The Urban Fresh Podcast

Speaker A: Hello and welcome to the Urban Fresh podcast, where we interview believers from around the globe. I'm your host, Tanisha Knight. And I am so glad that you're joining us. Today we're interviewing our friend and missionary to Costa Rica, Tricia Shakespeare. Okay, Trish, welcome to the Urban Fresh podcast. We are so happy to have you.

Speaker B: Thank you.

Speaker A: Okay.

Speaker B: So happy to be.

Speaker A: Good, good. Well, for those of you who are listening to hearing and used to hearing my voice all the time, tonight we are. Today we're joined by Gregory Knight, the husband.

Speaker C: Hi, Trish. Good seeing you again in my longtime friend and just didn't know how much we had in common and that our circles were familiar. I'm happy to really be here sitting with you and sitting with Tanisha, and then it's like this one big family that we didn't know that was happening.

Speaker B: Yeah, that's totally a God thing.

Speaker A: And just for context, Gregory and I both know Trish, but we did not know we knew her until we started dating, until we came to America. So Greg knew Trish because they went to the same church in Jamaica. I got to know Trish because we went to the same college, same seminary in. Yeah. So, Trish, let's start by asking you this. Who are you? And. Yeah, let's start with that. Who are you?

Speaker B: I have many things.

Speaker A: All right.

Speaker B: Well, right now I am a full time missionary with youth, with a mission, and I'm based in hereedia, Costa Rica. Yeah. I am jamaican born and bred, and I'm a single mom. I have one son. He's eleven, going on 21. Yeah. Okay, what else? Yeah.

Speaker A: Okay, so that's who you are. Well, I guess a question people would ask, why Costa Rica?

Speaker B: Well, it's funny. I came here between 2018 to 2019. I was volunteering with Wycliffe Bible translators Caribbean, and I was responsible for the youth arm. And so they had asked me to help at a church with a VBS here in Costa Rica, in Le Mon, and that's known as the caribbean side. So Le Mon is a province that is closer to in Costa Rica. It's closer to Panama. So I was asked to come and help a church to do a vbs. And when I came here, that was when I fell in love with Costa Rica. And so when it became time for me, after I finished training with youth as a mission in 2019, going into 2020, we had Covid, and then I remained in the States for two years, and then I came here after that. Yeah.

Speaker A: Okay, so you said you were doing training with Wycliffe and then you transitioned to YwAm. Is it that you were getting that feeling that you were supposed to be in Costa Rica? Is that why you trained with and after leaving?

Speaker B: Know, funny enough, I knew about Ywam before leaving Wycliffe. So for more, Ywam was more of a missions oriented. When I was in Wycliffe, I was more doing office work, and then Wycliffe, they deal with Bible translation, and that was not for me.

Speaker C: Okay, got it. Trish. I was pretty young and back in the days, but far as I could remember, you were always called to mission. Like, mission was always on your mind?

Speaker B: Always.

Speaker C: Even as a young person, I think I could remember at some point, it seems like there was like this struggle to figure out where exactly the mission is going to take you. And I remember in church, at times, this would be part of your testimony. And so how is it different now? Looking back, did you feel like you did the right move? If you had it to do again, would you have done something different?

Speaker B: If I had to do it differently, I would have started earlier in terms of full time ministry, because I went to JTS and then Jamaica theological Seminary. It's a Bible school in Jamaica. If I had my way or if I could do it over, I have no regrets. But if I could do it earlier in life, I would have, because I think what happened is that after leaving the seminary, I didn't go into missions. Well, yes, I started with CEF. I would have continued with CEF instead of leaving child evangelism fellowship and going into the school system as a guidance counselor, I don't think I would have done that part. But at the same time, I just saw God's hand in everything because I needed to pay back student loan, and so I couldn't do know using the whole missions thing, because you only get a stipend when we were with child evangelism fellowship. And so for me, every situation or everything or every step that I've made in life took me to where I am at now. So I don't necessarily say I would do anything differently. Maybe I would have started earlier. Yeah.

Speaker A: Let's go back a little bit, because you mentioned quite a few things. You mentioned JTS Jamaica theological Seminary, which is where we met, and then you mentioned CEF is child evangelism fellowship. So let's go back to what Gregory said about you always feeling this call. How did you get the call into the official call into missions?

Speaker B: Well, when I was 14, a missionary in Jamaica, I was invited to. There's a christian club in high schools that we call interschools Christians Fellowship, ISCF. And so when I was 14, I remember meeting a missionary, Jean Denham. She's deceased, but I remember meeting her because she had spoken at the ISCS group meeting. And I always knew in my heart that that was something I could do, but wasn't too sure, because for us in Jamaica, we are a receiving nation, meaning that missionaries come to us. So it was a little bit far fetched. One, to be somebody from the third world. Two, what should I say? Female from my church, because it was mostly male dominated. Yeah. And Gregory can attest to. So I wasn't too sure, but when I saw her, I was like, oh, my goodness, I really can do this. And so that was when I started to really believe that this is something I could do when I met her.

Speaker A: Got it. And how did you decide to go to JTS?

Speaker B: All right, JTs. No, the only seminary I knew of, or Bible school, as we call it at that time, that I knew of where I could get trained was UTC. I think it's the college, the theological college that is attached to the University of the West Indies. But I didn't want to go there because I knew people who went there and, yeah, let's just leave it there. I wasn't very inspired by them to go. Yeah. And so I remember I was going to excelsior community college at the time because I needed to finish up my a levels, and by that time, I had aged out of high school, and so I needed to finish my a levels. And so I went there my final year to do a levels, and they were having a courier day, and there were some students there from the seminary, and I was like, wow. Because before then, I was praying and I was saying to God, okay, because most of my family, my cousins and my friends at the time, they were all looking to go to the university. So I said, okay, maybe that is where I need to go. But I had prayed, and I put a fleece out and praying about it. And then I met these students from the seminary, and they were having carrier day, and I was the only one there for the entire day. I was just so fascinated. Nobody else was interested in going to the seminary. Everybody else was going to the University of the West Indies booth, or what's the other one? University of Technology. Everybody was there, Michael, and those places, and I was the only one. And I sat there for the entire day, and I had a project to do at the end of my a levels, and I did the project on the seminary, and I had to go to the library there a few times, and that was what sealed the deal. And I applied to both the university of the West Indies and to the seminary, and I said, okay, God, whichever application comes through first. And I got accepted. Even before I completed a levels, I got accepted with just my CXE subject. So that was it? That was it, yeah.

