00:15:59.72
and I'm like, "Man!
00:15:59.75\00:16:01.19
are we going to cancel tonight
because it's just raining?"
00:16:01.22\00:16:03.43
And then after
Michael Carter prays
00:16:03.49\00:16:06.03
and he says, "Lord, this
is Diamond's first night,
00:16:06.06\00:16:09.70
stop the rain in Jesus'
name," after he said, "Amen... "
00:16:09.73\00:16:13.23
I opened my eyes and
the rain just stopped,
00:16:13.27\00:16:15.84
the rain just
stopped... and I was like...
00:16:15.87\00:16:18.34
Yvonne: "Wow!" Diamond: Wow!
00:16:18.37\00:16:19.91
Yvonne: Like, wow!
Diamond: Wow! That was...
00:16:19.94\00:16:23.11
that was the
first time in my life
00:16:23.14\00:16:25.31
that I experienced a
sudden answer to prayer
00:16:25.35\00:16:28.55
and so, I opened the door
00:16:28.58\00:16:31.65
and I did not
stop at all to think,
00:16:31.69\00:16:34.26
and I just grabbed the
books and I went to the door
00:16:34.29\00:16:36.52
and I knocked on doors
and I told them what happened
00:16:36.56\00:16:38.79
and "because of
the rain stopping...
00:16:38.83\00:16:41.96
you have to buy my
book... " and I mean...
00:16:42.00\00:16:45.17
and they were all kind
of thinking I was crazy
00:16:45.23\00:16:47.50
but since I was just
this cute little boy,
00:16:47.54\00:16:49.87
I was 12 years
old... they're like,
00:16:49.90\00:16:51.64
"Oh, okay, well here is
20 bucks here's 50 bucks... "
00:16:51.67\00:16:53.91
and I ended up paying
for my education and yeah...
00:16:53.94\00:16:58.11
You know... look...
look at what God did though,
00:16:58.15\00:17:02.25
in that... He
answered his prayer immediately
00:17:02.28\00:17:05.85
and it showed you
that He is a God who hears
00:17:05.89\00:17:09.39
and who answers and so that...
that just bolstered your faith
00:17:09.42\00:17:14.16
and got you going...
God is so... He's awesome...
00:17:14.20\00:17:17.57
Right... He is...
absolutely amazing God...
00:17:17.60\00:17:19.17
So, that was one... tell
us another thing that happened
00:17:19.20\00:17:22.37
when you were
selling... selling books.
00:17:22.40\00:17:24.17
Yes, here's another one,
so, I was going door to door,
00:17:24.21\00:17:27.81
in the Ewa Beach
area here in Hawaii...
00:17:27.84\00:17:30.28
and there was a
bunch of Pit Bulls,
00:17:30.31\00:17:33.01
you know, they're
big... big thick dogs
00:17:33.05\00:17:34.38
and they were at the door
and they were barking, barking,
00:17:34.42\00:17:37.82
barking, barking,
in my head, I'm like,
00:17:37.85\00:17:39.49
"I am not going to go in
there because I'm going to die"
00:17:39.52\00:17:41.52
and Michael Carter
says, "Oh, let's go... "
00:17:41.56\00:17:45.09
I was like, "Are you
crazy... what are you doing?"
00:17:45.13\00:17:47.20
He said, "Don't
worry, God's with us... "
00:17:47.23\00:17:49.10
I was like, "Okay,
well, I'll wait out here
00:17:49.16\00:17:50.97
and you go with
God in there... "
00:17:51.03\00:17:52.57
and then after... I realized...
the Scripture found in
00:17:52.60\00:17:57.07
Exodus chapter 11 verse 7,
let's read it pretty quickly,
00:17:57.11\00:18:01.54
Exodus chapter 11
verse 7, the Bible says,
00:18:01.58\00:18:05.41
let's see, here we go...
00:18:05.45\00:18:08.02
"But against any of
my children of Israel
00:18:08.05\00:18:11.39
shall not a dog move his tongue,
against man or beast... "
00:18:11.45\00:18:14.19
and he quotes this verse...
