Participants: Jason Bradley (Host), Yvonne Lewis (Host), Lotolua Ilaoa
Series Code: UBR
Program Code: UBR000240A
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00:01 Stay tuned to meet a former assassin
00:03 for the Mexican drug cartel 00:05 whose life has been transformed 00:07 by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:09 My name is Yvonne Lewis. And I'm Jason Bradley. 00:12 And you're watching Urban Report. 00:40 Hello and welcome to Urban Report. 00:42 Today, our guest is Lotolua Ilaoa. 00:47 Did I say it right? Yes, you have. 00:50 Welcome to Urban Report. Thank you. 00:54 First of all, I need to say, hi, to Jason. 00:56 Oh! Thank you. Jason! 00:59 Welcome, I'm so glad you're co-hosting. 01:01 All right, glad to be here. 01:03 I just found out about you today 01:06 and we always want to share powerful testimonies 01:10 with our viewers and we know that 01:11 you're on the today program earlier for 3ABN. 01:15 And well, Pastor John Lomacang said, 01:18 "You've got to interview this brother." 01:21 So we're gonna call you brother Loto, 01:23 so I don't butcher your name. 01:25 Yes. 01:26 Brother Loto and we just want to hear 01:30 where God has brought you. 01:32 So let's start with where you were brought up, 01:35 where were you raised? 01:36 I was born and was raised up 01:39 in the first 11 years of my life in American Samoa. 01:44 That's in South Pacific where all those islands 01:47 closer to New Zealand, closer to Australia. 01:49 You say it, say it again, Samoa? 01:52 American Samoa. 01:53 See, we say Samoa, right? Yeah. 01:55 But it's Samoa. 01:57 Samoa, yes. 01:59 It's just like, with Spanish. 02:01 That's why it's kind of easy to pronounce Spanish words 02:04 because it's the same pronunciation 02:07 as where I'm from. 02:08 So I was born there and 11 years. 02:11 And after when I was 11 then that's when my mother 02:18 brought us to the state to Hawaii first, 02:20 and then to Hawaii to here, to the United States. 02:22 What led her to leave? 02:24 Well, my older siblings, 02:26 I'm the number nine of eleven siblings. 02:30 Wow! Wow! 02:33 Five brothers and five sisters, 02:35 and I have two younger sisters, 02:38 younger than me and but I'm the ninth. 02:42 But most of them, the older one siblings are here 02:43 in the United States so my mother wants to leave. 02:47 We have our own land, we have homes 02:49 there in the Island, 02:50 but she wants to be closer to her kids. 02:53 And I believe the main thing was because my father 02:56 was a visionary of education. 02:59 She wants us to have a good education 03:02 because that's power, he knew that. 03:05 And so my mother kind of followed along in that, 03:07 you know, that mindset and wants to bring 03:09 his younger kids to go to school. 03:13 And that's why the reason why she brought us here. 03:16 So you moved to Hawaii... 03:18 Moved to Hawaii, that's where when my sister, 03:20 my older sister was staying as she's a Registered Nurse. 03:24 And so she was kind of grounded there and then 03:28 so we came there just to settle before we come in 03:30 with the rest of the families here in California. 03:33 What was the spiritual life in your home? 03:36 Did you have a... 03:37 Did you grow up in a Christian home or... 03:39 Yes, I grew up in a Christian home 03:41 with some of my siblings, the older ones who're not. 03:44 My father and my mother, they were called Christians. 03:48 The majority of American Samoa people 03:50 were Protestant Christians, but in their own way. 03:56 But my mother and my father, 03:58 they were suddenly keeping Christians 04:01 and but my mother was the one that found 04:05 by the determination of this Bible worker 04:08 that came to our village. 04:09 He was fearless. 04:11 And so he came there and witnessed to my mother 04:15 and brought about this message that we have today 04:18 a Seventh Day Adventist. 04:19 Ah! So... Oh, wow! 04:21 Go ahead, Jason, you had a question? 04:23 So he came there, he witnessed to your mom 04:25 and then she became Seventh Day Adventist. 04:28 How did your dad take that? Yeah, that's a wonderful story. 04:31 My dad was very determined 04:33 to discourage the Bible worker guy, 04:36 but my mother was very determined. 04:37 She was determined because she not in a way defiance 04:40 for my dad or against my dad or his family, 04:44 but she saw the truth. 04:46 Today, I look back as, I'm very proud to have a mother 04:50 with no education whatsoever, but she was determined to know 04:54 because she saw this truth 04:56 that she had never heard before. 04:58 And I thank God for that Bible worker. 04:59 So to make a story, she decided to give her life 05:03 and to seal the deal with the baptism 05:07 so I do not, I don't recall what date it was 05:11 but it was on the Sabbath 05:12 that she was going to have this baptism. 05:14 My dad was drunk and see, my dad was been drinking 05:17 and doing everything, not in a drunk, 05:19 he's not a drunk, but he was under alcohol 05:22 and he decided that, I guess, he was trying to drown 05:24 the pain of letting his wife. 05:27 But he chose to come on that Sabbath day 05:29 and told the pastor that was baptizing, 05:33 and told him that, "I want to be baptized 05:35 with my wife." 05:36 Yeah, because he wants to join. I think... 05:38 Had he been sitting in on the studies? 05:41 Had he been hearing them? No. 05:43 He just did it all because of his love for my wife, 05:46 for my, I mean, for my mother. 05:48 Yes. 05:49 My mother was 12 years younger than my dad. 05:51 My mother was very good looking. 05:53 She was a very good looking mother. 05:56 And so my dad was like a person, 05:58 that I think, her looks broke him down. 06:05 So, yeah. 06:06 So he was so enamored by her that... 06:08 Yes. 06:10 If she was gonna make this step, 06:11 he was gonna make it too. 06:13 Yes. And he came there drunk? 06:16 He was under the influence that was the story I heard. 06:18 I might be wrong, but this was a story 06:20 that was passed down to me from my mom and older siblings. 06:24 So after the baptism, did he remain an Adventist? 06:28 Or what did he do? 06:30 My father became more zealous than my mother. 06:32 Really? 06:34 Because he was the oldest of the children of my grandpa, 06:39 and my grandfather was a High Chief. 06:42 He was a High Chief of the village 06:43 and that's not a small title. 06:45 Ilaoa family is very big in Loni village. 06:49 It's called the Lion village. 06:51 And so they're very, their word is very, very powerful 06:55 and influential to all the villagers. 06:58 So is the High Chief like the king? 07:00 The High Chief is like the head of that... 07:03 yes, on the village. 07:06 Although, there are other chiefs, 07:07 but he was one of the main ones. 07:10 And so, my father, my dad was the oldest of the children 07:15 and especially if you are a man, a boy, 07:18 so you are going to be the next one to take over. 07:23 But, my dad decided he would not be part 07:25 of the culture and everything else. 07:26 He wants to raise up his children in this faith 07:29 that he has learned. 07:30 Oh! 07:32 So it was something that what causes a frown 07:35 from my grandpa and grandmother and as well as the family. 07:39 Look how brave he had to be to go up against his culture. 07:44 Yes. 07:46 And what he had known all that time to say, 07:49 "No, I don't want to be a part of it." 07:51 Was it because that culture worshipped other gods? 07:56 Or what was it that made him feel uncomfortable 07:59 with taking on that High Chief title? 