Speaker A: Okay.

Speaker C: As a missionary, every time I would think about missionaries, I would think about missionaries when God would send people out and they would probably go in difficult areas. What's your experience as a missionary? I know this probably be a tough question, but what would be your biggest challenge as a missionary out in the field?

Speaker B: All right, for me, I'll answer the first question first about the place. For me, when I was with child evangelism fellowship, I lived in Brazil for nine months, and that was, I would say, my first real getting my feet wet in terms of missions. And it was the first time ever I was going away for so long from family and church and all of that. I went to Cuba before, but that was like ten days, and Cuba is Jamaica's neighbor. Plus I did local missions in and around Jamaica. But for me, Brazil was kind of a difficult transition. The language was different and so on. That was my first kind of reality in terms of missions. And the second place, that was really difficult for me because it was years after that was recently, 2019 was in the Philippines. Yeah, because it was difficult. But the most struggle I have had, I would say, is being on the field, it's relationship with other missionaries. Yeah. I remember when I was at the seminary, we had a class and the lecturer said that the number one reason that missionaries return home, it's not finances, it's not transition into the culture, it's not any of those. It's getting along with other missionaries on the field. And at the time, I was like, okay, that's strange. I mean, we're all in this Kumbaya kind of situation, and that was my. And then coming from a small church, as you know, Greg, we were a little bit more close knit, so I was know. But now I'm understanding more why that is, because it has been, my experience, very difficult.

Speaker A: Yeah, we're going to come back to more of the challenges first, but I wanted to ask what your family's response to your decision to do to pursue missions and evangelism. What was that response like?

Speaker B: Oh, they didn't care. They didn't care? Okay. They didn't care. Because the thing about it is that I've always been the child in my family, that goes against the grain. I was the one that, when everybody else was putting in their applications for traditional colleges and so on, the seminary. Okay. And they have always known me to be somebody like that who, when I set my mind to something, I'm going to push through and I'm going to do it. So it wasn't that I got. I think they were kind of. Indifferent is the word I'm searching for. Yeah.

Speaker A: Okay.

Speaker B: I think that was more it. Yeah.

Speaker A: Okay. I wanted to ask. Okay, so you went to JTS, where we met, you spent four years, or did you do.

Speaker B: You did four years? Yeah, I did theology.

Speaker A: Okay, so you did that. And just so everybody knows, we tried to record this a week ago, and there was just terrible feedback on my part. And obviously I need to learn more about these audio visual, whatever, but. So we had a pre interview, in a way. And so I learned about your transition from JTS to Costa Rica. So you spent some time in child evangelism fellowship. What were some of the things that you did there, your responsibilities? And I wanted us to touch briefly on the challenges that you experienced there.

Speaker B: My. Okay. When I graduated from JTS, I think it was six months after I started volunteering, let's call it that, with child evangelism fellowship. Let me say before I get into anything, in terms of answering your question, that was the best experience I've had so far. In terms of missions. Yeah.

Speaker A: Why? Because you were blessed with a lot of money?

Speaker B: No, I'm trying to be comical.

Speaker A: Go ahead.

Speaker B: No, I think because it was my first experience, too, and I was working with children, and that has always been my desire to work with children, and especially disadvantaged kids or kids who believe that they don't have value. And so that part of me was the inner child in me was really satisfied doing so. I left jTs, went into child evangelism fellowship. I was what we would call the parish supervisor or director for the chapter of child Evangelism in St. Thomas. There were three parishes, I think, that needed a supervisor, Westmoreland, Manchester and St. Thomas. And because I was already familiar with St. Thomas from youth camps, and also it was far from home, but the nearest. In case I needed to go back. Yeah, in case I needed to go back. Now, the second part of the question, in child evangelism Fellowship, we mostly did evangelism in the school. So we would have good news clubs. We would have VBS vacation, Bible school. We would have like, party clubs, what they call like a five day club in the summer. That was mostly what we did. We did fundraising. We would go and make presentation to churches and encourage them to come on board with us. What else did we do? There was a lot of administrative work as well. We also did a lot of correspondence courses with the children in prep schools and primary schools because that was the main age range, the elementary school age kids from basic or what we would call preschool into kindergarten to primary or elementary school. That was mainly what I did.

Speaker A: What I did. Well, I was telling you before too, that child evangelism fellowship used to be in our elementary school. I don't know if you had that, Greg. People coming in to witness the kids and do evangelism. Do you remember having that in know?

Speaker C: Well, I went to a, you know, probably a little bit different. All my teachers were nuns and principal was a nun and stuff.

Speaker A: Okay, well, I went to public school and we used to have that and that was amazing for me. I always loved the Bible stories and I loved when the missionaries came in, we didn't call them that, but that's what they were. But you mentioned earlier that I don't.

Speaker B: Think I answered that part.

Speaker A: Okay. Yes, because I was going to ask you about the stipend. You said you got a stipend right when you were working there. How did you survive on that?

Speaker B: It was pretty difficult. But when people ask me, all I can say is, and it sounds like a rudimentary answer, but it's only God. And the last time I can remember was sharing with you this particular instance stood out in my mind. I needed, at the time, monthly. I don't remember what the stipend was, but I know it was just enough to pay back the student loan because I was paying like maybe $1,500, 1500 jamaican dollars at the time. And it became due, and then the due date passed and I was like, okay, God, what is happening? And the stipend, we would usually get the stipend like at the end of the month. Like the last day of the month, right. Because what usually happened is when people get their paylight the 25th and they are supporting CeF, we would normally get our stipend after people get paid 25th.

Speaker C: Okay.

Speaker B: So it was late, and then the due date came and went and I was like, okay, God, what is happening? And I think it was the day before, because you get like a grace period to pay before they start charging you like a late fee. And I think it was the last day. So I was walking on the road and it's like a voice, they look down and I looked down and I saw like, $500 rolled up on the ground, and I took it off, and it was exactly $1,500 to pay the student loan. And right across the road, like, the money was on the pedestrian crossing, and right across the road was the bank. So I just went in and paid that money, and I was like, okay, God, thank you.

Speaker A: Nice.

Speaker B: And God has done different things, like, know.