00:18:14.22\00:18:17.59
"against my children...
not a dog move his tongue... "
00:18:17.63\00:18:21.40
and he walked in
and I was so surprised
00:18:21.43\00:18:24.17
and he just walked
right past the dogs...
00:18:24.20\00:18:26.87
the dogs just kind
of... didn't really see him
00:18:26.90\00:18:29.90
and they kept barking at me
00:18:29.97\00:18:31.31
and yet, they just
let him walk right through
00:18:31.34\00:18:33.61
and when the owner
came out of the house,
00:18:33.64\00:18:35.94
he's like, "How did
you get past my dogs?
00:18:35.98\00:18:38.51
They bite anyone
who... who comes in... "
00:18:38.55\00:18:41.18
And he said, "Well,
I'm here with the Lord
00:18:41.22\00:18:43.65
and I have a message for you"
00:18:43.69\00:18:45.42
and that night... the guy
bought all the books we had...
00:18:45.45\00:18:48.46
all the books we
had... he was so surprised.
00:18:48.49\00:18:51.33
Amen... amen... that
Brother, Michael Carter,
00:18:51.36\00:18:54.03
had a lot of
faith too, didn't he?
00:18:54.06\00:18:55.66
He did... absolutely...
00:18:55.70\00:18:57.17
He was a great partner for you
to start your Evangelism with
00:18:57.20\00:19:01.90
because that...
really reinforced,
00:19:01.94\00:19:04.07
I would imagine...
your faith as well.
00:19:04.11\00:19:06.17
Right, yeah absolutely.
00:19:06.21\00:19:08.11
So you went from
doing the Evangelism work...
00:19:08.14\00:19:12.48
the Literature
Evangelism, you went to school,
00:19:12.51\00:19:16.85
that paid for you
to go to Academy...
00:19:16.89\00:19:21.19
tell us about your Academy time.
00:19:21.22\00:19:22.69
Since I went to
Academy, I had a great time,
00:19:22.72\00:19:25.59
I... of course... it was...
00:19:25.66\00:19:27.36
it was the
Hawaiian Mission Academy,
00:19:27.40\00:19:29.46
a wonderful
school here in Hawaii...
00:19:29.50\00:19:31.83
a great Principal...
00:19:31.87\00:19:33.30
great teachers...
it was a good school...
00:19:33.34\00:19:34.74
and I... of course I
had some problems there,
00:19:34.77\00:19:38.07
with some people... like,
00:19:38.11\00:19:40.28
wherever you go
there are always problems
00:19:40.31\00:19:42.74
but, nonetheless,
it was a great school
00:19:42.78\00:19:45.18
and I graduated two years ago
00:19:45.21\00:19:47.08
and since then,
I've been preaching...
00:19:47.12\00:19:48.68
oh, mind you...
since I began to Colporteur
00:19:48.72\00:19:51.05
or knock on doors
since I was 11 years old...
00:19:51.09\00:19:53.39
I began to preach as well
00:19:53.42\00:19:55.12
so... I've been preaching
all over the Hawaii Conference,
00:19:55.16\00:19:58.79
the North America Division
for the past... oh, I don't know
00:19:58.83\00:20:02.40
ten years... and I've
been preaching ever since.
00:20:02.43\00:20:06.07
So you've been... the
Lord has been using you
00:20:06.10\00:20:09.70
you're probably the youngest,
00:20:09.74\00:20:11.57
are you the youngest
Evangelist in the church?
00:20:11.61\00:20:13.84
Well, I don't know... I don't
know if there's a record or...
00:20:13.88\00:20:17.48
Yeah, right...
right... that's amazing...
00:20:17.51\00:20:19.98
so, what would you say have been
the biggest challenges for you
00:20:20.02\00:20:25.35
in leaving the
chaotic life that you had
00:20:25.39\00:20:29.99
and attaching
yourself to Christ...