08:04 I think he looked at it in the way 08:05 that because of the traditions. 08:08 He looked at it from that perspective 08:09 and many of the traditions will get his way 08:12 which I see it today with my Samoan people 08:15 that our inner, they're bringing that 08:18 even inside the church. 08:20 And often, it takes away and so I saw that wisdom. 08:23 I saw why he did what he did 08:25 or by the leading in the Holy Spirit. 08:27 What he does, it takes away the spiritual. 08:31 Actually, the culture dominates spiritual things 08:36 and so I think I see his wisdom. 08:40 But I can also see that, you know, 08:41 how like, generations, like, I'm his son, 08:45 but I can also see that he could balanced it out 08:48 in a way that it'll win his family, 08:52 if he will stand firmly, but I guess at the time, 08:54 you know, it was the only light that he knew... 08:56 Right. 08:57 And so that's the leading in the Holy Spirit 08:59 that guided him to do that to make that decision. 09:02 So... 09:04 So he decided that he wasn't going to be 09:07 the High Chief. 09:09 Yes. 09:10 And he was the high priest... Yes. 09:13 The priest of your home. Yes. 09:16 And so your mom and dad now, were they, 09:20 did they force the family to observe Sabbath 09:25 and all that or how did that, how did you guys 09:27 fall in the line with all that? 09:30 It was something like that. 09:31 They were, you know, in a way, it was something like that 09:33 they were very strict. 09:35 They were very strict. 09:38 I remember when I was growing up, 09:39 we remember this, 09:40 I didn't feel that way towards my dad 09:43 in a way that I felt like I was being forced. 09:47 My older siblings may, but me, I get away with everything. 09:51 My dad, there's no wrong with my father. 09:54 I don't do no wrong before my father's eyes. 09:56 Ah! 09:57 You were one of his favorites then, ah? 09:59 You're the golden child... Yeah, the golden child. 10:01 The favorite. The favorite! 10:02 The favorite and you know, my dear brothers, 10:04 they know that. 10:06 I mean, don't get me wrong, 10:07 my father loves all his children. 10:09 But, I was one that never gets spanked. 10:13 Yeah, so I can tell you a very quick incidents 10:16 and my brothers, one time I get in trouble, 10:20 get into trouble, and so my mother can't catch me, 10:22 I'll run, you know. 10:24 And so she said, "Okay, you wait 10:25 until your father gets home." 10:27 So my father gets home, to make a long story short, 10:32 took us back in the room and first, 10:35 it was my older brother, the one that's next to me. 10:38 Both of us were the one that get into trouble. 10:41 And took him and spanked him, you know, 10:43 his hands and he came out crying. 10:45 Okay? 10:46 And so, you know, my mother looked at me 10:48 and said, "Yeah, you're next. 10:49 You're gonna get it." 10:51 So I went in there and, you know, me, 10:52 I have no fear of my dad, you know, because I know, 10:54 me and him have that connection with my dad. 10:57 And so I went and I just jump right on his lap, 11:00 grab his hand and play with his hands, 11:03 and he was just looking at me, and he went like this, 11:04 "You know, I have to do something 11:06 or your mother is going to get mad 11:08 if I don't spank you." 11:09 So he told me, he said, "What I'm gonna do, 11:12 I'm gonna hit my hand with a belt. 11:15 And when I hit my hand you need to scream." 11:19 So that's what he did and I scream 11:21 and I pretend to... 11:22 Wow! 11:24 To cry and I went out and that was it. 11:26 You know, that's how he treated, 11:28 you know, yeah, anyway... 11:30 So then growing up, 11:33 your dad never disappointed you? 11:35 Never, anything, he was so proud of me 11:39 when, you know, I will always try to do things 11:41 to make my father proud 11:44 and to live up in a way that pleases him. 11:48 And I think that was the reason why it makes it so easy 11:51 when my heavenly Father find His way into my heart, 11:56 now I have that same connection with Him. 11:59 I want to do things to please Him. 12:01 Yes. 12:02 I want to please the one who loved me. 12:04 Yes, yes, yes. 12:05 Anyway so, right now, I get almost like, 12:06 you know, choked up because I love Jesus so much 12:09 because how can you not love someone 12:11 that gave his life for you? 12:13 Yes. 12:14 And so... Yes. 12:15 So you, so you basically got away with, you know, 12:21 just everything with your dad. 12:23 I'll get away with murder with my dad. 12:26 And your mom, she didn't discipline you? 12:30 She was the disciplinary. Okay. 12:32 When my dad was not there, when, he passed, 12:36 when I was nine years old. 12:37 I was nine years old when my dad passed 12:39 and so that's when the effect of discipline 12:42 I started knowing and learning. 12:45 She didn't meant that was the only way that, 12:47 you know, she can know back then, 12:49 but I'm glad I got spanked in a way 12:51 to get my senses right correctly. 12:53 But, yes, yes, my dad passed when I was nine years old. 12:58 How did you react or respond to your father passing? 13:02 Very angry, I lost, I rebel against, 13:09 I hate the world. 13:11 I hate the world because my dad was not only my dad, 13:13 he was like a God to me. 13:15 I didn't know God, but that was my God. 13:18 And so when he was taken from me, 13:20 I thank God that I was not old when that happened to my dad 13:25 because the individuals that was responsible 13:28 for hitting a drunk driver, 13:30 I will probably take it out on them so, 13:34 but I'm glad God, it's amazing. 13:36 He knows, He knows our weaknesses, 13:38 He knows where we need to be. 13:39 So your dad died suddenly? 13:42 Yes. 13:44 My dad was in the Marines. 13:48 And then after he got out of the Marines, 13:50 he became a police in the Island. 13:53 And then after that he became the director 13:56 of the Motor Pool for the government. 13:58 So he was the director, so the drivers has to come 14:03 from the place to pick him up from my home, 14:05 from our home to take them to work. 14:07 But, this particular driver came to pick him up 14:09 instead of coming directly to pick up my dad. 14:12 He stopped by one of my relatives bar 14:16 and took a drink. 14:18 And so to make a long story short, 14:21 after he got off, he was under the influence, 14:23 he's raced down the streets with the... 14:26 because in the main road of the Island, 14:30 there's only one, and so there's only two lanes 14:32 and so they raced down, 14:34 my dad walked up to the streets, you know, 14:36 walk up to the main road because he was waiting 14:38 for the guy to pick him up. 14:40 And so when he walked up there, 14:42 he has kind of hearing problem with one of his ears, 14:44 I don't remember which one. 14:47 And so when they were racing down, 14:49 I guess one of them kind of swerved off, 14:52 I guess it was time to turn or whatever, however he did, 14:55 and he took off and come directly 14:57 and hit my dad on the side of the road, 14:58 and dragged him underneath the vehicle. 15:02 He was alive. 15:04 My dad was alive only for a moment 15:06 when we took him to the hospital 15:09 and that's when he left those words with my mother, 15:11 he told... 15:13 let me see if I can, in English. 15:17 He says, "Be courageous," he told my mother. 15:20 He gave a charge. 15:21 He says, "Be courageous, remember our children." 