Speaker A: Yeah, awesome. You also told the story about the pot on the.

Speaker B: Soup.

Speaker A: The soup.

Speaker B: Now, in Jamaica, usually Saturday is soup day, right? Whether it's gungapi soup, chicken food, soup, whatever. Now, I wanted soup. I just fell for some soup. And I said, God, I'm going to put the pot on the fire. Because I remember, Greg, I don't know if you can remember Sister Smith and those older ladies in church. I used to say how they used to give testimony about them putting on their pot on fire, and the Lord provided. So I said, okay, God, I'm going to try it. So I didn't have anything to make the soup. I think the only thing I had was some. The chicken noodle thing in the pack mix. Yes. I think that was the only thing I had. So I put the pot on. I said, I'm not going to put the noodle thing in there yet, because that is the last part to season the pot. Right. So I said, okay, God, I want some soup. So I prayed, put the pot on the water, boil up, almost boil out, no soup. I said, all right, God. So I turn off the stove, and I started to kind of lose faith. And then night coming in, I said, God, I really want this soup. And I heard a knock on my door. It was my neighbor said that she went to look for her father, who owns a farm, and she said, ms. Trish, Auntie Trish, look here, I have this bag. It's a holy pack. Me and the children can't eat so much. And she was a single mom of three kids. And I'm looking at her strange because I'm thinking, okay, you can keep this till another time. When I look in the bag, I see punking. Half a punking, and it's a nice yellow punkin, those orange nice punk. I see punkin, dashin, cocoa, everything. The only thing that was not in the soup was in meat. So I said, God, man, maybe I should have been specific and asked for what kind of meat I wanted in the soup. But let me tell you, I drink that soup. You see, I was so happy. Yes, those are some of the things that God does.

Speaker A: Wonderful.

Speaker C: And it seems like missionaries, especially, have to trust God even more, because when you think about missionaries, it's not like you have a job or most of the time, missionaries don't have work, and they have to depend on God to provide. Or sometimes this provision have to come through contributions and stuff like that, and most of the time, you have to exercise even more faith to survive.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker C: I've heard these stories and stuff, but the other thing that I really want to ask you, I know that you had these skills as a drama teacher, and you were always good and you always had the youth around you. Trish lost all of this.

Speaker B: No. When I was in CEF, I know I had a lot of sign language groups, and I did sign language at JTS, at the seminary, because it was something that I figured I needed to learn to be on the mission field. So I wanted that skill. So I had learned that for the whole time. And when I went to Brazil, I would do the drama as well. I think the least I'm doing it is right now.

Speaker C: Okay.

Speaker B: Yeah. Because I haven't lost it. It's just that I'm not practicing it as much as I used to.

Speaker C: Yeah, got it. Because I could tell you that because I was a beneficiary of your drama.

Speaker B: Group.

Speaker C: I would tell Tanisha the story all the time, that as an inner city youth coming to church and not Jamaica, we always say the bossy people, I always see those who were well learned, because our church was really big on education, and people were always big on their CXE and going to universities and stuff. And as a child from the ghetto coming into church, loving on God, I just always felt out of place. But you were always the person to never make me felt out of place and pull me in and give me a chance to be a part, to fit into church life. And I don't know if part of your mission work is, when you're out there, is helping those to still fit into church life, those who maybe see themselves as misfits.

Speaker B: Yeah, I guess because I saw myself like that, because I struggled a lot in school. I struggled a lot in school a lot. And so my cousins, you know them, Greg, it's a university and whatnot and all of that.

Speaker C: Right?

Speaker B: I struggled a lot in school, and so I think it's something that is also God given to rescue those kids and to let them feel valued, because even though it is still very important to me, and it's something that, especially in recent time, I've really been praying into and asking God, God. Like those days, I want to go back to those days because kids out there, they're hurting. They feel like even more than when I was growing up. And that has always been my heart. I loved my young people, and I was like, maybe a few years, not much older than know. So I love doing it. And I always think of those earlier days at church with funness. And it's something I really want to get back. I really, really want to get back into it. Yeah.

Speaker A: Trish, why did you feel like a misfit when you were growing up?

Speaker B: Yeah, so I didn't really feel accepted. I grew up with my aunt and my uncle, and for me, education was a big deal. And Greg alluded to it. It was a big deal in my family. And so because I didn't catch on quickly in terms of the academics and then my aunt being a teacher, we were really pushed. For me, I don't think I was necessarily understood or received much patience in terms of that, I think. And so for me, that was maybe why I gravitated so much towards maybe children who saw themselves in a similar way like I did. And I think, too, a big part of it is like, God, I think, put that in my heart as well.

Speaker A: Absolutely.

Speaker B: Yeah. Because my aunt and my uncle did the best that they could. And I wouldn't necessarily say that they contributed to me, deliberately contributed to the way I was feeling, but it just happened. That was how I was just feeling. Yeah.

Speaker A: How do you think that your experience is informing your. And let me touch on the work you're doing now in Costa Rica, because you can talk more about that when you answer the question, too, because you are running a school.

Speaker B: Yeah. Okay. For me. Yeah. That informs my parenting in that one of the things that I want to make sure with Aziki, that's the name of my son with Aziki, is that he's loved and not just because I grew up in the era of children, should be seen and not heard. And so for me, I want him to know that he has a voice, and I want him to know verbally and also showing him emotionally that he's loved and that he's accepted and that he's valued. Yes. Because I did not receive that verbally, I think for me, I want him to know that. And most importantly, I want him to know that he has a voice. As young as he is, he has a voice and he can speak, of course, respectfully, and let his voice be heard. Yeah. And moving now into the second part of the question, the thing is, when you're in a culture that speaks another language the education system is taught, it's in Spanish. And so I needed for Aziki to be in school because I think, too, because of how I grew up and education being so important. I said, he needs to be in school. So looking for a bilingual school because I also want him to learn Spanish, I said, okay. Being in a bilingual school really helped him. But the school that I was led to was $400 a month.

Speaker A: Us.

Speaker B: And I could not. Yeah, us.

Speaker A: Oh, wow.

