Stay tune to meet a man
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70
who went from gang
banging to baptizing.
00:00:02.73\00:00:05.57
My name is Yvonne Lewis-Shelton.
00:00:05.60\00:00:07.44
And I'm Jason Bradley,
00:00:07.47\00:00:08.80
and you're
watching Urban Report.
00:00:08.84\00:00:10.71
Hello, and
welcome to Urban Report.
00:00:36.33\00:00:38.70
Our guest today is
evangelist Billy Mirander.
00:00:38.73\00:00:42.27
Welcome to Urban
Report, evangelist Billy.
00:00:42.30\00:00:45.97
Thank you very much.
00:00:46.01\00:00:47.34
I'll wave at you because
you're little far from me.
00:00:47.38\00:00:51.78
It is so great to
have you to join us today
00:00:51.81\00:00:56.55
because we have a testimony
for you that is so powerful.
00:00:56.58\00:01:01.39
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:01:01.42\00:01:03.43
Our guest today
has written a book.
00:01:03.46\00:01:05.79
And I happened to meet his
wife at Oakwood University.
00:01:05.83\00:01:10.73
And she gave me a
copy of the book to review.
00:01:10.77\00:01:14.80
And as I read it,
it's just powerful.
00:01:14.84\00:01:17.97
So we invited for the Billy
00:01:18.01\00:01:20.78
to come and share
his testimony with you.
00:01:20.81\00:01:23.98
So we thank you just to
keep me from having to say,
00:01:24.01\00:01:27.08
evangelist Billy,
00:01:27.12\00:01:28.45
I'm just gonna call you,
Billy, is that all right?
00:01:28.48\00:01:29.95
That's okay. All right.
00:01:29.98\00:01:31.65
So you grew up in
Jamaica, West Indies, right?
00:01:31.69\00:01:34.62
Yeah.
00:01:34.66\00:01:35.99
Tell us about
your early years there?
00:01:36.02\00:01:37.89
Well, thank you
very much for having me.
00:01:37.93\00:01:41.30
I grew up in
Jamaica in St. Catherine.
00:01:41.33\00:01:43.57
I was born in Spanish town.
00:01:43.60\00:01:45.63
And I grow up in the Parish
of St. Catherine and Kingston.
00:01:45.67\00:01:50.37
And while growing up, I
grew up with my mom, my dad.
00:01:50.41\00:01:54.81
At a very early age,
00:01:54.84\00:01:56.75
between probably were just born
until around five years old,
00:01:56.78\00:02:01.12
my mom and my dad
broke up very early.
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Their love affair didn't
last for a long period of time.
00:02:04.49\00:02:07.99
And so there was a split.
00:02:08.02\00:02:10.23
My mom took us away from him.
00:02:10.26\00:02:12.86
And we went to reside
with our grandparents,
00:02:12.89\00:02:16.83
which is her mother.
00:02:16.87\00:02:18.53
And we had other siblings
who were living at the house,
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along with my other
aunties and my uncle.
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So grew up an
extended family home.
00:02:25.67\00:02:28.11
And life was very
interesting at my grandmother.
00:02:28.14\00:02:31.68
My mother used to work in a bar,
00:02:31.71\00:02:34.08
where they sell
alcohol beverage.
00:02:34.12\00:02:36.02
She used to work there
00:02:36.05\00:02:37.39
and she used to come home
like 2-3am in the morning.
00:02:37.42\00:02:40.79
So in a very
early age in my life,
00:02:40.82\00:02:43.53
my grandmother was the one
who when my mom gone to work,
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she'd be the one
looking out for us.
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You know, cooking the meals,
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discipline, whenever
beaten is to be given,
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lashing, we get all those stuff
00:02:55.94\00:02:57.77
but I really loved
for my grandmother.
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Life was great growing up.
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I never had anything
to do with negative life
00:03:01.34\00:03:03.91
except positive in
a strong family home,
00:03:03.95\00:03:07.05
but I never had a
father figure in my life.
00:03:07.08\00:03:08.88
Right.
00:03:08.92\00:03:10.25
So after your dad left,
00:03:10.29\00:03:12.12
was there any
more contact with him?
00:03:12.15\00:03:14.86
Did he kind of look in
on you or was he just gone?
00:03:14.89\00:03:18.19
He was just gone.
00:03:18.23\00:03:19.63
My mom would send us sometimes
to go to the house to for,
00:03:19.66\00:03:23.50
you know, financial
support as my father.
00:03:23.53\00:03:26.37
Most of the
times, he is not there.
00:03:26.40\00:03:28.87
But sometimes he's
there and we'll get like,
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you know, something very small.
00:03:32.47\00:03:34.24
But we always go there to
ensure that we have something.
00:03:34.28\00:03:37.15
And then as a result
of that, I remember now
00:03:37.18\00:03:41.12
growing up the last
child for my grandmother,
00:03:41.15\00:03:43.95
which is my Aunt
Maria Celestine Forte.
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She had a,
00:03:48.56\00:03:49.89
was in a relationship
at a time with a gentleman
00:03:49.92\00:03:52.39
she loved very much.
00:03:52.43\00:03:54.00
They got three beautiful
kids overall produced together,
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but at a very young age
00:03:57.97\00:04:00.14
they were together
from high school days.
00:04:00.17\00:04:02.14
But he was very abusive.
00:04:02.17\00:04:04.11
And he used to beat my
aunt almost every single day.
00:04:04.14\00:04:07.21
Did they live together?
00:04:07.24\00:04:08.71
Yes. Mm-hmm.
00:04:08.74\00:04:10.31
In the same family home
'cause my aunt had a own room
00:04:10.35\00:04:13.58
so he would
come and sleep there.
00:04:13.62\00:04:15.22
Okay.
00:04:15.25\00:04:16.58
And the beating,
the hitting was so much.
00:04:16.62\00:04:20.22
Her mother said to her "Maria,
you need to leave this guy.
00:04:20.26\00:04:24.16
Yes, he's is gonna kill you."