15:25 And so that's what I think that was the burden 15:27 that my mother always had. 15:28 It was that to trying to be courageous for all of us, 15:33 and in the same time to remember his children, 15:37 his and her children, my father, 15:39 to raise them or trying to keep that charge upright. 15:43 So all she had to do is prayer. 15:44 She became the prayer warrior for our family. 15:47 She pray intensively 15:49 and I'm the product of those prayers today. 15:52 Oh, yeah. In spite of my rebellion. 15:54 Oh, Yes. 15:56 So when did you begin to rebel? 15:58 You said that you became very angry. 16:01 Yes. Were you angry with God? 16:03 Were you angry with your dad? 16:04 Who were you angry with when he died? 16:07 I cannot say I was angry with God 16:08 'cause I didn't know God. 16:10 But, I think I was just angry at anybody. 16:13 I was just angry in anything because I felt that 16:16 I had lost a great loss to me. 16:19 He was someone that was very special to me. 16:21 So I can never say, you know, I was angry to God. 16:24 I never did because the reason why I said that, 16:29 one of the things I've learned from my dad 16:31 that that he loved this God. 16:34 He loved this God. And so I don't know this God. 16:37 I didn't know God, but I trust my dad. 16:41 I trust him that if he loved Him 16:43 then I can trust Him too. 16:44 I can love Him. 16:46 It's almost like the story of Joseph. 16:47 It reminds me a lot of... 16:49 I mean, Joseph was 17 years old 16:51 when he was sold by his brothers to Egypt. 16:54 And I was wondering, I've been wondering 16:55 about that story because 16:58 how can the 17 year old was sold by his own kin 17:02 and yet he trusted God? 17:06 When I turned back, when I start 17:07 reading into the stories, I saw that it says, 17:10 he often spent time with his father Jacob. 17:12 And Jacob tell him all the stories about his life. 17:15 And you know the story that, you know, 17:16 Jacob ran for his life because of what he did 17:19 to his brother Esau. 17:21 So 20 years he ran. 17:23 So I believe that Joseph on his way 17:27 whether he was walking, or dragging, 17:29 or being in a cart whatever, 17:31 however they transport him to Egypt, 17:33 that's what he had it in his mind. 17:35 He may not know God, 17:36 but remember the dreams that he had. 17:37 He had an experience with God. 17:40 And so he said to himself, "I'm gonna trust this God. 17:43 I'm gonna trust the God of my dad." 17:45 And so the same with me, I trusted God. 17:50 I didn't curse or whatever it maybe, never. 17:53 Right! 17:54 I knew that I can't do because I was very respectful. 17:56 It was one of the things I've learned from my dad 17:57 was vary to be respectful. 18:00 Loyal then be respectful, so anyway. 18:06 So your dad dies at nine and then you go into puberty 18:11 and the teen years, what happened during that time? 18:14 Well, you know, I came here in the United States. 18:17 I was about 11 years old and I started going to school, 18:22 and well, actually, I got to go back. 18:24 In those years, they have this thing, you know, 18:27 in the islands where there were, 18:28 since I have all older brothers, 18:30 they would take their younger brother 18:32 and match up with other younger brothers 18:34 of other families. 18:36 And they'll often have fights. 18:38 They will fight, fist of fist, you know, 18:41 you obviously don't have nothing on us back then. 18:43 Back then, it was just knuckle to knuckle. 18:45 Wow! 18:46 And so you know, that's what we were doing, 18:48 that's what, you know, they would put me to, 18:52 you know, against other kids. 18:55 And I never lost a fight, 18:57 so yeah, that's where I started, 19:01 I believe that's how I now channel 19:05 this anger within me, this pain of losing my dad. 19:11 So I was taking out on fighting. 19:14 What were you guys fighting for? 19:15 Was it position, or what was it? 19:20 It was more like bragging rights 19:22 for the older brothers, for the families. 19:24 It was always like for families, 19:26 whose family, who's a siblings, who's, 19:29 and that's usually the case because there's always someone 19:31 that, "Okay, we're better than you." 19:33 The family names like, the Ilaoa name, 19:36 and whatever it is so. 19:38 But, I think most of it is just bragging rights 19:40 on the older siblings. 19:42 And so they like to put up their little brothers to fight. 19:44 And this particular one brother of mine and so he, 19:49 I've always, me and him used to be very, 19:52 we're very close 19:53 because from that since point when I was young. 19:57 And that was one of the incidents, you know, 20:00 kind of back track. 20:05 It was one morning we were onto school, 20:08 going to school day with my dad because he was so envision 20:10 in his children to have education. 20:16 And so there's only one good school 20:18 with good education in the island 20:20 and that was a Catholic school. 20:22 He already is a Seventh-day Adventist. 20:24 He's taking his boys to a Catholic school 20:27 because that was one of the best schools 20:29 to educate them. 20:31 So they had to get up early in the morning 20:33 and take the bus early in the morning. 20:36 And me and my other brother, 20:38 a little bit older than me and my younger sister, 20:41 the youngest one was too young 20:43 to go to school at this time. 20:45 And so we had to go to the public school. 20:47 So they go this way, we go this way. 20:49 So when we're on our way to go to school, 20:50 they have the special place where they wait for the bus 20:54 to come and pick them up to take them. 20:57 And I saw, when I came out we saw there was a fight. 21:02 You know, my two brothers there, 21:03 one of them is fighting this big guy, bully guy. 21:07 And so the first instinct in my, that's how I'm 21:10 because, you know, ever since I was little, I have this, 21:12 I've always been protective of my family. 21:16 And you're not gonna mess with my family. 21:18 You mess with my family, I'm gonna bring it to you. 21:21 And so I saw it and the first, I didn't even ask, 21:24 I ran over there. 21:26 I didn't even think twice or anything, I ran, 21:27 I saw it was my brother. 21:29 But, my other older brother is just standing with my sister. 21:32 So when I got there, there was all these boys, 21:36 you know, at the time, they were, I think they were, 21:39 I say they were in their 13s, 14s. 21:43 At that time they were big, 21:45 I'm only like about eight years old. 21:48 Wow! Were you a big kid? 21:50 No, I don't consider myself big, 21:53 but my brothers were bigger, you know, 21:55 they were big like, regular Samoan guy. 21:59 But, I was always a person that likes to be fit, 22:01 you know, I like to stay fit 22:03 and especially what I was doing. 22:06 And so I ran down there and I saw that my brother was, 22:09 this guy got him around on a chokehold 22:11 like this underneath with his back on it. 22:14 And I look at my other brother, he was just standing there. 22:16 I don't believe that because when, you know, 22:18 when somebody is, you know, your kin 22:20 or somebody is in trouble, you help. 22:23 Now, remember I'm a little kid. 22:25 In the islands, they have this thing 22:26 that where they decorate their driveways 22:28 and their homes with rocks and they paint these rocks, 22:33 you know, you can find in many islands, 22:34 they paint rocks like specially with the color, 22:36 bright colors. 