Speaker B: I could not afford that. I'm a missionary. I cannot afford that. And so I had met with the principal and he said, okay, being that you are a missionary, we will reduce it to 300. Now, I still could not find $300 a month was a bit much for me still. And so anyway, I said, okay, God, I'm going to ask. I'm going to put out there to raise the support for people to come on and join me specifically in Aziki's education. One person responded. One. And I said, okay, God. And I remember I was lying in the bed and I was like, oh, my gosh, God, you say that our children will be taught of the Lord, I'm working for you. And so Ezekiel is your child. And the Lord said, why don't you use what you have? And I was like, what? Use what I have. And because I was in the education system in Jamaica as a guidance counselor for 15 years. And I also was trained at the seminary after I graduated, years after I had gone to do a diploma in teaching. So I was like, okay. And so that was how the school that I have now was founded. And Aziki was my first student. And now, previously I had five. But now this new school year past September, I have three.

Speaker A: Yeah, got it. So now you're the only teacher and you have three students?

Speaker B: Yes, right now I'm the only teacher. I'm teaching everything.

Speaker A: Everything. Okay. So math, English, how is your Spanish? And how is.

Speaker B: Fluent? We can help ourselves.

Speaker A: Okay.

Speaker B: We are not totally fluent, but we're getting there. Okay, got it. Azik is much better than me. His accent is on point mixed with the Patwan English and everything in between.

Speaker A: These kids, they catch on really quickly, much quicker than we. Yeah. It's more natural for them. At this stage of your life. Trish, what lessons are you learning from your challenges?

Speaker B: Yeah, the first thing, and as I said, it sounds very simple. But for me, God is faithful. God is faithful. And worrying gets us nowhere. Yeah, I think that's the main thing for me, it's learning to relax in the stillness. And for me, I'm thinking, okay, the promises of God, especially when it comes to provision because that is always my main concern. Provision, provision, provision. And if God made you a promise, he says he is Jehovah Jireh, your provider. And if God made you a promise, go to sleep. And that is what I'm practicing.

Speaker A: That's good.

Speaker B: That is what practicing?

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: Not easy.

Speaker A: Yes. If you could think about some things or thing that was important to you ten years ago and is no longer important, what would some of those things be in terms of important in terms of ministry or being a christian, what are some things you think back in the day? Oh my goodness, definitely important. But now you're like, no.

Speaker B: Okay, keeping up with friends and the successes of friends and what the world says is success the definition of success? It's not that important for me. It's now more important in terms of what legacy can I leave for my child in terms of his relationship with God. Listen, I'm not saying that people should follow me in doing this, but I was like, okay, God education is not all that as how people say it is for me. He can read.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: He can write. Okay. It's not very important like the passing of the exams and the pressuring to get going and to be on top like the other kids and the rat race. It's not that important.

Speaker A: Yeah, got it. Trish, as we wind down, what would you like your contribution to the kingdom to be? What would you like your contribution to the kingdom to be? I'm not sure if I'm wording that right, but what's the legacy you want to leave? You may have hinted at that before. Not sure. Your kingdom legacy.

Speaker B: For me, I want to be remembered as somebody who obeyed God in spite of obeyed God. And for me, it's very important for Ezekiel to have a relationship with God. Some people talk about the legacy of their kids in terms of a house, a car or whatever. Generational wealth. For me, it must be spiritual wealth. And that is why I'm so pushing for God to really open the doors that I can be more of a help to children who really don't feel valued in this world. And that is something I want to leave behind. Like Gregory, when he remembers how I really pushed him and encouraged him and was just there. I want to be remembered in that way even now. And not just you, Greg. There are others in the drama group who have said that. Okay. Yeah, that for me is so good.

Speaker A: Yeah, good. I have one more question. I don't know if Gregory has one, but what Bible verse are you meditating on right now that you'd like to share with us? Which one or ones that you go back to or anything that's keeping you now, keeping you sane? Encouraged.

Speaker B: Exodus 14, verse 14. I think it says, stand still and see the salvation of your God. And for me, it's not just about relationships with people or for me, it's everything. The song that says be still and know that I am God. Yes, that's what I'm reflecting on. So with everything that is happening around, just stand still and see the salvation of your God. That's good, I think, for.

Speaker C: Trish, as we wrap up, how can people reach out to you and hear more about your ministry and contact you or even to support you? They could reach out to you and support what you're doing over there.

Speaker B: Okay, well, I am on Facebook. I am on Instagram. I'm on all the social media stuff. Also, I send out a newsletter every three months. You want me to give my handles?

Speaker A: Please. We'll also list them in the show notes if you don't remember them. Trish, no worries. You could text them to me if you haven't already. I feel like you have. You may have, but if you haven't, then text them if you can't remember, and I'll put them in the show notes.

Speaker B: Yeah, but if people.

Speaker A: Hold on 1 second, Trish, the same question that Gregory did. Yeah, the support question.

Speaker C: Yeah.

Speaker A: Okay.

Speaker B: So that it can be like question, answer.

Speaker A: And the answer. Okay, you edit. Okay, time is going to. All right, so go ahead and ask it again.

Speaker B: The Google Meet Trish.

Speaker C: So tell me, how can people reach you to support your ministry? And. Yeah, basically, how can we reach you to support your ministry?

Speaker B: Okay, the main support is through what we call in YwAM Mission Enablers International, or MEI. And I have a designation code. It's Tricia Shakespeare. And my designation code is TG 3696. That's the main way that people can support. And it's also tax deductible in the United States. Yes.

Speaker A: Okay, very good.

Speaker B: Also, I'm on Facebook. Trish shakes. T-R-I-S-H-S-H-A-K-E-S. That's Facebook. I'm on Instagram. As Trisha Ziveen, I am on. What else is there? I don't think there's anything else.

Speaker C: Okay.

Speaker A: Yeah, whatever else is there, we'll put it in the show notes. And, Trish, we probably can do an entire episode on your last name. That's a very distinguished last name, Shakespeare. So it should be easy to find you, too.

Speaker A: There you go. There you go. Well, Trish, thank you so much for redoing this episode or this podcast. Whatever. Thank you so much, and God bless you.

Speaker B: And thank you for Greg this time.

Speaker A: Absolutely.

Speaker C: It was a pleasure.

Speaker A: Yeah. Making it more personal. Thank you, Trisha. And we'll be in touch. Bye bye. Thank you so much for joining us today. We hope that this episode encourages you to do whatever the Lord is calling you to. This is Tanisha. See you in the next episode. Hey, if you're enjoying this podcast and you want to learn more about our ministry, please visit us@urbanfreshgardens.com. We can't wait to connect with you.