00:04:24.19\00:04:25.83
And she replies to her
mom, "Mom, he won't kill me,
00:04:25.86\00:04:29.30
he loves me
that's why beats me."
00:04:29.33\00:04:31.20
Oh. Wow.
00:04:31.23\00:04:32.57
She thought that
beating was love.
00:04:32.60\00:04:34.24
But he was obsessed,
00:04:34.27\00:04:35.90
my aunt used to work
at the time in Old Harbor,
00:04:35.94\00:04:39.17
a plaza in Gateway Plaza.
00:04:39.21\00:04:41.24
She was working with wholesale
where they sell grocery,
00:04:41.28\00:04:43.61
like a supermarket,
00:04:43.65\00:04:44.98
and he would pay people to
watch her at her workplace.
00:04:45.01\00:04:47.85
He will pay men to watch her.
00:04:47.88\00:04:49.22
Wow.
00:04:49.25\00:04:50.59
And if her phone
rings, and a male caller,
00:04:50.62\00:04:53.46
anyone calls or
texts her who is a male,
00:04:53.49\00:04:56.66
someone of the opposite sex,
00:04:56.69\00:04:58.29
he will beat her, beat
her, beat her, like this.
00:04:58.33\00:05:02.13
And she
continued the relationship
00:05:02.16\00:05:04.70
after having the
first child with him.
00:05:04.73\00:05:06.77
The second child he continues,
but life became very dark.
00:05:06.80\00:05:12.14
Because her mother said to her,
00:05:12.17\00:05:14.58
"Maria, you need
to leave this guy.
00:05:14.61\00:05:17.65
He's gonna kill you."
00:05:17.68\00:05:19.61
And so after that,
the table of life changes.
00:05:19.65\00:05:23.22
I was at Old Harbor, as
in the kindergarten school.
00:05:23.25\00:05:26.25
And my father
was not a Christian,
00:05:26.29\00:05:28.96
but they love
self for education.
00:05:28.99\00:05:31.76
So I went to the
kindergarten's first
00:05:31.79\00:05:33.86
and then after that now
was Old Harbor Primary School.
00:05:33.90\00:05:37.13
Being at Old
Harbor Primary School now,
00:05:37.17\00:05:38.93
which is a public
government school,
00:05:38.97\00:05:40.64
I remember
transiting from there.
00:05:40.67\00:05:43.81
It reached a stage
going towards a second grade,
00:05:43.84\00:05:46.61
third grade, fourth grade.
00:05:46.64\00:05:48.34
My life was a
very interesting one.
00:05:48.38\00:05:50.71
I always those
days used to enjoy
00:05:50.75\00:05:52.71
the company of older people
00:05:52.75\00:05:54.68
because I never
had a father figure,
00:05:54.72\00:05:56.32
especially men
who are older men.
00:05:56.35\00:05:59.19
I enjoy senior
person's conversation.
00:05:59.22\00:06:02.29
So I'll be seen
around those persons.
00:06:02.32\00:06:04.73
So I needed a
father figure in my life,
00:06:04.76\00:06:06.59
I needed a bigger brother.
00:06:06.63\00:06:08.16
So anyone who I find
as an older male figure,
00:06:08.20\00:06:12.00
I held them dear respectively.
00:06:12.03\00:06:14.37
But my
grandmother was the champion,
00:06:14.40\00:06:17.67
you know, back in Jamaica,
when most parents are working
00:06:17.71\00:06:21.28
there's always the grandparents
taking care of the kids.
00:06:21.31\00:06:23.51
So the grandma really
00:06:23.55\00:06:24.88
held it together,
held the family together.
00:06:24.91\00:06:26.82
Yes.
00:06:26.85\00:06:28.18
And so I love my
grandmother very much, you know,
00:06:28.22\00:06:30.55
we had a great
relationship together
00:06:30.59\00:06:32.45
but things changes
because it's along the journey,
00:06:32.49\00:06:36.19
she ended up, she had cancer,
found that she had cancer.
00:06:36.22\00:06:39.93
And when she had cancer
now in the period of time
00:06:39.96\00:06:42.76
before that my
mom has lost her job
00:06:42.80\00:06:45.30
while she was
working in Kingston at a bar,
00:06:45.33\00:06:48.10
gunman came and rob
the bar one of the night.
00:06:48.14\00:06:50.61
And she used to
wear those, you know,
00:06:50.64\00:06:52.94
big earrings in
all the ears and,
00:06:52.97\00:06:55.01
you know, they
pulled out the ear's ring,
00:06:55.04\00:06:56.38
you know,
00:06:56.41\00:06:57.75
and she, it was really
a traumatizing experience.
00:06:57.78\00:07:01.22
He pulled out.
00:07:01.25\00:07:02.58
He pulled out the ears.
He's gonna split her ears.
00:07:02.62\00:07:03.95
Oh!
00:07:03.99\00:07:05.32
On both sides. Yeah.
00:07:05.35\00:07:06.69
And so when that happened now,
she decided to give up the job.
00:07:06.72\00:07:09.69
And she decided
to buy some clothing
00:07:09.72\00:07:13.40
and do sell enough clothes.
00:07:13.43\00:07:15.30
So she was in
home with us again.
00:07:15.33\00:07:17.80
And so my grandmother
took since she had cancer.
00:07:17.83\00:07:20.60
And between six to
nine months she struggled
00:07:20.64\00:07:23.87
with the cancer back,
you know hospital how?
00:07:23.91\00:07:26.68
But I remember
something significantly,
00:07:26.71\00:07:28.64
she said, which is very crucial.
00:07:28.68\00:07:31.08
She called us in a
room with all of us,
00:07:31.11\00:07:34.42
who are the other time
are kids and grandkids.
00:07:34.45\00:07:37.42
When she look at daughter
and said to her in the room,
00:07:37.45\00:07:39.85
"Maria, for the last
time, I'm warning you,
00:07:39.89\00:07:43.53
you need to leave that
guy, he's gonna kill you."