00:20:30.03\00:20:34.30
what have been some
of the major challenges
00:20:34.33\00:20:37.07
that you faced in doing that?
00:20:37.10\00:20:38.43
There has always been
challenges because, I mean,
00:20:38.50\00:20:42.74
with your family...
they think you're crazy
00:20:42.80\00:20:44.84
and one of the
biggest challenges was
00:20:44.87\00:20:47.58
how I thought
people thought of me...
00:20:47.61\00:20:50.25
if that makes sense...
00:20:50.31\00:20:51.65
Yvonne: Hmmm...
00:20:51.68\00:20:53.01
Diamond: My siblings or
my parents... all these guys
00:20:53.05\00:20:55.02
say, "He's a wimp" or whatever,
"He's going to follow Jesus... "
00:20:55.05\00:20:58.19
because they think
that being a gangster
00:20:58.22\00:21:01.82
and dealing
drugs is a cool thing,
00:21:01.86\00:21:03.56
and to me it's stupid
because sin makes you stupid,
00:21:03.59\00:21:05.76
you see... sin
makes you think that way
00:21:05.79\00:21:07.20
because sin makes you stupid...
00:21:07.23\00:21:08.56
and... anyway... but...
once I started to follow Christ
00:21:08.60\00:21:13.30
and I saw all my
needs being fulfilled...
00:21:13.34\00:21:16.17
I saw God paying for my school,
I mean, feeding me, clothing me,
00:21:16.20\00:21:20.31
surrounding me with people
00:21:20.38\00:21:22.24
who would
encourage me and support me,
00:21:22.28\00:21:23.71
I said, "You know what?
God promised to take care
00:21:23.75\00:21:27.05
and He has been... ever
since I chose to follow Him"
00:21:27.08\00:21:30.39
and so, that... that assurance
of having God fill my needs
00:21:30.42\00:21:35.72
just kept me
going... it kept me going...
00:21:35.76\00:21:38.69
because I looked
back at my family...
00:21:38.73\00:21:40.26
all my siblings, my parents...
they were going homeless,
00:21:40.30\00:21:43.16
they were losing
their homes, their cars,
00:21:43.20\00:21:44.70
their... whatever it was and
that just gave me the assurance,
00:21:44.73\00:21:49.70
"Diamond, just
keep looking at Christ
00:21:49.74\00:21:51.54
and keep walking
forward" and yeah...
00:21:51.57\00:21:53.27
That's great... that's
great, so now your parents...
00:21:53.31\00:21:57.18
are they looking
at you differently
00:21:57.21\00:21:59.31
are they
perceiving you differently
00:21:59.35\00:22:01.38
because your life
is so different or...?
00:22:01.42\00:22:04.12
They are... they are...
00:22:04.15\00:22:05.65
and my mom has a
bunch of health issues now,
00:22:05.69\00:22:09.66
because, of course, once
again, sin makes you stupid
00:22:09.69\00:22:12.86
and over a life of that...
it takes a toll on you...
00:22:12.89\00:22:15.96
and she has some health issues
but she loves our church, why?
00:22:16.00\00:22:20.54
Because we have
a health message,
00:22:20.57\00:22:22.87
and for the past
oh... four months,
00:22:22.90\00:22:25.21
she's actually
been on a vegan diet now
00:22:25.24\00:22:27.74
I mean, she's still not totally
into Christ but you know...
00:22:27.78\00:22:30.88
she's been on a vegan diet
00:22:30.91\00:22:33.55
and she has been
watching all our Programs...
00:22:33.58\00:22:35.68
3ABN, Amazing
Facts, all these ministries
00:22:35.72\00:22:37.79
and she's loving it
00:22:37.82\00:22:39.42
and I've been giving
her some Bible Studies
00:22:39.45\00:22:42.19
and she's been enjoying it and
at first they probably thought
00:22:42.22\00:22:46.80
I was a little crazy...
but over time they realized
00:22:46.83\00:22:51.97
the big picture that when
God takes care of someone,
00:22:52.00\00:22:56.47
He really does... and
if God can do that for me,
00:22:56.50\00:23:00.91
He can do that for them as well
00:23:00.94\00:23:02.74
and so, I think
they're realizing it now
00:23:02.78\00:23:05.45
and they're starting to
actually come around so...