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09 December 2023

#5 - Pastor Andre McGuire (ALM Ministries) Hartford and Waterbury, CT

If you'd like to know more about ALM or Pastor Andre, visit their website: https://almsministries.org/

If you'd like to give to the ministry: https://almsministries.org/donate/

CashApp: $ALMsMinistries
PayPal @ALMsMinistries
Mail a check or money order to ALM's Ministries International, 57 Howard St. Waterbury 06705 or to PO Box 260397 Hartford, CT 06705

Pastor McGuire's bio from the ALM Website: https://almsministries.org/

"Pastor André L. McGuire, JD present Vice President of the Black Ministerial Alliance of New Britain and vicinity; Health and Wellness Program Manager at HRA, New Britain; chair of the Central Area Health Education Center, Inc. Board of Directors; past member of the Board of Directors of Charter Oak Health Center and their Clinical Affairs Quality and Compliance Committee Chair. A speaker for and planning body member of the Summit for Boys and Men of Color June 8-11, 2021 with The University of Connecticut Health Disparities Institute, Hartford Health Department and others as we sought to break the iniquity that keep Boys and Men of Color ranked atop issues like HIV, diabetes, STI’s, Education and on and on. Pastor McGuire served as past Co-Chair of the Greater Hartford Ryan White Planning Council (Planning Council) and of the Connecticut HIV Planning Consortium (CHPC). Because of his diligence and effectiveness both terms as co-chair were extended another full term. Through the Planning Council he has been instrumental in reinvigorating People Living with HIV (PLWH) and motivating them to become active participants bringing about needed change in the groups directives and allocation of funds as they established a place for peer support programming.

As the Co-Chair for the CHPC Pastor McGuire has mentored new PLWH members, encouraging and empowering them to advocate for themselves and others. He was instrumental in establishing a peer support white sheet for DPH and uses his substantial skill and ability developed while practicing law and as a Pastor to effectively communicate with all parties involved in the planning process. He uses his intellect and experience to encourage critical thinking and meaningful analysis that often lead to improvements in the delivery of services and the retrieval of data, ultimately improving health outcomes and health equity. He applies wisdom with persistence to encourage change and realize a larger vision over an extended period of time and across complex systems involving the interactions of religious institutions, individuals, families, communities, healthcare institutions, and funders among others.

Two words in scripture stand out to Pastor McGuire. They stand out because life’s situations can cause some to be without hope and to give up. Those two words are “But God” when God gets into the mix people and things change. Let us all be clear of this one thing, God is in the mix. Change is taking place…."

Find out more about Urban Fresh Gardens below:

Website: https://urbanfreshgardens.com/

Instagram: urbanfreshgardens_ufg

Newsletter: https://ufg.beehiiv.com/

Podcast: https://theurbanlp.alitu.com/

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26 November 2023

#4- Barbara Pittman - Jacksonville, FL - Part 2

Part 2 of the interview with Evangelist Barbara Pittman. Check the show notes for ways to support her ministry.

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11 November 2023

Barbara Pittman - Jacksonville, FL - Part 1

Sister Barbara Pittman shares her testimony and Book-of-Acts encounters while doing ministry in Alaska and Florida, etc. This is Part 1 of a 2-part episode.

In Part 1 she shares how she met Jesus, how two old ladies exploited her gift as a seer, and the supernatural things she 'saw' before and after her call to ministry.

Please visit, share, and support Sis. Barbara's ministries:

1. Radio/Podcast: https://www.blogtalkradio.com/freedom-doors-ministries

2. Freedom Doors Ministries website: https://www.freedomdoorsministries.com/

3. Jesus in the Morning website: https://www.jesusinthemorningradio.com/

Find our website, Instagram, newsletter, and podcast on the Internet:

Website: https://urbanfreshgardens.com/

Instagram: urbanfreshgardens_ufg

Newsletter: https://ufg.beehiiv.com/

Podcast: https://theurbanlp.alitu.com/

Speaker A: Hello, and welcome to the Urban Fresh Podcast, where we interview missionaries from around the globe. I'm your host, Tanisha Knight, and I'm so glad you could join us today.

Speaker B: We are interviewing Barbara Pittman. What I loved about this interview is that it was unusual and refreshing. Unusual because it's not every day that I get to speak with prophetess, which I believe Sister Barbara is. And it was refreshing because.

Speaker C: I guess.

Speaker B: For the same reason I just mentioned. It's great. It's great to know that the Holy Spirit, God, is working right now to do miraculous things in people's lives. And he speaks to people, and there are miracles, there are visions, there are dreams still happening, and I wish that more of us were experiencing these things in our lives. And Sister Barbara, as she probably will tell you, that she's no different from any other Christian. But what is unique about her is that she has grown in obedience and is very sensitive to the Spirit. And I believe God has really given her some special gifts. So I hope you will enjoy this episode as much as I did. Thank you.

Speaker A: Okay, Sister Barbara, thank you so very much for joining us on the Urban Fresh podcast. As I said before to you, I am very pleased and honored that you decided to come, that the Spirit led you to come to us. Been listening to you for a while and love your ministry, and I'm pleased to be able to talk with you. So I wanted you to tell us about yourself and about your ministries. I know you have at least two Freedom ministries and Jesus in the morning.

Speaker C: Yes. I'm going to try to make it as short as possible, but to tell you about myself, really, I just love the Lord and I love what he has done for me and in me. And when nobody else could help me, he was the only one. So I often refer back to the song for myself that I once was sinking deep in sin and I was far from the peace for shore I was very deeply stained within sinking to rise no more but the master of the sea he heard my despair and cry My lips wasn't moving yet I was screaming and he heard it and from the waters he lifted me Today I can say safe am I love lifted me Almighty God. So today my life is hid in Christ. I'm no longer on my own. I still have to eat and sleep like everybody else. But when the Scripture says, delight yourself also in him, when the Scripture says, if we keep our mind on him, then I'm focused on these things. And just recently, almost a week ago, I was talking to him about more of him for me, for myself. And he brought me to this video on YouTube that says, put God first. Isn't that amazing? Put God first. Okay? You want more of me? You want to draw close to me? Put me first in everything. So he gets the first fruit of everything, the first fruit of our day, because I am his and he is mine. So that's what I can tell you about me. Now, as far as Freedom Doors ministry goes, it's an outreach ministry, and I evangelize all over the world. It's a ministry where people can come and talk to me about anything and not be judged. I don't care what it is. And whatever you share with me is between us, no one else. And God hears. And so many times, God will give me what to tell you, and then sometimes he give me nothing. I just need to be a listening ear. Yeah. Jesus in the morning is a podcast radio that I broadcast every morning, 07:00 a.m. Eastern time until 10:00 a.m. And people from all over the world come to take a listen every day. That's how I met Irene. Irene is from Australia, and so she come and she started listening. I think it's been a year or two, and she continues to come every morning. And what Jesus in the morning? It's an early morning church service. We physically have church, and then many days, whatever God does is what he does. I never know what he's going to do. I ask him, he tell me the title, the subject, the topic, and it goes from there. Nothing written down, none of that. Yeah, he just allowed me to flow in him.