00:07:43.56\00:07:46.03
She pointed a finger to
her, like this and said,
00:07:46.06\00:07:48.46
he's gonna kill you.
00:07:48.50\00:07:49.83
She replied again, "Mom,
00:07:49.86\00:07:51.30
he loves me
that's why he beats me."
00:07:51.33\00:07:54.07
My grandmother went to
the hospital all the time.
00:07:54.10\00:07:56.81
And a week later,
my mom went to see her.
00:07:56.84\00:08:00.58
And it was a Sunday.
00:08:00.61\00:08:02.44
My mom said, she was
there praying on the bed.
00:08:02.48\00:08:05.35
But after
00:08:05.38\00:08:06.72
she went to use the
bathroom when she came back,
00:08:06.75\00:08:09.25
you know, she stopped breathing.
00:08:09.28\00:08:10.85
So she died,
00:08:10.89\00:08:12.22
when my grandma died was
the first time in my life
00:08:12.25\00:08:15.72
I will recall as
a young man crying.
00:08:15.76\00:08:17.83
How old were you?
00:08:17.86\00:08:19.23
When my grandmother died
I was around 11-12 years old
00:08:19.26\00:08:23.03
when she died.
00:08:23.06\00:08:24.40
It was a very
traumatizing experience
00:08:24.43\00:08:26.27
because I missed her very much.
00:08:26.30\00:08:27.64
Right.
00:08:27.67\00:08:29.00
And by God's grace,
I'm hoping to see her
00:08:29.04\00:08:31.14
when Jesus come,
but then it transit...
00:08:31.17\00:08:34.08
Now the year
after my aunt finally
00:08:34.11\00:08:37.21
broke up the
relationship with the same guy.
00:08:37.25\00:08:40.22
But he said, "If he can get her
back, nobody else can get her."
00:08:40.25\00:08:44.82
And so she moved
on with her life now.
00:08:44.85\00:08:47.06
But what happened interestingly
when my grandma died,
00:08:47.09\00:08:49.69
the family split-up.
00:08:49.72\00:08:51.06
She was the one person
who kept the family together.
00:08:51.09\00:08:54.36
Right. Right.
00:08:54.40\00:08:55.73
So when she died, everyone
gone East, West, South, North.
00:08:55.76\00:09:00.50
So the family was split.
00:09:00.54\00:09:02.74
And as a result of that now
00:09:02.77\00:09:04.74
things transit where
everyone lives different places.
00:09:04.77\00:09:08.68
So my aunt was
living with her father.
00:09:08.71\00:09:10.98
And he decided to come by
the house and make trouble
00:09:11.01\00:09:14.98
because he wanted back
a relationship with her.
00:09:15.02\00:09:17.85
And...
00:09:17.89\00:09:19.39
Your aunt went to live with...
00:09:19.42\00:09:21.19
Her father.
00:09:21.22\00:09:22.56
Her father, and
the man in her life
00:09:22.59\00:09:25.13
came back to try to
have relationship with her?
00:09:25.16\00:09:27.13
Yes.
00:09:27.16\00:09:28.50
So he came to
the father's house?
00:09:28.53\00:09:29.86
Yes. Okay.
00:09:29.90\00:09:31.23
To make trouble. Okay.
00:09:31.27\00:09:32.60
But she said no.
00:09:32.63\00:09:33.97
But he said,
what, you know, what,
00:09:34.00\00:09:35.34
"If I can't have you,
no one else can have you.
00:09:35.37\00:09:37.77
I need to have you back."
00:09:37.81\00:09:39.31
And he will do everything.
00:09:39.34\00:09:40.68
So he stopped giving
her financial support
00:09:40.71\00:09:42.84
because she has three
kids with her, just to get her.
00:09:42.88\00:09:45.55
So that didn't work because
she was very independent lady.
00:09:45.58\00:09:48.32
So they went to court.
00:09:48.35\00:09:50.69
And my grandma told me,
which is my grandmother sister,
00:09:50.72\00:09:53.96
that on the way out,
he said to her, my aunt.
00:09:53.99\00:09:57.53
This will be the last
time we go into a court case.
00:09:57.56\00:10:00.96
And normally,
00:10:01.00\00:10:02.73
I was at that time I went
to Old Harbor High School,
00:10:02.76\00:10:05.00
I was in high
school on seventh grade
00:10:05.03\00:10:06.90
in St. Catherine, Jamaica.
00:10:06.94\00:10:08.60
Every evening after school
00:10:08.64\00:10:10.54
I go to track
and field training,
00:10:10.57\00:10:11.91
I was an athlete then.
00:10:11.94\00:10:13.27
Then I will accompany
her, I go by workplace,
00:10:13.31\00:10:15.98
accompany her to
get a cab to go home
00:10:16.01\00:10:18.68
or sometimes she
walked go home, it's not far.
00:10:18.71\00:10:22.98
And so that
particularly evening,
00:10:23.02\00:10:25.49
that was Thursday
evening in November 2005,
00:10:25.52\00:10:28.36
as I was, I
went to her workplace
00:10:28.39\00:10:30.43
she said to me Bonton,
she called me that nickname.
00:10:30.46\00:10:33.63
I said, okay, aunty.
00:10:33.66\00:10:35.00
She said, this
evening you can leave me,
00:10:35.03\00:10:37.47
you don't have to
stay with me this evening.
00:10:37.50\00:10:38.83
I said, okay.
00:10:38.87\00:10:40.20
She said because I'm gonna stay
a little later this evening.
00:10:40.24\00:10:43.44
I left her,
00:10:43.47\00:10:44.81
I went home with all my
cousins will go together.
00:10:44.84\00:10:48.04
My aunt left work
on a way going home
00:10:48.08\00:10:51.31
when two men approached her
00:10:51.35\00:10:53.05
and gave her two shot on
her head and one at her back.
00:10:53.08\00:10:55.48
Oh, man.
00:10:55.52\00:10:57.05
And then we heard the
news, we run to the crime scene.