00:23:05.48\00:23:10.39
Yvonne: Oh, that's
wonderful, what an example...
00:23:10.42\00:23:14.06
the Lord has been
using you to help them to see
00:23:14.12\00:23:17.73
what the
abundant life looks like,
00:23:17.76\00:23:19.86
and that's... it's
amazing... God is just...
00:23:19.89\00:23:24.27
He is so faithful and...
and... Diamond: Yes, He is...
00:23:24.30\00:23:28.24
Yvonne: If we just realize...
if we just hold on to Him...
00:23:28.27\00:23:31.87
He'll get us
where we need to go,
00:23:31.91\00:23:35.98
we will have a fulfilling life.
Diamond: Yes, absolutely...
00:23:36.01\00:23:38.71
Yvonne: So, what would
you say to that young man
00:23:38.75\00:23:40.72
who... or young
woman... who, like you,
00:23:40.75\00:23:43.99
like you were... in the middle
of a really bad family situation
00:23:44.02\00:23:50.96
a dysfunctional
family situation,
00:23:50.99\00:23:52.63
one in which they
don't want to participate...
00:23:52.66\00:23:55.56
but they're kind
of caught in there...
00:23:55.60\00:23:57.40
what would you tell that
young man or young woman to do?
00:23:57.43\00:24:01.64
Keep your eyes on Jesus
and He... I mean... He promises
00:24:01.67\00:24:05.84
to take care of His people,
00:24:05.87\00:24:08.21
keep your eyes on
Christ... keep walking...
00:24:08.24\00:24:10.55
don't look back... and
when your eyes are on Christ,
00:24:10.58\00:24:13.42
you will be healed
from your situation...
00:24:13.45\00:24:16.55
you will be restored
back into God's image...
00:24:16.58\00:24:19.95
and at first...
there'll be lots of challenges,
00:24:19.99\00:24:23.29
lots of challenges
00:24:23.32\00:24:24.66
because Satan does not
want you to follow Christ,
00:24:24.69\00:24:27.06
so he'll try everything
in his might to stop you
00:24:27.10\00:24:30.03
but once you... just
keep on following Christ...
00:24:30.07\00:24:32.63
and just take hold of
His hand and don't let go,
00:24:32.67\00:24:35.84
then, over time... all
your enemies will look at you
00:24:35.87\00:24:39.01
and say, "You know
what, I want that life"
00:24:39.07\00:24:40.81
and you will be a living
testimony, a living witness,
00:24:40.84\00:24:44.08
that the grace and power of
God can change each individual
00:24:44.11\00:24:49.22
so... yeah...
00:24:49.25\00:24:50.59
That is great... thank
you... what are you doing now,
00:24:50.62\00:24:53.39
tell us what you're doing.
00:24:53.46\00:24:54.79
Well, since... right now...
I'm just traveling the world
00:24:54.82\00:24:58.29
just preaching God's message,
I've been sharing my testimony,
00:24:58.33\00:25:01.13
talking about how God's
power can change our lives
00:25:01.16\00:25:04.80
and that we can have
victory in our life over our sin
00:25:04.83\00:25:08.44
et cetera, et cetera,
00:25:08.47\00:25:09.80
and God is taking
me all over the world
00:25:09.84\00:25:13.04
I've been to Australia,
North America, South America,
00:25:13.07\00:25:15.71
I mean, just all over...
just sharing God's gospel
00:25:15.74\00:25:18.31
and it's amazing... it's amazing
to see what the Lord does
00:25:18.35\00:25:22.08
and how the Lord leads you
and I look forward to the future
00:25:22.12\00:25:25.82
how God will lead... so yeah...
00:25:25.85\00:25:27.99
What do you...
well... first of all...