Speaker A: Two things that you said there that I wanted to follow up on. The first thing is that you say that you hear the voice of God. And my husband and I were talking this week about that. Maybe it was last week, but this idea that we wanted to figure out how the prophets of old, of the Old Testament heard God, was it an audible voice? I think sometimes he did that. But was it more like a pressing on your conscience? For example? I know from what I've heard from you that you operate in the prophetic and in the discernment. How do you know when God is saying something to you to say to somebody?

Speaker C: Well, as you said, it's pressing sometimes. I mean, you can't get around it. Everywhere you look is there. Then some days you will hear. You will hear the audio voice. But now this is the thing. He speaks so soft. It's like quiet. Until if you're not really listening with your spiritual ear, you miss it. And once you begin to grow in him and the more you seek him, the more you're going to know that voice. The more you're going to know when he's pressing you. Some things happen by trial and error. Because in this life, we are busy. Some people have families, jobs, all kind of stuff. But he will make sure that you know it's him. And even in trial and error, you just continue in God, I have a prayer. I pray when I'm not certain. I say, Lord, if this is not you, don't let me do it. But, God, if this is you, let me go full force. I only want to go full force if it's you. And he not only here, but he answers. Yeah, I've been uncertain about some things. And when I opened my mouth, what he said to speak, I was going to say something else. He just speak it right out my mouth. And I'm like. And some days I keep myself together because I want to scream. Did you know that God just spoke to you? But I can't do it because people, they're not going to receive like that. So I just have to do what he asked me to do and keep it moving. Yeah.

Speaker A: Did you find that you had to grow in obedience to listening to God?

Speaker C: Yeah, I had to grow to hear. Listen. When I started off, I didn't start like this. I want to go to this first. This is how everything started. When I was a child, I knew I was differeNt, but I thought I was a weirdo. I could see you and see what was going to happen to you. But I didn't understand. I was a child. That was these two ladies, Miss Tom and Miss Annie. And I thought they just loved me to death. And they used to call me Prince Ella. Because I looked so much like my dad. And his name was Prince. So every time you turn around, they was inviting me over to their house to spend the night. And when I would come home, I would have fancy hairdos, all these fancy clothes and shoes. And my parents didn't allow me to eat ice cream too often because it would make me sick. But when I went to Miss Tom and Ms. Anna, oh, I just ate the ice cream. So one day, I had been doing this maybe three months. And one day my mom said, baby, what happens when you go over to Miss Tom and Miss Annie? I said, they asked me questions. She said, and what kind of questions? I said, they asked me what the number going to be. She said. I said, they asked me. They say, like on Tuesday, mama. They say, Prince Ella. What the cubic going to be this gambling. And what I would see, I would, oh, 73. And they would call this man, he would come. I know that now. I didn't know it back then. And they would gamble, bet on that number on Thursday. They would say, Prince Elva, what the toll going to be? They say, I see 28. I said, it's going to be 28. They said, oh, okay. And they would hug me, hug me. I was the greatest thing in the world to them two ladies. Boy, if you said anything to hurt my feeling, them two old women would get with you because I was their money. I was their bank. My mama said, baby, when your dad get home, we got to talk to you. We can't let you go over there anymore. She said, we're going to explain to you what gambling is. And that's not pleasing in the sight of God. Well, I walked away thinking she going to cut my ice cream off. I'm not going to get no more fancy hairdos, no more pro. I'm not going to be all that special no more because they're not going to let me go over there. When my dad got home after dinner, we cleared the table and they sat me down and they explained to me. Now, I really didn't understand, but I understood, but I didn't want to understand because I didn't want that ice cream to go away. So that's how it started. And I would see people and I would see things. And sometime I couldn't tell them because I didn't know how to. Wow. And I thought I was a weirdo. My best friend. This is before I fully come to the Lord. My best friend. I was married, but my best friend was a man. And he was from my old neighborhood. We grew up together. And one morning I woke up about 05:00 and I decided to get on up and get my day started, get my husband lunch and get him off to work. And I was sitting in the living room in the chair, and he come know, say goodbye to me. And he said, what's wrong? You got a weird look on your face. I just saw Dale kill himself. That was the best friend.

Speaker A: Oh, my God.

Speaker C: He said, what? I say, he was talking to this woman and he shot at her. And then he put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger. And I shook myself. He said, oh, it'll be all right. That's just a bad dream. And he went on to work. 04:00 that afternoon, one of my neighbor daughters, she was like a goddaughter to me. But she come down and she said, hey. I said, hey. She said, can you have a seat with me for a minute? But she was looking strange. And I sat down in the chair. She said, I just saw Dale'sister. Her name was Bobby, too, Barbara, but we called her Bobby. She said, I just saw Bobby. And she told me that she couldn't come and talk to you, but she wanted you to know Dale killed herself this morning. And exactly what I saw is exactly what he did. But I heard him say this in the vision. He was telling this woman, this is my son. I don't want another man over my son. And if I can't have you, nobody will. And that's when he pulled a gun and shot at her. I never did see her fall down or anything, but I saw him put the gun to his head and pull the trigger. And so when my husband got in, I told him he was like, what? I said, yeah. So it started from there in my childhood. I was born with that. I didn't have to go. Nobody taught me. I was born with it. So in 1993, I fully come to the Lord. And then I learned the gift came from him.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker C: And it is what it is. It's a gift. You can use it any way you want, but I asked God to use it for his glory and not mine. And so that's what he's done.