00:10:57.09\00:11:00.79
My aunt was lying down
there in a pool of blood
00:11:00.82\00:11:03.09
and she was pronounced dead.
00:11:03.12\00:11:08.13
Were these two men associated
with the guy that was pursuing?
00:11:08.16\00:11:12.97
Very interesting question.
00:11:13.00\00:11:14.87
One of my
classmates at a time in school,
00:11:14.90\00:11:17.24
I had several classmates,
00:11:17.27\00:11:18.77
and one of them
lived in the community
00:11:18.81\00:11:20.24
where she was killed.
00:11:20.28\00:11:21.78
So at the crime scene,
she pulled me aside and said
00:11:21.81\00:11:24.98
it was not secret.
00:11:25.01\00:11:27.02
Because the
police saw it afterwards,
00:11:27.05\00:11:29.38
the night before my
aunt was going home.
00:11:29.42\00:11:31.79
She overheard a conversation
00:11:31.82\00:11:33.32
with a gentleman
saying to two men
00:11:33.36\00:11:35.22
who she knew from the ear,
00:11:35.26\00:11:36.93
I'm gonna pay you
$40,000 to take out this lady.
00:11:36.96\00:11:40.93
She's my children's mother.
00:11:40.96\00:11:42.83
She don't want me back.
00:11:42.86\00:11:44.30
And I can't afford
to live without her.
00:11:44.33\00:11:46.23
So if I can't have her,
so he paid someone like $300.
00:11:46.27\00:11:50.37
40,000 Jamaican dollars is like,
00:11:50.41\00:11:52.41
depends on the rate
but most times like $320.
00:11:52.44\00:11:56.11
So he paid to have his
own children's mother killed.
00:11:56.14\00:12:00.02
And then the story of
my life took a dark turn.
00:12:00.05\00:12:04.49
That death was one of
the most darkest month,
00:12:04.52\00:12:09.62
dark year, a dark time
in my life as a young man.
00:12:09.66\00:12:14.66
And then I remember, I cried
for almost one and half years,
00:12:14.70\00:12:18.90
and meditate deeply
about the death of my aunt.
00:12:18.93\00:12:22.10
She was the last
child for my grandmother.
00:12:22.14\00:12:24.21
In Jamaica, the last
child for the parent is called
00:12:24.24\00:12:28.08
a term they use wash-belly.
00:12:28.11\00:12:30.15
That was a very
popular term used.
00:12:30.18\00:12:32.21
That means that,
that is a prize person,
00:12:32.25\00:12:35.15
the person who the mother
gives the most attention to.
00:12:35.18\00:12:38.29
So she was loved by the family.
00:12:38.32\00:12:40.29
So when she died, she
was not even 30 years old.
00:12:40.32\00:12:43.22
She was a young lady. She died.
00:12:43.26\00:12:45.56
So my life became very bitter,
00:12:45.59\00:12:47.66
I had no more love
in my heart for anyone.
00:12:47.70\00:12:50.17
All was in my heart was blood
in my heart, blood in my eyes,
00:12:50.20\00:12:54.74
just revenge.
00:12:54.77\00:12:56.10
So when that happened,
00:12:56.14\00:12:58.27
how were you
feeling towards God?
00:12:58.31\00:13:01.11
At the time, I have
nothing where God is concerned.
00:13:01.14\00:13:04.05
My life was just
going down to darkest part.
00:13:04.08\00:13:06.88
Dark, dark, dark,
00:13:06.92\00:13:08.55
until it reach a
stage, you know, where
00:13:08.58\00:13:10.69
I went to a
certain era in Jamaica
00:13:10.72\00:13:13.42
the time where it's well known
as ever, gang-banging area.
00:13:13.46\00:13:18.29
I was spending time there,
00:13:18.33\00:13:19.73
during the time my
aunt was killed over year.
00:13:19.76\00:13:23.10
And when I went to
spend all day there,
00:13:23.13\00:13:24.80
I met this guy, he's
a deceased now Entegee.
00:13:24.83\00:13:27.84
And then I told him
what happened to my aunt.
00:13:27.87\00:13:29.84
I said to him, I
need a firearm for myself.
00:13:29.87\00:13:33.04
I need to be able to learn
so I can actually take revenge.
00:13:33.07\00:13:37.35
Because this guy's
not gonna kill my aunt
00:13:37.38\00:13:40.62
and get away with it.
00:13:40.65\00:13:42.05
What was your
plan to get the guy
00:13:42.08\00:13:44.95
who hired the two
and the two or the guy,
00:13:44.99\00:13:48.79
what was your plan?
00:13:48.82\00:13:50.16
I plan my only,
on my heart revenge
00:13:50.19\00:13:51.99
was the two main persons.
00:13:52.03\00:13:53.90
The one who pulled the trigger,
and one who pays the money
00:13:53.93\00:13:56.46
which is her children's father.
00:13:56.50\00:13:58.17
So my ultimate desire
was those two person's life.
00:13:58.20\00:14:02.67
I pledge that they're gonna die.
00:14:02.70\00:14:06.07
And so Entegee now said to me,
00:14:06.11\00:14:08.21
well, you can be
a part of the gang.
00:14:08.24\00:14:10.95
But in order for you
to be a part of this gang,
00:14:10.98\00:14:12.75
very vicious one,
00:14:12.78\00:14:14.22
you have to go through
a series of experience.
00:14:14.25\00:14:17.32
And when you go through
the series of experience
00:14:17.35\00:14:19.19
and you pass the test,
00:14:19.22\00:14:20.86
will give you own firearm,
and you can take revenge.
00:14:20.89\00:14:24.53
And that is when
I receive my first,
00:14:24.56\00:14:27.93
I went to a series of tests.
00:14:27.96\00:14:29.73
So I met this gang,
these men are human being,
00:14:29.76\00:14:33.47
but they have
the heart of animals.
00:14:33.50\00:14:35.67
They believe in torturing,
these men are vicious men
00:14:35.70\00:14:38.77
who has no heart, human heart.
00:14:38.81\00:14:40.14
This is the gang, gang leaders?
