“I Get Hot Temper Before”

THE KIND LIFE WEY I DON LIVE

They born me for one small town wey dey the state of Chiapas, for Mexico. The name of the town na San Juan Chancalaito. My family come from the people wey them de call Chol people. This tribe na from the Maya people. Na 12 children my papa and mama get, and na me be number five. When I still dey small, me and my brothers and sisters de study Bible with Jehovah Witness people. But the bad thing be say, I no follow the things wey I de learn that time wey I dey young.

When I reach 13 years, I de take hard drugs and I de thief people things. Na that age I comot from house and I come de waka up and down. When I dey 16 years, I begin work for one big farm wey them de plant marijuana. I dey there reach about one year when something happen one night. We carry plenty marijuana for boat when another group like our own attack us with guns. I escape from them as them de shoot us. I dive enter water and swim go far place for another side of the river. After that time, I run go United States.

For United States, I continue to push hard drugs and I enter trouble. When I dey 19 years, they arrest me and put me for prison because I go thief and I nearly kill person. For prison, I join one gang and I put hand for other bad things. Because of that one, they transfer me go another prison wey the security tight. The prison dey Lewisburg, for Pennsylvania.

For the prison, my character come worse pass before. Since I don get tattoo for my body wey show say I dey gang, e no hard me to join the same gang for the prison. I come de cause trouble more-more and na so-so fight I de fight. One time, I follow fight one gang fight for inside the prison yard. The fight strong no be small. We use those strong-strong wood wey them de use play baseball (baseball bats) and those iron wey them de use gym. To fit separate the fight, the guards for the prison use tear gas. After that one, they come put me for another side for the prison wey them de put prisoners wey over wicked. My temper de hot well-well and I de insult people. E no de hard me to beat people well. The truth be say, I de enjoy-am. I no de feel bad for anything wey I de do.

HOW THE BIBLE CHANGE MY LIFE

For the other part of the prison wey they put me, I de spend almost the whole day for inside cell. So I begin read Bible so that time go pass. After, one guard give me the book wey be You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth.a As I de read this book wey person fit use study Bible, I remember plenty things wey I learn when I still dey small, that time wey I de study Bible with Jehovah Witness people. After, I begin think about how my life don spoil reach and the many bad things wey my character don cause. I still think about my family. Since two of my sisters don already be Jehovah Witness, I talk for my mind say, ‘They go live forever.’ Then I ask myself say, ‘Why I no fit live forever too?’ Na that time I really decide to change.

But I know say I need person to help me so that I go fit change. So the first thing wey I do na to pray to God and I beg make e help me. The next thing wey I do na to write to branch office of Jehovah Witness wey dey United States, and I tell them say I want Bible study. The branch office arrange make one congregation wey near the place come de check me. That time for the prison, they no allow make visitors wey no be my family members come visit me. So one brother from the congregation start to send me publications and letters to encourage me. This one really move me to want change my character.

One big thing wey I change na when I decide to leave the gang wey I don dey for many years. That time, the leader of the gang still dey that part of the prison wey they put me. So I go meet the leader one time wey we just relax and I talk say I want join Jehovah Witness. The thing wey e talk surprise me. E tell me say: “If you serious, do-am. I no go fit stop you for matter wey concern God. But if na comot you just want comot from the gang, you know wetin go happen.”

After two years, people wey de work for the prison notice some change for my life. This one touch them, and e move them to reduce the way them de treat me. For example, they stop to de handcuff me any time wey them de escort me from my cell go bath. One of the guard even come meet me and encourage me to continue with the change wey I de make for my life. E sweet them sotey, for my last year for prison, they comot me from that main prison wey the security tight well-well and put me for another one near there wey the security no too tight. For 2004, after I don spend my ten years complete, they release me and carry me go back to Mexico with prison bus.

As I just reach Mexico, I find Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I attend the first meeting with my prison uniform. Na the uniform be the only better cloth wey I get to wear go that kind place. Jehovah Witness people welcome me fine even as I dress. When I see how they treat me with good heart, I feel-am say I dey among true Christians. (John 13:35) For that meeting, the congregation elders arrange for me to start Bible study. One year after for September 3, 2005 I baptize as one of Jehovah Witness.

For January 2007, I begin pioneer, I de spend 70 hours every month de teach other people Bible. For 2011, I graduate from the Bible School for Single Brothers (now them de call-am School for Kingdom Evangelizers). This school dey wonderful, e really help me to fit do my work well for congregation.

For 2013, I marry Pilar my dear wife. My wife use joke talk say e de hard for her to believe the things wey I tell her about my former life. I never ever go back to my former life by mistake. Me and my wife believe say, the person wey I be today show say Bible really get the power to change life.​—Romans 12:2.

HOW I DON BENEFIT

I feel say wetin Jesus talk for Luke 19:10 really affect me. For there Jesus say: “[I] come find and save something wey don lost.” I no de feel like person wey don lost, as I de feel before. I no de disturb or fight people again. I happy for the way Bible don change my life. I de enjoy better life, I get peace with people and the one wey sweet me pass be say, I get correct friendship with Jehovah the God wey create me.