Speaker A: Yes. Wow, what a story. My great grandmother had that gift too. And she used to go around the community warning people, death, death, death. And sure enough, there was going to be death after a while. Yeah. Various members of our family have claimed to have that same gift. But I'm not convinced anyway.

Speaker C: And I know the feeling. Right.

Speaker A: So they're going to listen to this and chastise me. But the other thing I wanted to follow up on was what I love about you, and I said this to you in the email too, is that I know you are hearing from God. Because whenever I've listened, it's almost as though even, okay, say for example, you've recorded a podcast maybe five months ago. I somehow go and I listen to the one that exactly addresses what I'm talking to God about. Okay. For example, today I listened to your, I believe this was the most recent podcast that you did. And I read this morning from Romans, chapter six. The gist of that was talking about killing the old self. We're crucified. It's no longer us. Of course. That was part of the theme of your message today, right?

Speaker C: Yes.

Speaker A: And so I really admire that and admire as. And obviously this is God's. Gifting to you, and he's speaking through you to us to bless us and to encourage us. Obviously, that's one of the ministries you have, the Ministry of Encouragement. One other brother, Jim Simbala, I also find that when I go and I log on to his website, and so I find very timely messages from God. So I'm really grateful for you and your gift to the kingdom. Paul mentioned his co laborers, and I know that two of the names, I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings, but I think two of the names that I hear very often were three. I hear about Brother Louie and Sherry, and I hear about Ms. Jerry. Right?

Speaker C: Yeah.

Speaker A: Tell me about how they have blessed you and blessed your ministry.

Speaker C: Louie and Sherry, for almost 14 years, they have come every morning to listen to Jesus in the morning radio. And in the mornings, I'm talking about something, but I don't have the scripture out. I'm just letting God use my mouth. Louis comes up with the scripture that addresses what I'm talking about, so I can take you to the word in it. Sherry, she's a kind of keen woman. These are white people. Sharon Lou. She's kind of keen and sweet and humble, and she loved me. And so whenever I'm in their presence, she always want to make sure I'm happy, I'm good, I'm taken care of. So she's been going through some eye surgery, so we've been praying for her. Sometimes Louis just send me money. If I say I need something and they have it, they'll just send it. And he manages the chat room for 14 years. Wow. So I know God placed these people. It's never no disagreement. It's never no problem. God put that Sister Jerry. I've known Jerry for 60 years. We went to elementary school together, and Jerry was just bad. So the teacher would say, barbara, take your friend Jerry to the office. I would have to take her. She would say, no, Barbara, look, the playground. We could go out on the playground. I said, jerry, prince, don't play like that. That's my dad. I said, prince, don't play like that, Jerry, come on. You go into the office. And that's where I would take her. So off and on, up and down through the years, Jerry and I stayed in touch. So she's got some medical issues now, and I've had to go over, know, take her places and help her and that kind of thing. So that's how she and I knew each other. Yeah.

Speaker A: And then the last person, this would be more of a mentor to you. You've talked about him, I think, in the very first episode that I listened to Bishop or Pastor Charles C. Wood II.

Speaker C: Yes. Glory. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. He was a pastor in Birmingham, Alabama, and We called him Bishop. And he was a great young man. He was about ten years younger than me, but I looked up to him. Yes, because he was very gifted, very gifted and prophetic. And if he prayed for you, it was happening. So I sat under his ministry, and I grew not in the ministry and in him, but I grew in God for his ministry. And he made me his assistant. And he would come to me and he would say, barbara, I got to go out of town. I need you to do this. And that. His wife would come. Her name was Juan. She would come and say, barbara, I got to go to Japan. Because she's saying with the mass choir, the Georgia Mass Choir. So she would say, I got to go to Japan. Do not let these women be all over my husband while I am gone.

Speaker A: You were the warden. You were the warden.

Speaker C: I was the warden. So she had never really experienced getting out. She come out of her parents house into marriage. So the corner store that sold pickles and chips and cookies and candy, she didn't really experience that. So one night before church, I took her to the store, and when we get back, Bishop looking, he said, OK, I see what y'all two up. So we're not up to nothing. He said, OK. And we went on into church. Well, a few months after that, I said, quan, have you ever been in the mall and taste coffee and chocolate? She was like, no, you know, Barbara, I don't really go to the mall like that. I said, well, let's go to the mall. So we both go to Bishop and we say, bishop, we going to the mall. We'll be back in a little bit. He's getting ready to have choir rehearsing because he was a musician, but a choir. He was like, okay. So we started to go out the door. He said, hey, both of you. He said, now, we never told him what we was going to do. Just our secret. He said to both of you, don't go to the mall eating all that chocolate and drinking all that coffee. Now, don't y'all do that? We looked at each other, we said, okay, bishop, we went on to the mall. I took us straight over there to Starbucks, and then we left there, and we went to the chocolate shop. I said, quan, taste it. This is a chocolate covered coffee bean. Oh, we just tasted milk chocolate. Just a little sample, but we tasted too much, and I didn't know about blood sugar, and she had diabetes. As soon as we walked back into church, he was sitting on the front pew, and we was coming up to where he was. He said, I asked y'all not to go to the mall and eat all that chocolate and drink all that coffee. He said, quan, you sick right now?

Speaker A: Oh, my goodness.

Speaker C: Didn't know that. And he sat right on there, and he didn't say another word to us. Wow. And we just sat feeling so bad because he did tell him. This man could call your Social Security number, your address. He could tell you who your parents. You never saw him a day in your life, and he never saw you.

Speaker A: Oh, my.

Speaker C: Go ahead.

Speaker A: Was this, like, people coming into a service and he's saying, wow, you're talking.

Speaker C: About some power packed, Holy Ghost anointed services. It was there. I was sick. Something was wrong with my stomach, and I was sick. And I went to church that Sunday, and he called me out, and when I came out, he said, you're sick and it's in your stomach. And he laid hands on my stomach. When he touched me, I went out under the power. I don't do that.

Speaker A: Oh, my.

Speaker C: I went out under the power. While I was out, God began to form an operation. Well, when I got up, I'm looking around, I say, who hit me out of the floor? Because I'm ready to fight. He didn't say a thing. But then in a few minutes, I noticed. I was like, oh, something happened to me. Now, this is what I'm thinking. Because, see, I wasn't fully in the knowledge yet.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker C: I was like, what did Bishop do to me while I was out on that flow? Because I'm not feeling the same way. But I learned. Tell God. Thank you. Don't look to Bishop. Yes, he put for it. It could have been cancer. It could have been anything. But whatever it was, God healed me. When he touched me, God healed me. He just used Bishop hand as a contact. Yeah.