00:14:40.18\00:14:42.34
Yes, the gang leaders, a
very deadly gang, you know,
00:14:42.38\00:14:45.58
and so was so terrible to
the point where in Jamaica,
00:14:45.61\00:14:49.05
they were creating havoc
all over the various areas.
00:14:49.08\00:14:52.22
And so I know as a young
man 13 plus, 14 years old,
00:14:52.25\00:14:55.59
they're involved.
00:14:55.62\00:14:56.96
So the first thing I had to do,
00:14:56.99\00:14:58.96
at the first year my don's turf.
00:14:58.99\00:15:01.90
The term Don is used in Jamaica,
00:15:01.93\00:15:03.70
a lot of phrase
for a gang leader.
00:15:03.73\00:15:05.77
So I'm still on this turf
00:15:05.80\00:15:07.37
and watch until
before day and the morning,
00:15:07.40\00:15:09.94
so I used to stay up like
from 8 o'clock in the night pm
00:15:09.97\00:15:13.48
till 5 am the next morning
00:15:13.51\00:15:15.78
and watch this
turf to pass a test.
00:15:15.81\00:15:18.55
If the enemy
trespassed on the turf,
00:15:18.58\00:15:21.22
their gun battle goes on.
00:15:21.25\00:15:23.25
You prove yourself
00:15:23.28\00:15:24.62
and my mother never see
her son come home until 4-5am.
00:15:24.65\00:15:30.19
Imagine you have
a 14-year-old son.
00:15:30.23\00:15:31.56
Wow.
00:15:31.59\00:15:32.93
You don't see come home
so late into the morning.
00:15:32.96\00:15:36.30
I miss my first session of class
00:15:36.33\00:15:38.20
every day of that
time in that shift.
00:15:38.23\00:15:41.77
And it became
deadly now in the gang war.
00:15:41.80\00:15:44.61
I start after I pass the tests,
00:15:44.64\00:15:47.11
they allow me know to
get very deep involved
00:15:47.14\00:15:49.48
with gang violence
in the most vicious way
00:15:49.51\00:15:52.51
beyond human understanding.
00:15:52.55\00:15:54.02
So dangerous things
start to happen now,
00:15:54.05\00:15:56.58
where I went into
gang life for one purpose.
00:15:56.62\00:16:00.82
Take out two
persons, take out two men.
00:16:00.86\00:16:03.53
But I want to pause to
say, to every young people
00:16:03.56\00:16:06.39
they ever want to cross
00:16:06.43\00:16:07.90
who are struggling with certain
type of desire about sin.
00:16:07.93\00:16:12.17
Sin has no limit
where it will take you.
00:16:12.20\00:16:15.14
You cannot go in
evil and say, hold on
00:16:15.17\00:16:17.44
I'm gonna do one thing,
00:16:17.47\00:16:18.97
and then get out
tomorrow morning.
00:16:19.01\00:16:20.68
I went for one purpose,
00:16:20.71\00:16:22.64
but I now get caught up
with the lifestyle there.
00:16:22.68\00:16:25.65
And so I started
to do dangerous stuff,
00:16:25.68\00:16:27.55
I felt powerful now.
00:16:27.58\00:16:28.92
Because these men
are men who control turfs
00:16:28.95\00:16:31.79
control businesses.
00:16:31.82\00:16:33.46
These are powerful men.
00:16:33.49\00:16:34.82
Remember, I never had a
father figure in my life.
00:16:34.86\00:16:36.93
Right.
00:16:36.96\00:16:38.29
So in my family now
00:16:38.33\00:16:39.66
everyone gave
upon me completely.
00:16:39.69\00:16:42.43
Every single person
except for my mother.
00:16:42.46\00:16:44.77
They told my mother
to kill me in my sleep.
00:16:44.80\00:16:46.60
Wow.
00:16:46.63\00:16:47.97
They told my mom to poison me,
00:16:48.00\00:16:49.34
they told her to
send me to prison.
00:16:49.37\00:16:50.87
Because
remember, I was dangerous
00:16:50.91\00:16:53.07
in the outside part in the gang,
00:16:53.11\00:16:55.81
inside school I
became a don for my school,
00:16:55.84\00:16:59.05
my gang leader for my school.
00:16:59.08\00:17:00.75
So having those young men,
00:17:00.78\00:17:02.18
I'm teaching them
about gang violence,
00:17:02.22\00:17:04.39
training them, all
because of one revenge.
00:17:04.42\00:17:07.86
So my life was
very vicious and deadly.
00:17:07.89\00:17:11.09
And then now from a gang-bang
being so vicious and deadly,
00:17:11.13\00:17:15.00
involved in lot of, you
know, dangerous stuff with guns.
00:17:15.03\00:17:17.90
It reached a stage
where I was locked up,
00:17:17.93\00:17:20.14
you know, several...
00:17:20.17\00:17:21.77
That means going
out police officers
00:17:21.80\00:17:23.84
while I was in school.
00:17:23.87\00:17:25.31
I was suspended from
school actually every week.
00:17:25.34\00:17:28.74
So I used to damage students
because I learned karate,
00:17:28.78\00:17:30.95
I could fight very well.
00:17:30.98\00:17:32.45
I trained boxing because
I just want to take revenge.
00:17:32.48\00:17:36.45
So everything that you
did was really based on,
00:17:36.48\00:17:40.52
I'm gonna get revenge.
00:17:40.56\00:17:41.96
Yes, I want to learn.
00:17:41.99\00:17:43.32
I can't believe we're
coming down so late in time...
00:17:43.36\00:17:45.59
I can't either.
00:17:45.63\00:17:46.96
And there's so
much more to your story.
00:17:47.00\00:17:48.96
And we've got to find out
how God took you out of that.
00:17:49.00\00:17:52.70
Okay.
00:17:52.73\00:17:54.07
We got to jump to there
00:17:54.10\00:17:55.44
and I know
there's a lot in between
00:17:55.47\00:17:57.67
and I wish we could cover it
00:17:57.71\00:17:59.17
but you can give us
like a little synopsis
00:17:59.21\00:18:01.61
and then go to what God
did to get you out of there?