00:25:28.02\00:25:30.46
how can people get in touch
with you, do you have a website?
00:25:30.49\00:25:33.90
Yeah, sure, and also
you could e- mail me...
00:25:33.93\00:25:38.20
or just call
me... or just call 3abn
00:25:38.23\00:25:42.40
and then they can
get you in touch with me
00:25:42.44\00:25:44.44
and yeah, I mean,
00:25:44.47\00:25:46.27
if you want me to come share
my testimony in your church
00:25:46.31\00:25:49.28
or just have
questions or e- mail me
00:25:49.34\00:25:52.91
go ahead... and I'll be
more than happy to respond
00:25:52.98\00:25:57.05
or even come
down to your church.
00:25:57.09\00:25:58.65
What's your e-mail address?
00:25:58.69\00:26:00.46
We'll put it up on the screen.
00:26:00.49\00:26:02.19
Sure, yeah, it's on
the screen and also, it's
00:26:02.22\00:26:05.96
diamondean1844@gmail. com
so, diamondean1844@gmail. com
00:26:05.99\00:26:13.07
And we will put
that up and have...
00:26:13.13\00:26:16.27
people will be able
to communicate with you
00:26:16.30\00:26:19.61
and invite you to their
church because I know that...
00:26:19.64\00:26:21.74
there are different youth
groups and you come and share
00:26:21.78\00:26:26.28
and let people know what
God has done in your life
00:26:26.31\00:26:28.62
and what He's doing...
00:26:28.68\00:26:30.02
what is your
vision for your ministry?
00:26:30.05\00:26:32.29
Where do you...
00:26:32.32\00:26:33.69
I know you don't know
where God is taking you or what
00:26:33.72\00:26:36.93
but what would you
like to see happen?
00:26:36.96\00:26:39.69
I would like to
see in my ministry
00:26:39.73\00:26:42.43
that people who
came from my situation,
00:26:42.46\00:26:45.73
who are living in families
and homes just like me...
00:26:45.77\00:26:49.34
who were raised in drugs
and just a bad environment,
00:26:49.37\00:26:53.17
just come to Christ...
and I hope that my testimony
00:26:53.21\00:26:56.71
will help others to
realize that, "You know what?
00:26:56.75\00:27:00.15
I don't have to go down
that road just like my family,
00:27:00.22\00:27:03.32
I don't have to be like all
my friends in my neighborhood,
00:27:03.35\00:27:07.19
I can choose Christ... " and
yes, it is the unpopular choice
00:27:07.22\00:27:10.83
but if you choose Christ,
He promises to take care of you
00:27:10.86\00:27:14.40
just... I mean... in my life...
00:27:14.43\00:27:17.30
since I chose Christ...
00:27:17.33\00:27:18.73
Christ has
provided my every need...
00:27:18.77\00:27:20.70
I've never gone hungry, I
mean, I've never gone in need,
00:27:20.74\00:27:24.71
and Christ has always been there
00:27:24.74\00:27:26.31
and He will always
be there for anyone
00:27:26.34\00:27:28.14
who chooses to follow
Him, and yeah, praise God.
00:27:28.18\00:27:31.68
Praise God...
absolutely... absolutely...
00:27:31.71\00:27:34.92
thank you so much
for being with us,
00:27:34.95\00:27:37.15
I think you are
such an inspiration
00:27:37.19\00:27:39.32
to young people, you know,
00:27:39.35\00:27:41.12
it's one thing if somebody
my age tells a young person
00:27:41.16\00:27:44.46
that Jesus
works... that He works...
00:27:44.49\00:27:47.40
but it's another thing if
someone your age reaches out
00:27:47.43\00:27:51.53
so thank you so
much... come back again...
00:27:51.57\00:27:53.74
Diamond: Praise God...
00:27:53.77\00:27:55.10
Yvonne: And thank you for
being with us, join us next time
00:27:55.14\00:27:56.81
because it just wouldn't
be the same... without you.
00:27:56.84\00:27:59.67