Speaker A: You got a Holy Ghost knockout, huh?

Speaker C: Yes. I mean, just out for the.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker C: Didn't know where I was, what was going on.

Speaker A: Yes. Well, I think when I listened to that podcast, when you talked about Bishop Wood, you said that was around the time when you had just come to know Jesus. Correct. So that was the early stage of your ministry. I wanted to go back just a little bit and tell me about the day you met Jesus.

Speaker C: That day or night. Okay. This is what was happening. I sold dope. I sold drugs.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker C: And I was the dope lady. And basically, I was just in the world, just crazy and just doing anything I wanted to do. Drinking Crown Roar, smoking marijuana. But the more I got, the more I dwindled down in my mind. I wasn't happy. I couldn't. So I had gone to Florida to bring drugs back, and I was there, but nobody knew I was there but two nephews. My niece called me. How did she find me? She said, you need to go home. The state of Alabama got your children. They looking for you. They said, you're selling dope, and you're doing dope. Well, I never did drugs in my life, not like that. So I left the car, left my nephews in Florida, and I caught the bus and came on back, went to court. They was talking crazy to me and everything, but I just believe it would be worked out. But that morning, the first morning I got back, I stayed at the nephew house because I couldn't go home. I couldn't have peace. My children wasn't there.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker C: So I summoned the couch, and I could hear this. Repent. You're wrong. Repent. Wow. So I got up. There was this huge Ottoman in the living room, because my nephew, he was a big guy, so he had to have big furnace. So I kneel down to that Otoman, and I'm just crying, and I'm not really understanding what's going on. But then I begin to hear the voice of the Lord. And he wasn't really shouting, but he was stern in what he said. He said, you're wrong, and you know you're wrong. You wasn't brought up that way, and you're poisoning my people. He said, I'm going to bring you out and make you like you've never been before. He said, but don't you go back. If you go back, that body should surely Lay down and never get up again. Remember that until this day. So I get up, dry my face, because I'm a mess. And I get back on the couch. But I say, I can go home now. I go home, go to court and everything, get my children back, people helping me. But all of the drug money and anything to do with it, keep it. I don't want nothing to do with it. Gave the devil back all his tools. But my mind, you see, my mind wasn't right. And so I was in my bedroom, and I'm thinking, what going to happen to me now? I don't have nothing. I'm doing. What will happen to me? I went to the window, and I looked out the window up at the sky, I had these real sheer curtains, and I could see through these shears. And I started talking like this. I said, god, if there is a God, I don't know. I said, I've heard you real, and I want to believe you're real, but I don't really know. I said, but if you are real, I want to be as real in you as you are real. That's all I say. I went on. The next thing I know, I was kneeling down on the side of my bed, praying. Wow. The time, I didn't really know if I was talking to him or just talking in the app. And I told him, I said, I want to ask you to let me die so you can live in me. Wow. Nothing about, give me the house on the hill with the dog named Fluffy. Give me that big Mercedes, I need millions of dollars in the bank. Nothing like that crossed my mind. Yes, it was a spiritual thing. So what I'm telling him about me spiritually, he began to manifest it. I began to pray prayers and understand. I began to read the word and understand what I was reading. Well, all before, I didn't understand that Peter begot this one and that. I didn't understand that. But now I'm understanding. Well, I had a good friend named Faith. They love married me. So she come to the house to visit me, and she's walking back and forth in front of the window, back and forth. I'm like, what's wrong with her? She said, hey, Bob, Pete, this? I said, yeah. She said, I've been going to church. I was to myself, I'm like, what? You've been going where the building didn't burn in your mind how you think of people? She said, yeah. And I think the little man teaching me right, but I don't know. I said, well, hey, faith, quiet as it kept. I've been praying, reading my Bible, and I'm understanding what I'm reading. She was like, Bob, God trying to tell us something. I said, yeah. She said, why don't you come and go to the church with me, and maybe you can understand what he's saying and see if he's teaching us the truth. I said, okay. I started going. Had a beautiful wife. He was a beautiful man, bodily man, Pastor Rogers. And he was the one who taught me first and Second Samuel. And it connected to the Psalm, because I used to think the Psalms was, for if your enemies did something to you, you read those scriptures on your enemy. That's what I taught. But once he got through teaching me first and Second Samuel, and it connected to David over in the Psalms. When you learn better, you do better. But see, that was God. Was God preparing me and teaching me for such a time as this so that I could teach others who feel like they got to do witchcraft or voodoo. He don't need your help. He don't need your help. All you need is faith in God. And faith is to believe. And if you truly believe and begin to seek him with your whole heart, God is going to move.

Speaker A: Amen. Amen to that. And so you and your friend basically are coming to Jesus at the same time. And so you went to Pastor Rogers's church at that time. Okay, very good. Was that before or after Alaska?

Speaker C: Was before Alaska.

Speaker A: Before. Okay.

Speaker C: Okay.

Speaker A: So you were saved before you went to Alaska. Very good. I know you've been to many places, Alaska being one of them, and now you're in Jacksonville, Florida. So I wanted you to, if you could briefly tell us about your experience in Alaska, what drew you there? What brought you to Alaska in the first place?

Speaker C: Right before I left, I was in Orlando, Florida. I worked for the same boss off and on for 34 years. So wherever he went and opened a business, he would always drag me with him. Yes, that was the favor of the Lord. But anyway, I got there. My daughter, my oldest daughter, she passed away about two years ago. She was in Alaska, her and her husband, he was in the military. And Thanksgiving Day, she called me and said, Mama, tell me how to make that sweet potato pie. So I gave her the recipe, and I was walking her through it, and she said, you know what? You should come. Oh, it's beautiful here. You should come and visit. As soon as she spoke that the Lord said, go.

Speaker A: Wow.

Speaker C: Did anybody else hear that? I know they did.

Speaker A: Hey, if you're enjoying this podcast and you want to learn more about our ministry, please visit us@urbanfreshgardens.com. We can't wait to connect with you. Thank you so much for joining us today. We hope that this episode encourages you to do whatever the Lord is calling you to. This is Tanisha. See you in the next episode.

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