00:18:01.64\00:18:04.48
Okay, just quickly.
00:18:04.51\00:18:07.18
So after the gang won,
00:18:07.22\00:18:08.55
we get deep
involved in the spiritism
00:18:08.58\00:18:10.55
because of how
deep I was at the gang,
00:18:10.59\00:18:13.12
they introduces to demonic
worship where we have to go,
00:18:13.15\00:18:16.36
where take off
our clothes, you know,
00:18:16.39\00:18:18.09
put, they put a
basement underground,
00:18:18.13\00:18:20.50
filled the base with water,
00:18:20.53\00:18:22.36
they sprinkle
liquid inside the basin.
00:18:22.40\00:18:24.57
They spin you around,
00:18:24.60\00:18:25.93
we went through
a series of rituals
00:18:25.97\00:18:28.07
that was very
dangerous that we have to do.
00:18:28.10\00:18:30.51
And then we actually see
the manifestation of demons.
00:18:30.54\00:18:32.94
So been so deep,
00:18:32.97\00:18:35.61
every morning
when I reach home 5 am,
00:18:35.64\00:18:38.45
my mother was on her
knees praying for me.
00:18:38.48\00:18:41.38
She prayed every single day.
00:18:41.42\00:18:45.12
Sometimes she
wait until I reach home
00:18:45.15\00:18:46.86
before she starts to pray.
00:18:46.89\00:18:48.29
So I would hear exact
word she's saying to God.
00:18:48.32\00:18:51.13
She prayed, she
prayed, she prayed, she prayed,
00:18:51.16\00:18:53.96
no changes visible.
00:18:54.00\00:18:55.96
But in my book I wrote
00:18:56.00\00:18:59.07
even in a darkest hour
00:18:59.10\00:19:01.57
when a mother's praying
for her wayward son or daughter
00:19:01.60\00:19:05.31
and there seems
to be no changes,
00:19:05.34\00:19:07.54
angels of God
and the Holy Spirit
00:19:07.58\00:19:09.84
is working behind the scenes.
00:19:09.88\00:19:12.01
My mother prayed, prayed
and then she starts to cry.
00:19:12.05\00:19:16.28
She wasn't a Christian.
00:19:16.32\00:19:18.05
But she prayed.
00:19:18.09\00:19:19.42
She cried, she
cried, she cried, she cried
00:19:19.45\00:19:22.39
until it reached a
stage where God allow me,
00:19:22.42\00:19:26.96
I never had no knowledge
where God is concerned.
00:19:27.00\00:19:29.43
But very soon, very
quickly, what happened is that.
00:19:29.46\00:19:33.17
I was at home one day
when my greatest idol,
00:19:33.20\00:19:37.57
who I respect a lot
came to me and said to me,
00:19:37.61\00:19:39.61
"Billy, look at all
that you have been through."
00:19:39.64\00:19:42.81
With all of yours shootout,
00:19:42.84\00:19:45.65
all of your stuff
you have been through.
00:19:45.68\00:19:47.02
Do you know that
there's a God in heaven?
00:19:47.05\00:19:49.98
This is a secular
person, wasn't a Christian.
00:19:50.02\00:19:52.12
That shocks me so much.
00:19:52.15\00:19:54.09
And then I talked
about what he said to me
00:19:54.12\00:19:56.83
because he was my great,
my best, a very good friend
00:19:56.86\00:19:59.63
and then I decided
to search our Bible
00:19:59.66\00:20:03.53
because at that time my
step-father had two house,
00:20:03.57\00:20:06.33
the one other house by itself,
00:20:06.37\00:20:08.60
I was alone there
because everyone left me there.
00:20:08.64\00:20:11.17
So I was giving all the trouble.
00:20:11.21\00:20:12.57
My mother was the only one
who would come and visit me
00:20:12.61\00:20:15.44
and make sure my food
is cooked and everything.
00:20:15.48\00:20:17.55
She was like that.
00:20:17.58\00:20:18.91
So you lived
alone at this point?
00:20:18.95\00:20:20.28
Yes, because I was by the
home I always was by myself,
00:20:20.32\00:20:22.28
smoking every morning.
00:20:22.32\00:20:23.65
So I searched that
house, I found the Bible.
00:20:23.69\00:20:26.82
And that's my
first conviction now.
00:20:26.86\00:20:29.09
I opened the Bible in Psalm
00:20:29.12\00:20:30.46
because he told
me to read Psalms.
00:20:30.49\00:20:32.16
And each verse I read, I paused,
00:20:32.19\00:20:34.76
take a puff of my marijuana
00:20:34.80\00:20:36.80
and I read the
Bible verse by verse.
00:20:36.83\00:20:39.30
And those were my
first sort of experience,
00:20:39.33\00:20:41.34
my mother's still praying
until it reached a stage where
00:20:41.37\00:20:45.14
I start to experience
some serious toothache pain,
00:20:45.17\00:20:48.34
serious demonic attack.
00:20:48.38\00:20:50.58
And in those
moments is when my mother,
00:20:50.61\00:20:52.58
she was praying for me.
00:20:52.61\00:20:54.52
God revealed to me
plainly for one moment
00:20:54.55\00:20:59.25
where I felt that my
head was coming off my body.
00:20:59.29\00:21:02.02
With this toothache? Yes.
00:21:02.06\00:21:03.89
And I remember I
said, God... I cried out.
00:21:03.93\00:21:07.33
Are You really, real?
00:21:07.36\00:21:09.40
I said God if You're
real please I'm asking You,
00:21:09.43\00:21:13.67
I'm begging You,
00:21:13.70\00:21:15.50
pause this pain and
immediately the pain paused.
00:21:15.54\00:21:19.51
Those are the
first conviction I got
00:21:19.54\00:21:21.18
and then another quick part
00:21:21.21\00:21:23.48
towards the conversion
at Old Harbor High School.
