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Jamaica Baptist Union Youth Department |

Mercy Rewrote My Life Tyrone Linton’s Testimony

Crime and violence is a clear and ever present danger to all walks of life. It is not impartial to Christians . In this issue of IMPACT we hear from Tyrone who has had a first hand experience in being caught in the middle of a gang war. .

In 2017 I went to live in Montego Bay because of work. While living there I encountered many struggles, hunger, depression and oppression. None of those struggles could be compared to that night when I literally stared

death in the face. I recall one night when my house mate told me he was going by his mother to get some washed clothes as his mother did his laundry. I decided to tag along. On our journey up I was sharing with him how good God was and how His mercy caused me to be where I am today. Little did I know that God was preparing to again grant me His mercy that very hour.

As we continued, I noticed the atmosphere started to get tense. My hand was hanging outside the car and my friend told me to put my hand inside and he rolled the window up. I didn’t pay much attention to what was happening as we continued uphill. As we approached the community where his mother lived I noticed something weird. People were standing on the road. The communities we passed through before were ghost towns; not a creature in sight when compared to this one. As we got closer I noticed that these people were of different ages, the youngest looking to be about ten (10) or in the early teens and the oldest between sixty-five to seventy (65 -70) years old. Everyone had a gun. Being a country boy I was not accustomed to this kind of thing so I had a look of panic on my face. As we approached the group, they all “cranked the guns up” and pointed them in the direction of the car. My heart fell flat to the ground and even

though the air conditioning unit was on, I was sweating all over. My friend stopped and they signaled him to turn his lights off and he did. The don approached and said, “Teacher a you?” “Oh!” “Yuh nuh know seh wen yah come up this way yuh fi use some kinda signal?” “Mi order fi shoot even me mother if anybody is seen outside enuh cause we have war with the other community”. As he finished his statement shots were fired from the other community and they returned fire. My friend and I were now caught in the middle. I was beyond terrified.

We were instructed by the men to run inside an old abandoned building next to them and lay flat until it was over. I was so scared. I felt like every bullet passed right next to me. While lying on the ground I noticed that there were several guns on the ground next to me, so many that if I wanted to

Volume 18, Issue 3

help in the fight I could. I laid there with a million and one thoughts running through my mind. I felt like my life was coming to a close and I was going to make the news headline the next day. I started praying in my heart and softly breathed out the words, “I shall not die, but live because surely goodness and

mercy shall follow me.” I started to remind God of His promises to never leave me nor forsake me and His promise to be with me in my going out and coming in. I just prayed and when I was through the shots seized.

The don himself came and got us. He drove my friend’s car and

assigned one car to go before us and another behind. He took us to safety and ensured we were not harmed then he left. My friend was shocked that the don wanted to ensure that we were safe. He said that based on his knowledge, that man cared for no one, not even his own mother. I just want you to know that mercy rewrote my life. God used the least expected person plus assigned bodyguards. Surely God encamped round about me that night. rejoice

Sing Aloud: Again I Say Rejoice (Reprise) Israel and New Breed

Chorus Rejoice in the Lord always And again I say, and again I say Rejoice in the Lord always And again I say, and again I say Rejoice

Verse Come bless the Lord, come bless the Lord Draw near to worship Christ the Lord And bless His name, His Holy name Declaring He is good (repeat) Hook O that men would praise Him O that men would praise Him (Chorus then verse)

Bridge O that men would praise His name Praise His name to the ends of the earth (x3) And again I say... (Chorus x4)

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Stay Healthy - Reducing Unhealthy Spiritual Distance

Contributed by Alicia Clarke

All this talk of ‘new normal’ and ‘physical distancing’ is not only a present reality for the world in general but also for

Christians and the church. Though it is good to stay physically healthy what can we say about our spiritual health? “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,” Heb. 10:25 For the active believer, this time could have not come sooner. The prospects of longer hours of sleep on a Sunday morning, not attending youth and young adult meetings etc. seems like a nice trade in for staying home and singing the Lazy Song by Bruno Mars. The Bible however urges us to stick close to other believers. But how can we do that during this time? Our social media pages are flooded with opportunities to worship and fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters. Let us therefore eagerly commit to individual and corporate ‘closet time’ with the Lord and fellow believers. renew