22:38 The colors of our village is gold and green. 22:40 So they painted all these, you know, 22:43 make it beautiful that colors with gold. 22:46 So the first thing caught my eye was that gold big rock. 22:48 I can't take this guy, he was too big. 22:50 I said, "Get off my brother." And he's still... 22:54 So I grabbed this big rock and when he turned his back... 22:58 You know, I'm not glorifying in this 23:00 and that's kind of thing when I was a little kid, 23:02 I was always protective. 23:03 I broke his back. 23:05 I got him off and then they came 23:07 and chased him off. 23:08 Well, anyway, to make a story, this is one of the things 23:10 my dad was still alive at this time. 23:13 Went to school, came back, 23:14 the whole family of this injured boy 23:18 came to my father to apologize or whatever 23:21 because remember, my dad was up there 23:24 and trying to make things right 23:25 because they know who my dad is. 23:27 So when I was walking by and my dad looked out 23:30 and he saw me walking down, he just looked at me 23:32 like this one approval saying... 23:33 like that. 23:35 And that's how it is with my dad. 23:36 You know, me and him, I did not believe that 23:39 he was looking for that. 23:41 He was looking for a son that is strong, 23:46 and I think that was, in my heart 23:48 I wanted to please him. 23:51 But when he was taken, that's when I got, 23:54 that's when all that rebelism love to fight, 23:57 you know, all that because it take you that long. 24:00 Anyway, that's the beginning. 24:01 I mean, this is the kind of thing, I believe, 24:05 I understand what they're talking about. 24:06 It starts when you're young. 24:08 Whatever that you behold and whatever it is, 24:11 that's gonna form your perspective 24:14 of what life is going to be. 24:16 And that was something I was good at, 24:18 that was something I was adapt to it 24:20 is violence at the time. 24:22 So it was easy for me. 24:23 It was easy for me to get into violence. 24:25 Violence was second nature. 24:27 It was something normal and natural so... 24:30 It's so interesting how the devil just, you know, 24:34 he knows our propensities, he knows our tendencies, 24:41 and he will take those and bring 24:44 the worst out of us with that. 24:46 Whereas, of course, the Lord wants to take 24:48 our weaknesses and strengthen us through Him. 24:53 Yes. Not strengthen. 24:55 In ourselves... 24:56 Right, right and not, you know, nurture the sin, but... 25:00 Yeah. Deliver us from sin. 25:02 So that's where the violence took route for you. 25:07 So then what happened? 25:08 When did you get into the whole drug scene? 25:13 Okay, that was after my high school years, 25:16 I joined, my high school years, I was belong to a gang. 25:20 These are just thug kids, you know, 25:22 like you're here today, I don't know 25:24 if you heard about the Crips, the Bloods. 25:25 Oh, yeah. 25:27 You heard about the Nortenos, the Surenos, 25:29 and many other main ones that you see 25:31 even now the Mexican case of, 25:34 that come from El Salvador and all that. 25:36 Those are thugs, those are kids. 25:38 But I started that way. 25:40 And it's just like you said, it's a sea 25:41 that you started out that way and you work 25:44 and graduate yourself up to the guys 25:48 that are actually doing most of these crimes 25:49 that you see today. 25:51 They're the ones responsible, but they don't get caught 25:53 because they are legit people in a society. 25:58 But many of them are, they're very dirty. 26:01 You know, we're talking about not your regular police, 26:03 the police, the majority of police 26:05 are good men, good women. 26:08 But, the ones that are over them 26:11 and those are the ones that are very much 26:12 corrupt or intact, you know, with crime and I believe, 26:16 today that this drug war that we have today 26:20 or whatever it may be, they will never win. 26:22 You can never win that thing because there's money involved. 26:25 Right! 26:26 And when money is involved, well, then corrupt, 26:29 people will become corrupted. 26:31 So, how did you get lured into the gang? 26:34 Okay. 26:36 The gangs is, it was easy for me 26:37 'cause it was just hanged out with groups, 26:39 you know, with my boys. 26:41 It was a Asian Pacific Islander, 26:45 Asian Pacific Islander gang, you know, 26:47 it's constitute of Vietnamese and Koreans, 26:52 Chinese, Samoans, Guamanians. 26:55 So it's not like an Asian Pacific gang 26:58 and we call ourselves, "the chap rocks" 27:01 and chap rocks is a Filipino name for long tail. 27:05 So we wear red rag, 27:08 we tie our rags in our neck and hang in the back. 27:11 And they have what you call the blue rags 27:15 and those are the Northside boys 27:16 in San Jose, California. 27:18 And so we would usually go up against them 27:21 because they were all much, much older boys. 27:24 That's like the Bloods and the Crips. 27:26 So the Red and the Blue, right? Yes. 27:28 And usually, they get along, you know, 27:30 whoever, if you're a red rag, 27:31 you get along with the Nortenos, 27:33 you'll get along with the Bloods. 27:34 If you're a blue rag, you'll get along 27:36 with the El Salvadorians, the Surenos, and like that, 27:41 all simple is in California. 27:43 So I was involved in that for a little bit, 27:45 but I wasn't into the drug yet. 27:48 The drug came later on when I got out of the Navy, 27:51 although, I was in the military after High school 27:56 and I just wanted to get away, to get away from everything. 28:00 And so the founder of the gang, the thug gang 28:04 went in the Navy with me, you know, he went in, 28:07 I joined, and we took off. 28:10 And it was after that when I got off, I was intended, 28:14 I wanted to be a police. 28:16 I actually wanted to be a cop when I got out. 28:19 And so I went about, I went to school 28:21 to do all the schools for firearms 28:23 and everything like that, I went to training 28:26 with my intention and work as a job to supply my needs 28:31 whereas security. 28:33 So, but my focus was to become a police. 28:36 I want to be like my dad, you know, 28:39 in the military he was, 28:40 and I wanted to follow that example. 28:43 But in that, through that I meet some friends 28:46 and I saw the ways of making money. 28:49 So I started out a little bit in to do 28:51 to start out with selling a little teen, 28:54 teener is a 100 bucks, you know, 28:56 and a c-note, you know, like a c-note is a 100. 29:00 So and or selling 8 balls 29:03 and stuff like that with cocaine 29:05 and to make a long story short, after I got myself into, 29:11 I got into a very bad accident while I was a security, 29:15 not while I was security, but in my mini truck, 29:19 I was having a party with a friend all night 29:22 and I came back from San Francisco 29:25 and my car, I fell asleep, I flew off on the freeway 29:29 and hit the side of a building. 29:31 So I was fortunate because I have a habit 29:34 of putting on a seatbelt, 29:37 but my friend that was on the passenger seat did not 29:39 because, well, he didn't die, 29:42 but he flew through and he was alive. 29:45 He's alive today. 29:47 But from then on, I was injured myself 29:50 because I broke a hip on the wall up, 29:53 it was chipped off in the socket of my hip, 29:56 and I could see it in the, there was a little piece. 29:58 I didn't know that bones can grow back. 30:00 And so I found out later on afterwards that it grew back 30:04 and it healed. 