00:21:23.51\00:21:26.75
I was so wayward in the
school but at that time,
00:21:26.78\00:21:31.09
I told God I can't accept
him when I saw those results.
00:21:31.12\00:21:34.26
That is maybe real.
00:21:34.29\00:21:36.09
I needed a firearm
to always protect me.
00:21:36.12\00:21:38.63
So I would never
serve God without a firearm.
00:21:38.66\00:21:41.66
That same period of time now,
00:21:41.70\00:21:44.27
some of my enemies attacked
me one evening with knives,
00:21:44.30\00:21:47.64
screwdriver, ice breaker,
tall stuff a tall pointed stuff
00:21:47.67\00:21:51.34
that they used to chip ice.
00:21:51.37\00:21:53.27
And to be honest with you,
it was so strange like a dream.
00:21:53.31\00:21:57.38
They stabbed me
all over my body,
00:21:57.41\00:22:00.02
pushed the knife all over me.
00:22:00.05\00:22:02.15
And after they
stabbed me for over 10 minutes
00:22:02.18\00:22:04.65
that I spread the
knife, the scissors.
00:22:04.69\00:22:07.09
When the senior don,
00:22:07.12\00:22:08.99
for the senior gang
leader for the area,
00:22:09.02\00:22:10.86
his son came and saw them
00:22:10.89\00:22:12.99
and he made a
call, "No one touch him."
00:22:13.03\00:22:16.26
Then everyone left me so
I felt like I'm dying now
00:22:16.30\00:22:20.27
because I feel all the stabs.
00:22:20.30\00:22:21.64
Right. Right.
00:22:21.67\00:22:23.00
When I reached to the police
station, I took off my shirt.
00:22:23.04\00:22:25.04
I saw not one blood, no
bruise at all on my body.
00:22:25.07\00:22:28.84
And they said... No, no cut?
00:22:28.88\00:22:30.41
No, one cut, 10
minutes of knife stabs,
00:22:30.45\00:22:33.98
had several persons
did this weeks at a time.
00:22:34.02\00:22:36.48
And so that was...
00:22:36.52\00:22:38.85
In my book I titled that
part, "The Three Great Miracles"
00:22:38.89\00:22:42.59
and one of the
miracles what led me to said,
00:22:42.62\00:22:47.03
"God, You're real for true."
00:22:47.06\00:22:49.73
But in those
moments when God finally,
00:22:49.76\00:22:53.74
I remember after that
experience in the summer,
00:22:53.77\00:22:57.31
the principal asked me
to do some work for him,
00:22:57.34\00:23:00.94
some volunteer work.
00:23:00.98\00:23:02.61
And as I was assisting him,
00:23:02.64\00:23:04.41
I used to have attended demonic
ritual four times a week.
00:23:04.45\00:23:07.82
But the volunteer
work on the school grounds
00:23:07.85\00:23:10.82
have caused me
not to participate
00:23:10.85\00:23:14.02
in the ritual for one week.
00:23:14.06\00:23:15.66
Normally, the policy
is you missed one week,
00:23:15.69\00:23:18.06
they killed you.
00:23:18.09\00:23:19.43
They just kill you?
00:23:19.46\00:23:20.80
They kill you because
you can't leave your oath,
00:23:20.83\00:23:22.83
you're part of
the demonic ritual,
00:23:22.86\00:23:24.50
you have to
practice it every single,
00:23:24.53\00:23:26.47
four times a week.
00:23:26.50\00:23:27.84
If you miss one
week, you're dead.
00:23:27.87\00:23:30.47
So what I miss it for
two weeks, three weeks,
00:23:30.51\00:23:33.61
and I work voluntarily
for four to five weeks.
00:23:33.64\00:23:37.25
And the demons came back for me.
00:23:37.28\00:23:38.61
It was a very
frightening experience,
00:23:38.65\00:23:41.02
where the last night before
00:23:41.05\00:23:42.38
I decided about going to church.
00:23:42.42\00:23:44.32
When God revealed
to me in a mighty way
00:23:44.35\00:23:46.65
how he powerful would
stop him and other things.
00:23:46.69\00:23:50.93
But I just want to
cut this part short.
00:23:50.96\00:23:52.53
But then now
00:23:52.56\00:23:53.90
what really stood out
for me was a night before
00:23:53.93\00:23:57.10
after I miss the ritual,
00:23:57.13\00:23:59.23
I lost clothes, I
lost the money I had
00:23:59.27\00:24:01.60
everything because
I'm no longer part of it,
00:24:01.64\00:24:04.07
and they threatened
to come back to kill me,
00:24:04.11\00:24:05.47
the demons, the ritual people.
00:24:05.51\00:24:07.61
So I was so frightened.
00:24:07.64\00:24:08.98
I said to myself that
night, I couldn't breathe.
00:24:09.01\00:24:13.21
I felt my breath
was leaving my body.
00:24:13.25\00:24:15.08
I felt that someone
put a block on my head.
00:24:15.12\00:24:17.59
But I knelt down on the
floor and I said will last
00:24:17.62\00:24:22.09
but I felt like I was breathing.
00:24:22.12\00:24:23.99
I said, "God, if You're real,
00:24:24.03\00:24:27.40
please don't allow
me to die like this.
00:24:27.43\00:24:30.17
If You give me the final chance,
00:24:30.20\00:24:32.33
I'm gonna stop smoke.
00:24:32.37\00:24:33.97
And even though my enemy
is coming back to kill me,
00:24:34.00\00:24:36.60
I'm gonna stop smoke,
and I'm gonna serve you."
00:24:36.64\00:24:39.74
And then I felt
something lift off my head.
00:24:39.77\00:24:42.84
And I felt something
come straight from my stomach
00:24:42.88\00:24:45.65
come up straight
up, I vomit afterwards.
00:24:45.68\00:24:48.42
And then the next day, I
said, "Lord, I'm confused."
00:24:48.45\00:24:52.72
I want to know which
church do You want me to go to.