30:05 And so I was thankful that I didn't choose 30:07 the advice of the doctors who came to me and said, 30:09 there're six doctors, who said, three doctors says to operate 30:12 and the other three says, 30:14 "Oh, if you leave it and endure the pain, 30:16 it'll grow back and you'll be fine." 30:18 I said, "Oh, no, I would take the pain." 30:21 Because you don't want hip surgery. 30:23 No, I didn't want them to cut through me. 30:24 Yeah. 30:26 So while I was under that healing process, you know, 30:29 for, I say about six months, it was coming to an end. 30:33 One of my colleagues, one of my friends 30:37 called me from Washington and says, 30:39 "Why don't you come up here? 30:40 You know, and I got some action over here." 30:44 So that's when I said, "Well, you know what..." 30:45 He said, "I'll pay you way to come up." 30:47 I said, "No." 30:48 I was just gonna come up, I'll pay my way, 30:50 I'll pay my way because my intention was not that, 30:51 I just want to get away. 30:54 And to get a new scenery 30:55 and then I'll come back to California. 30:58 Well, when I went up there, they were moving big weights, 31:03 and with my talent and everything else 31:06 and I went in with them. 31:09 And so that's why I started with the violence 31:11 and everything else because you need to be that way 31:14 in order to control the people and control the territory. 31:18 Yeah. 31:20 You know, that's one of the things that I notice 31:23 about street culture is that you can't, it's like, 31:30 you can't let people take advantage of you 31:32 because if you do then you look that as, 31:35 you know, we can... 31:36 Yeah. 31:37 And if you respond, you have to respond 31:40 kind of over the top 31:42 which then gets you in jail or killed. 31:44 It's like, it forces you to have a whole different 31:49 way of dealing with things. 31:50 You can't just sit down and talk about something. 31:53 Ah, you better go harder than the next minute. 31:55 Yeah, and that just, that takes you 31:58 into whole other realm of either getting killed 32:01 or getting incarcerated. 32:02 Yes. 32:04 When your name is put out there as you've been 32:06 letting something slide of being passive, 32:08 well, then you'd be surprised how the rest 32:12 will take advantage of that. 32:15 I think they can get away with it. 32:17 Yes, they can get away with it. 32:18 And that's just what Satan, that's his plan 32:20 because he wants to kill you while you're out there... 32:22 Yes, correct. 32:24 He wants to destroy you while you're out there. 32:26 And so if you go with the way the street goes, 32:31 that's your destiny because you don't see 32:33 a lot of "Oh, geez," you don't... 32:34 No. You know... 32:36 There's no 401k. 32:37 Right, exactly. 32:39 Retiring in a box or a cell. 32:41 That's right. Yes. 32:43 That's right. So you found yourself... 32:45 Yes. 32:46 You had been doing the violent thing 32:51 from being a kid that was kind of 32:53 nurtured in you over time. 32:56 And then now you're finding yourself 32:59 in the street with street culture... 33:02 Where you have to defend what's yours... 33:06 And you can't let anybody take advantage of you. 33:09 And you have to be serious. 33:10 Now you, now it's getting serious now. 33:13 Right! 33:14 It's getting serious because 33:17 you're dealing with some serious things. 33:21 And so you know, I was introduced into that life 33:24 and you have to be tough to control your territory. 33:27 And there were Cubans from Florida, 33:30 there were Bloods and Crips from Southern California. 33:34 And these are not wannabes, 33:36 these are the real people, the real members. 33:38 And so they were moving their territory 33:40 because they were chased out because of the crackdown 33:42 of the authorities down south in Southern California 33:46 and also in Florida. 33:47 So they're trying to find new territory 33:49 where they can move their products. 33:50 There's different lines of families 33:53 that are controlling cartel, different from Mexico 33:57 there's lines that comes from the other side 34:00 of where Texas is at. 34:02 They will move that line and all the families 34:04 that will run the drugs that goes up from Texas, 34:06 Oklahoma, Colorado, going that way. 34:08 So they're trying to divide territories 34:10 and they want to stay in territories, 34:12 whoever's controlling. 34:14 There's family in this area where I met, 34:17 there's family that control from the cartel 34:19 that's running the line from Oregon, from California, 34:22 Oregon and Washington, going up in Alaska. 34:26 So these are families, 34:28 these are not just anybody that just wanted. 34:30 Many of the people that you see that are selling cocaine, 34:34 They're are just product, little guys 34:36 that are selling from, 34:37 they're getting their stuff from families 34:39 that are controlling the moving of things, 34:43 moving of the product. 34:44 So if you go to South, if you go down south 34:47 or go into Mexico to get then it's cheaper. 34:50 You know, they would give it to the, 34:51 cartel would give it to you cheaper. 34:52 But if they'll bring the supply to you, 34:54 there's a lot of risk then the product 34:56 will go up higher. 34:58 So the things in the, in there, in these families 35:01 that are controlling these things, 35:03 one of this particular family that, they were decided 35:07 that they were trying to save them some money 35:08 and send their brothers, the two brothers, 35:11 one of their two brothers that they send down 35:14 to Mexico to bring the product. 35:16 But when they sent him down there, they play, 35:18 that's another part of the game is, it gets dirty, 35:20 if you're weak then they're gonna take 35:22 advantage of you. 35:23 So they put him to the test 35:25 and they kill both of the brothers 35:27 and took the money and everything else. 35:29 And that's part of the game, 35:31 it's part of the life, that life. 35:33 The life is, if you're weak, they're gonna take advantage. 35:36 But if you rise to the occasion, you know, 35:38 to what somebody has done to you, then yeah, 35:41 they'll be known that, "Okay, that we can trust this guy, 35:44 they're not gonna just fold up in a..." 35:47 So when they do that, 35:50 they do want to have a war 35:53 with the people of the family up there. 35:54 So they gave them a deal that if you provide 35:57 a safe house up there in Washington, 35:59 we will bring the product to you for free 36:02 and we'll settle or squash it. 36:04 We'll squash the thing. 36:06 Well, that's when they call me because my name was known, 36:10 always known in the streets and everything else 36:12 in up in Washington and everything else. 36:14 And they would call to whenever they, 36:17 these are the families that controlled the stuff up, 36:19 then they would call me and say, 36:21 "Hey, yo, want to meet up and we have the business 36:24 and things like that you need to take care." 36:27 So whenever they need something to be controlling, 36:29 they will call me. 36:31 And so they call me in and we wanted to meet 36:35 and they asked me, this is what happened 36:39 and what needs to be done. 36:41 This is where the house is at. 36:42 This is where the, it needs to take care of the debts." 36:46 So knowing the fact that there's a set up, you know, 36:51 in it and also I have to ask them questions. 36:55 So I ask them and I say, "What happened?" 36:56 And he ran it down to me the secular story that happens, 36:59 and but you don't trust, you don't, 37:00 there's no such thing. 37:02 The first lesson that I've learned 37:04 in the street is that, "You don't trust anyone." 37:07 When Jesus came into my life, 37:11 that's what it makes sense to me, 'God' 37:14 and when I read in the Scripture, 37:15 I believe it's in Jeremiah 17:5 or 17:9. 37:22 Verse 5, it's in 17 I believe. 37:24 It says "Cursed is the man that trusts in man. 37:27 Cursed is the men that maketh man his trust 37:30 and whose heart departeth." 37:32 That makes a whole lot of sense to me. 37:35 It makes sense to me because I know that 37:37 I've been in the world. 37:39 And when the Scripture is telling me that it says, 37:42 "I love this guy. 37:44 I trust this guy because his word makes sense." 37:47 You know, a person that doesn't, you know, 37:49 the Word of guy, this all make sense to me. 37:51 So, I said, "Okay, I can trust you." 37:55 So my first lesson was in this where I survive is 37:58 don't trust anyone. 38:00 So ask them, I say, "I tell you what? 38:01 Okay, you want me to do this job. 38:03 Okay, that's fine. That's no problem. 38:05 This is the amount. 38:07 This is what you're gonna give me now..." 38:09 And I don't want to glorify anything like that, 38:12 you know, those thing that I've done. 38:14 I want to glorify Jesus. Yes, of course. 38:16 You're just laying the groundwork... 38:17 Correct. For people to understand... 38:19 Yes. Where you were. 38:21 Oh, Yes, yes. Yeah, yeah. 38:23 And so I asked him a question, I said, "I tell you what, 38:27 if that was my family, if that was my family, 38:30 my blood, I would want to do it myself," 38:33 but in the same time, I'm asking, 38:34 where are this because it could be a set up. 38:38 And you know and... 38:39 Let me just make sure I'm understanding. 38:41 They wanted you to come and protect this family 38:46 because of the goods that were coming there. 38:48 What were they asking you to do? 38:49 They were asking me to pay back... 38:51 Retaliation. Retaliation. 38:53 Oh, okay. 38:54 Because the very family that was the very family 38:57 and how do I know that. 38:58 Well, how do you know those families? 38:59 You know, that's question that your viewers 39:01 probably saying right now. 39:03 But what I'm saying, whenever there's a, the cartel, 39:08 wherever there's a important, 39:10 they carry an insignia with them. 39:14 This is very important. 39:15 A lot of people don't know this. 39:17 The insignia that gives their authority 39:18 that this person is the very higher. 39:21 They will usually carry a weapon 39:23 and that specific weapon is a silver, pure silver 39:28 Pistol with marble handles. 39:32 Some of the crimes in different other areas, 39:34 they usually use it and marks that way, 39:35 that means that's the authority, 39:38 this person is special. 39:40 So when the job was done, you know, 39:43 kind of fast forward on, when job is done, 39:44 they have that pistol. 39:46 And that was the pistol that I did take 39:49 and give it to the people afterwards. 39:52 But anyway, let me backtrack again. 39:54 So I asked him a question. 39:56 So I said, "What if that was my family? 40:00 You know, won't you want to do that yourself? 40:03 I mean if it was my family, I would like to do that myself 40:06 because I don't want nobody else, 40:07 I want to get even." 40:09 And he looked at me and he said, "No, no. 40:14 I want you to do it because you do it right." 40:17 You know, I didn't finish there. 40:19 I want to ask him another question. 40:20 "Okay, that's fine, but here, what if I go and get 40:25 the brothers, get them and put it before you 40:29 so that way you can be satisfied 40:31 because that's what I will do. 40:32 And I just want to know, where is that?" 40:35 And he also replied once again is that, "No." 40:40 So right there in my head 40:42 because I did not know the whole story. 40:44 This is a story that now I know is that there's a setup here. 40:49 Right! 40:50 So I have to make provision. 40:52 I have to make provision for an escape. 40:54 Whatever it maybe, he needs to make sure 40:56 to cover my tracks and everything else. 40:58 Every time I do a job, there's always a cleaner, 41:02 there's a clean group. 41:04 They don't see me, I don't see them. 41:06 They have a whole different crew 41:08 that goes and clean it up. 41:09 There's no evidence of foul. 41:11 This is occurred and I believe is still happening today. 41:16 I'm out of it now. 41:18 But, I just go and get rid of the mark 41:21 and the cleaners will go and do the rest of the job. 41:24 So when I finish the job, I don't want to, you know, 41:29 I don't want to glorify the self, 41:31 but the thing is it was nothing. 41:34 It was, after we finish the job and everything else, 41:38 I wanted to make sure, I know because the questions 41:41 that I've been asked before, and I know 41:43 the viewers that says, what, how did you get out of this? 41:46 Yeah. That was gonna be my next question. 41:48 How did you get out? My reputation was very... 41:52 What I do was very, very, very, very mean, 41:54 I don't think you will ever like me 41:57 when if you meet me about 25 years ago. 41:59 So how I went about in order to get this job done, 42:03 it was not only to get the job done, 42:05 but to make sure this guy, first of all, 42:07 I already see that he's weak. 42:09 He's weak. 42:10 And I know that he, if he sets me up, 42:14 I'm gonna have to send a message to him. 42:16 And send a message in a way that not only his whole family 42:19 would know, but the organization would know. 42:24 And so it was a very, very terrible thing. 42:26 Yeah. 42:28 Very terrible thing that, how it happened? 42:29 How did Jesus change your life 42:32 because you were on this trajectory of sin and death? 42:38 Yes. How did Jesus, what did He do? 42:41 That was the most scariest part and the most scariest part 42:44 because I was coming to the point 42:47 where I look at people that's just nothing. 42:52 You know, when you don't have a conscience. 42:54 Right! 42:55 That's a very scary thing even today with me. 42:57 When I look back to as, I thank, 42:59 I'm ever thankful to God that He will come to me. 43:02 Remember, I said it before that my Mother was praying. 43:05 And that was the charge that my Dad gave it to her 43:08 and she stuck by that faithfully. 43:11 And she was praying, and praying, and praying. 43:14 How did I come about? How did I snap out of that? 43:17 To make it, I know the time is, it goes by so fast with us. 43:21 My Mother came up there to visit 43:23 some of my relatives up in Washington. 43:25 And they were holding prayer meeting. 43:27 They were praying and she was fasting. 43:29 I remember one time when we had a family gathering 43:33 in Northern California and my mother told me, 43:36 she asked me and said, "Son, 43:38 why don't you put away your sin?" 43:41 And I look at my dear Mother, you know, and very seriously 43:45 I said, "Mom, I love my sin. 43:48 I love my sin. I was good at my sin. 43:51 I was prospering in my sin." 43:53 And I said, "It seems like you guys are not even happy 43:55 in your righteousness, in what you guys are doing." 43:59 So I'm good in what I do. And I'm happy. 44:02 I'm telling you today that the devil can make you happy, 44:05 can make you happy in a sense. 44:07 Make you think you're happy. 