00:24:52.75\00:24:55.69
I'm now
convicted that You're real
00:24:55.72\00:24:57.13
and everything
You're really powerful,
00:24:57.16\00:24:59.36
but I need to know which
church do You want me to go to,
00:24:59.39\00:25:03.70
even though the enemies
are coming back to kill me,
00:25:03.73\00:25:06.47
and I decide the time I woke up,
00:25:06.50\00:25:08.80
I was studying the Bible.
00:25:08.84\00:25:10.91
And I fell asleep in the couch.
00:25:10.94\00:25:13.14
And I heard a loud
sound on the outside.
00:25:13.17\00:25:15.34
And immediately I
went outside, I saw no one
00:25:15.38\00:25:18.38
but I heard the voice
said, take up your Bible,
00:25:18.41\00:25:21.28
and go to the
extreme side of the house.
00:25:21.32\00:25:23.89
As I went, I sat
down at the manhole,
00:25:23.92\00:25:26.89
and I opened my Bible.
00:25:26.92\00:25:28.62
And then I saw text
about the seventh-day Sabbath.
00:25:28.66\00:25:32.26
I said, "Lord, who do I
now go to Sabbath church?"
00:25:32.29\00:25:35.96
And heaven be a
witness as I sat there.
00:25:36.00\00:25:40.80
I remember, I saw a
bright light like the sunlight
00:25:40.84\00:25:43.81
it's got bright in my face.
00:25:43.84\00:25:45.74
And then
immediately, when I look,
00:25:45.77\00:25:48.04
I saw a guy by the
name of Dirk Tomsey.
00:25:48.08\00:25:51.68
He cuts grasses,
you know, in Jamaica
00:25:51.71\00:25:53.62
because people lawn in for them.
00:25:53.65\00:25:55.38
I saw him stand
before me, and I said,
00:25:55.42\00:25:57.45
he goes to our Sabbath church.
00:25:57.49\00:25:59.55
And the voice
said, "Yes ask him."
00:25:59.59\00:26:01.56
And immediately, as I got up,
00:26:01.59\00:26:03.26
I was gonna asked
my mom for his number.
00:26:03.29\00:26:05.53
And when I reached
to the back of the,
00:26:05.56\00:26:07.53
back of the home,
00:26:07.56\00:26:09.00
my mom was close to the
line because in Jamaica,
00:26:09.03\00:26:11.47
we don't have dryers like here.
00:26:11.50\00:26:13.20
Yeah.
00:26:13.23\00:26:14.57
And as a result of that, right
there at that time, I saw him.
00:26:14.60\00:26:18.24
I said, I'm coming to
church this Sabbath with you.
00:26:18.27\00:26:20.58
That's where it started.
00:26:20.61\00:26:21.94
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:26:21.98\00:26:23.31
And now he's, now you're
preaching and baptizing people
00:26:23.35\00:26:26.51
and all that things.
00:26:26.55\00:26:27.88
That's interesting. Yeah.
00:26:27.92\00:26:29.25
How, you know, you
exerting influence over people.
00:26:29.28\00:26:33.02
You know, when
you're out for revenge,
00:26:33.05\00:26:34.96
you're exerting an influence
00:26:34.99\00:26:36.49
and getting
people to join the gangs.
00:26:36.52\00:26:38.53
Now you're getting people to,
00:26:38.56\00:26:41.50
by the grace of God
surrender their lives to Christ.
00:26:41.53\00:26:44.13
Amen.
00:26:44.17\00:26:45.57
And you have his
book right there.
00:26:45.60\00:26:47.40
This book is excellent.
00:26:47.44\00:26:48.77
I know you're gonna want
to know the end of the story,
00:26:48.80\00:26:50.71
the rest of the story,
00:26:50.74\00:26:52.07
rather 'cause the end of
the story is still going.
00:26:52.11\00:26:54.34
So you must get this book.
00:26:54.38\00:26:55.81
You can go on Amazon and get it.
00:26:55.84\00:26:57.85
It's called "The
Billy Mirander Story."
00:26:57.88\00:27:00.75
And it's one of those books
00:27:00.78\00:27:02.82
that you're not
gonna want to put down.
00:27:02.85\00:27:04.42
I assure you it's
really, really interesting.
00:27:04.45\00:27:07.46
So we thank you and you are a
student at Oakwood University.
00:27:07.49\00:27:10.29
Yes.
00:27:10.33\00:27:11.66
And your plan is to?
00:27:11.69\00:27:13.96
Finish school at
Oakwood University
00:27:14.00\00:27:15.60
and continue to preach
the everlasting gospel.
00:27:15.63\00:27:19.07
And I thank God for
my wife, my daughter,
00:27:19.10\00:27:22.87
God has manifested
my life so powerfully,
00:27:22.90\00:27:25.74
and now from a life of violence,
00:27:25.77\00:27:28.04
to a life of grace.
00:27:28.08\00:27:29.68
Thank, God, for
my praying mother.
00:27:29.71\00:27:31.65
Yes.
00:27:31.68\00:27:33.01
Never underestimate
the prayer of a mother
00:27:33.05\00:27:35.88
and so to all mothers who
may have the wayward sons,
00:27:35.92\00:27:39.32
the wayward daughters,
00:27:39.35\00:27:40.69
I say to all
mothers never stop praying
00:27:40.72\00:27:43.53
for your wayward children.
00:27:43.56\00:27:45.13
After my conversion,
almost my entire family
00:27:45.16\00:27:48.56
baptized into the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:27:48.60\00:27:50.80
including my mother.
00:27:50.83\00:27:52.17
There's power in prayer.
00:27:52.20\00:27:53.54
Amen. Amen.
00:27:53.57\00:27:54.90
Thank you so much
for being with us.
00:27:54.94\00:27:56.74
May God continue
to richly bless you
00:27:56.77\00:27:59.27
and thank you for being with us.
00:27:59.31\00:28:01.64
Join us next time
'cause you know what?
00:28:01.68\00:28:03.14
It just wouldn't be
the same without you.
00:28:03.18\00:28:05.11