44:08 Exactly, thank you for correcting me. 44:10 It can actually make you, 44:11 you think like you're enjoying, but you're not. 44:13 You're miserable inside. Right! 44:15 Because I can recall that I was still looking, 44:17 there's that emptiness, there's that hole inside. 44:20 When I'm alone, only I can face that. 44:23 And I see that, it seems like everything is right, 44:25 but it was not right. 44:26 Right! 44:27 But anyway, my Mother was praying 44:29 and she prayed this prayer. 44:30 Finally, prayed this prayer, she said, 44:32 "Father, do not let him enjoy his sin, 44:37 make him to be miserable in his sin." 44:41 I went on, went afterwards when the Lord came to me 44:44 and I opened my heart to Jesus, I know, I'm confessed, 44:46 but I want to retract it. 44:48 I asked my Mother after I gave my heart to Jesus, 44:51 when I accepted God's invitation, 44:53 I asked my Mother, 44:55 "When did you pray his prayer?" 44:57 And I retract the timeline. 45:00 It was exactly when everything went wrong. 45:03 We usually take breaks after we move all the weight. 45:07 You know, weight means all the other drugs. 45:10 And this particular time after we moved there, 45:13 we go on vacation. 45:15 But the rest of the thug, you know, 45:16 the guys in the corners on the streets, 45:18 they're still out there, their faces is open 45:20 to the authority that's why you see our jails filled. 45:23 But, the real bad guys or shall I say bad girls, 45:26 there are also women are enjoying life 45:30 just like normal, like anybody else. 45:32 It was nothing. 45:34 They're enjoying much more than your regular guy 45:36 that is maybe making 10,000 a week, 45:39 whatever it maybe, and that's what draws them in. 45:41 But, they are suffering. 45:44 But the regular, the people that are bringing in 45:46 the weights and all the drugs and everything else 45:48 and they are safe. 45:50 The other ones that takes vacation and go, 45:53 enjoy like a normal life with their families 45:54 and everything else. 45:56 And they're thinking that, "Oh, this is the high life." 45:58 This is the highlife. Yeah. 46:00 But, it's not. But, it's not. 46:01 It's miserable inside. 46:02 You cannot, I mean, you're sleeping 46:04 and you know that you have, you're picking up enemies, 46:07 you don't know when, so you're constantly 46:09 armed yourself. 46:10 Right! Constantly look in the mirror. 46:13 You know, when you get in the car, 46:14 you're always thinking when you're in a place, 46:17 where is I'm gonna be? 46:18 What I'm gonna... Yes, yes. 46:20 And there's no peace. 46:21 Like enslaved by your profession. 46:23 Yes, yes. 46:24 And who's after me and all my family? 46:27 Yes. Yeah. 46:29 So... So how did Jesus find you? 46:31 So, what happened? 46:32 Well, you know, whenever we finished moving the product, 46:37 we take breaks. 46:38 We take a vacation. 46:40 And so this particular time, we finished everything. 46:45 And somehow I locked the keys in the Corvette. 46:49 The Corvette, the keys were locked in the Corvette. 46:51 And so they were out there trying to please me, 46:55 trying to please, trying to open the all out there, 46:58 trying to get in there and I was left me 47:01 alone inside the house, in my colleague's houses. 47:07 So I decided because I carry a bio 47:10 about that have a pure cocaine, I mean, not pure, 47:14 but it's the good one. 47:15 And I wanted to be safe only for my own personal use. 47:18 I don't want just... 47:20 And whenever I'm on relax and everything else, 47:23 I take a snort aligned and keep me awake 47:26 and everything anyway. 47:28 I'm not saying this in edifying to glorify cocaine by the way. 47:32 I'm saying that's what I was doing 47:33 in this particular thing. 47:35 And anyway, all of a sudden, when I did this in here, 47:41 I set that in a way to confirm what I was going to say now. 47:46 All of a sudden, I hear this voice inside this house, 47:50 this room, I was all by myself. 47:53 "Come home," two words, very serious and very loud. 47:58 So I look around, I didn't see anybody in there. 48:02 But, the first thing in my mind, 48:05 it says maybe somebody mess with my supply. 48:11 You thought you were hallucinating or something? 48:13 Yes. 48:14 Yes, I mean, all these things or somebody's trying 48:15 to set me up, maybe something is in the drug 48:17 that's messing me up or whatever. 48:19 So, I was looking, I wonder there was nothing. 48:23 All of a sudden, my mind start change, 48:24 those going on in my head 48:26 that this is something supernatural. 48:29 This is happening to me because I was wide awake. 48:32 I knew I wasn't drinking. I didn't drink. 48:34 I just took a line so I was very much clear in my mind. 48:40 And after I was thinking about, 48:42 all my thoughts started going back to my Dad. 48:45 This is what started going back, you know, 48:47 the things the God that I was, that my Dad was telling me 48:51 about this supernatural stuff, going my mind, 48:53 started going back to religion, and things like this. 48:57 All of a sudden, I see for myself to you, 49:01 as I'm looking to you right now, I'm not seeing you. 49:04 All I see was a black shadow leaving my body. 49:09 And it's going away from me. 49:12 And I can't see, 49:13 but I'm just seeing a dark shadow. 49:15 Well, that's all I see, it's in like a tunnel vision. 49:18 And believe me, I thought myself I was going nuts. 49:21 I'm in this thing, but it seems like I'm just lost in it. 49:25 I just want a fast, you know, fast forward. 49:28 This is the time I didn't know that my Mother was praying, 49:32 was having prayer, my mother's... 49:34 I went in and trace it back 49:37 that's when everything started going wrong. 49:38 Things were locking, the carstart choking, 49:42 you know, and yet mechanic, when I call my mechanic, 49:44 he came and says, "There's nothing wrong, guys. 49:45 Everything is fine." 49:47 So my mind was already in the mode 49:49 that somebody's trying to set me up. 49:51 That's my way of thinking towards this whole experience 49:55 I'm going through right now, but it was not. 49:56 It was God because my Mom was praying. 49:59 It's time to follow you up 50:00 and trying to bring you home, come home. 50:02 Yes. 50:03 That's what, now, it make sense to me. 50:05 But back then my mind was thinking, 50:07 "Okay, somebody's trying to set me up. 50:09 I'm gonna have to make provision." 50:11 That's what I was thinking. 50:13 But when I saw this supernatural thing going out, 50:15 and I believe that dark shadow was actually I was possessed 50:19 from all the violence and everything else 50:21 and I thought it was me. 50:22 It was actually, 50:24 Satan can actually give you skills. 50:26 Can give you some very, very, 50:29 and I thought I was getting away, 50:31 but not only I believe that the prayers of my Mother 50:33 was protecting me, you know, from Satan trying to kill me. 50:37 Right. 50:38 But in the same time, Satan was trying to impress me 50:40 with all these things I can get away with it, 50:42 getting shot at, or whatever it maybe 50:43 and yet you don't get killed 50:45 or whatever incident trying to set me up, 50:47 and I get away. 50:48 Whenever the DEA or the police will get into one of my places, 50:52 I'm not there, I'm gone. 50:54 I'm always like, two step ahead of them. 50:56 So they never catch me. 50:58 So God has to catch me Himself. 51:01 I start boring... in this incident, this night. 51:04 I start all of a sudden, I kneel down on my knees. 51:07 Knelt down, I never do that. 51:10 But here am I, it's like go through an experience. 51:13 And I'm not gonna say an out-of-body experience. 51:15 I don't believe in all that nonsense or whatever, 51:17 but excuse me, but I know what I was going through, 51:21 but it seems like I'm not even in control of what's going on. 51:24 Right. 51:25 But, all I know that I'm agreeing 51:26 with this in my mind. 51:28 I'm agreeing with this, this is real. 51:31 This is what my Dad, it seems like 51:32 the Holy Spirit was having this fight 51:34 against Satan was pulling, which way I'm going to go. 51:38 So I knew that I stop boring classes, 51:41 "You know what, I'm out of here. 51:43 I'm gone." 51:44 And they were thinking like I was gonna go to a safe house. 51:47 I left everything. 51:49 I went back to my house in Walla Walla, Washington. 51:54 And in there, when I got there, I started still crying, 51:57 still my heart was crying, and a flier came through. 52:03 It says that, "Evangelistic meetings 52:05 that was held by an evangelist from California." 52:09 His name was Dick Pollard. 52:10 And he was holding evangelistic meetings 52:12 in Washington in the Stateline Church there. 52:19 And so I went to the, there I gave my life. 52:22 You know, gave my life, my heart to Jesus. 52:26 And this is the part where it doesn't make sense, 52:29 not even my Mother, 52:30 and not even my brothers and sisters. 52:31 But, see God does not want you to rely on your family 52:35 even if we're believers. 52:37 This is like, whenever God calls you, 52:39 whatever the God touch you, He wants you to have 52:41 just a personal experience just between you and Him. 52:44 Right. He doesn't want anyone to help. 52:47 That's my opinion. 52:50 You know, as far as, because it might be different 52:52 the way God moves in everybody. 52:54 But, God wants me to have a personal connection 52:57 with Him alone. 52:58 It has to be nobody else. 53:00 So after I got baptized and everything else, 53:04 I was given my life, I wanted to do right things. 53:06 I wanted to go to school. 53:08 I wanted, you know... 53:10 All of a sudden, the Holy Spirit came to me 53:11 and says, "You need to go, turn yourself in." 53:15 Wow! Wow! 53:17 Now I can look, I can look back to it now. 53:21 It makes sense to me. 53:22 I mean, my heart was all in it. 53:25 But I believe that, you know, I never forget 53:27 what Pastor Lomacang just said to me. 53:30 There's something that touches my heart 53:32 which I never thought about it. 53:34 In order for something to have true repentance, 53:36 I forgot the way he said it. 53:38 The true repentance is not only to confess, 53:42 to confess it. 53:43 But, I believe the way I looked at it now 53:45 is that God test our hearts. 53:48 If it's really genuine, 53:49 can you imagine if it was tested, 53:50 and I would say, a voice say to me and says, 53:53 "Oh, go turn yourself." 53:54 As if, you know, "No way, that's stupid." 53:58 But, I believe God trying to test my heart at that time, 54:01 how real. 54:02 It's not so much that He already knew 54:03 what I was going to do, but He wants me to know 54:08 to see this experience for myself. 54:09 Right. 54:11 To see my own heart, the build my heart up 54:12 in such a way that it would be real for Him later on 54:15 once I give my heart to God. 54:17 And I believe that's an experience I got, 54:19 it puts every one of us to the test. 54:22 So you turned yourself in. Yes. 54:24 I can't believe our time was running out. 54:26 And there's so much more. Okay, I know. 54:27 So much more, I know. 54:29 So you turned yourself in. Yes. 54:32 And what happened? 54:33 Is that the time? Yes. 54:35 I did 20 years. 54:36 They gave me a 20 year sentence. 54:38 The judge supposed to be giving me 27 years 54:40 that was the... 54:42 that's the end of the crime that was first-degree murder. 54:45 And it was two counts, 54:46 but they only charged me one count. 54:48 The judge told me in the sentencing day, he said, 54:51 "If I have had the power to take up more time 54:54 and give you lesser time." 54:56 They were... because they saw the remorse. 55:01 Only God can put that 55:02 in the heart of an unbelieving judge. 55:04 I don't know if he was believing or not. 55:05 But he said that, they gave me 20 years, 55:09 only 20 years, 55:10 that's impossible for two counts. 55:13 But, they charged me only for one count. 55:15 I got off. 55:16 I went and served 17.5 years, and 2.5 years parole for, 55:22 I came off early for good behavior. 55:24 You know, I mean, "Good behavior". 55:25 That's amazing. 55:26 And while you were in there, what happened with you? 55:30 While I was in there, I came in connection with 3ABN. 55:33 Wow. 55:35 3ABN was probably one of the main teachers 55:38 that God brought or resource that God brought into my life 55:41 to teach me about the truth. 55:43 And I believe that was one of the main reason 55:45 why God took, and say for me to turn myself in 55:49 because I know today, if I was free still 55:53 and be with my family and friends, 55:56 I believe sooner or later, 55:57 I will be going right back to the world. 55:58 Right. 56:00 But, God has to take me away 56:01 with just a time alone with Him. 56:03 And 3ABN was the one that came into my life 56:06 such as teacher such as Doug Batchelor 56:08 with his life story, with a brother Kenneth Cox 56:11 was preaching, Albrecht. 56:12 Yes. 56:14 And many others would tie 56:16 and many other people that taught, 56:18 but above all the writings of Ellen G. White 56:20 that was shared with me with the Saints that was there, 56:25 that came in volunteer. 56:27 Those are the ones that gave me this kind of mind 56:29 that I have today, a balanced mind. 56:32 Now, I can never say I'm, but it was the writings 56:35 and the Word of God of Ellen G. White. 56:37 And 3ABN through showing me all the good programmers 56:40 and everything else that I watch to learn 56:43 from Brother Dwight Nelson. 56:45 I've learned that in order for love to be loved 56:47 for concerning my wife today, you must give the right to say, 56:51 yes because I didn't give nobody the right to say, 56:52 yes, or say, no. 56:54 It's either my way or no way. 56:56 So I've learned many of these lessons through 3ABN. 56:59 Praise the Lord. And what are you doing now? 57:03 I'm doing, now I'm not gonna say 57:04 the name of the job 'cause I don't want them to, 57:07 you know, the work for, 57:09 but I work for a logistic company, 57:11 very powerful major companies logistics that 57:17 and just you know, I know, it's not, 57:19 it's peanuts but I only make 1,100 a week. 57:21 You know, so that's fine enough with me. 57:23 1,100 a week? Yes. 57:25 But that's not... 57:26 For being a felony. 57:28 So... Yeah. 57:29 Yeah. Yeah. An x felon. 57:30 An ex-felon. Yes, correct. 57:32 We praise the Lord for you, brother. 57:34 Praise the Lord. Thank you. 57:36 Thank you for sharing your story with us. 57:38 And I think so many people are gonna be so blessed 57:43 by your testimony. 57:44 I mean, this is something that is just, it's so powerful. 57:48 Thank you so much. 57:50 Thank you, Jason, for being with us. 57:51 Thank you. 57:53 I can't believe how amazing God is 57:55 and just how He changes the life. 57:58 Thank you so much for joining us. 58:00 Join us next time 'cause you know what? 58:02 It just wouldn't be the same without you. |
Revised 2017-11-20