A gro ɔp na wan eria na Mɔntrel siti usay bɔku pipul dɛn at pwɛl. Mi papa day we a bin ol siks mɔnt ɛn dat mek na mi mama nɔmɔ bin de kia fɔ ɔltin na os. Na wi et dɛn bɔn ɛn na mi na di las wan.

As a de big, ɛvride a bin de spɛn tɛm wit pipul dɛn we de dil wit drɔgs, ple gambul, fɛt-fɛt, ɛn ivin kriminal dɛn. We a bin ol tɛn ia, a bigin du af af wok fɔ raregal dɛn ɛn pipul dɛn we de trɔs ɔda pipul dɛn mɔni, aks fɔ bɔku intrɛst ɛn kruk dɛn. Bɔku tɛm a bin de lay, ɛn a bin de fil gud fɔ kruk pipul dɛn ɛniwe aw a ebul. I bin tan lɛk mɛrɛsin fɔ mi.

Bay di tɛm we a ol 14 ia, a bin dɔn rili sabi aw fɔ fɛn difrɛn we dɛn fɔ trik pipul dɛn. Fɔ ɛgzampul, a kin bay bɔku fek gold wɔch dɛn, breslɛt, ɛn ring dɛn ɛn yuz stamp fɔ mak am se na 14 karat gold ɛn a kin sɛl dɛn na strit ɛn na say usay motoka dɛn kin pak na shɔpin sɛnta dɛn. A bin jɔs lɛk fɔ mek mɔni izi we. Wantɛm, a bin mek lɛk 10,000 dɔla insay wangren de!

We a ol 15 ia, dɛn bin drɛb mi na di skul usay dɛn bin de ɛp mi ɛn nɔ bin gɛt ɛnisay fɔ go. A bin de slip na strit, na pak, ɔ to sɔm padi dɛn we a mit na strit.

Bɔku tɛm, polis dɛn bin de arɛst mi bikɔs ɔf di kruk tin dɛn we a bin de du. Bɔt bikɔs a nɔ bin de sɛl tif tin dɛn, dɛn nɔ ɛva sɛn mi go jel. Bɔt a bin de pe ɛvi fayn bikɔs a de kruk, lay, ɛn sɛl tin dɛn pan ɔl we a nɔ gɛt laysin. Bikɔs a nɔ bin de fred nɔbɔdi, a bin de ivin go trɔs to pipul dɛn we de aks fɔ bɔku intrɛst. Dat na bin denja tin, ɛn sɔntɛnde a bin de ivin kɛr go gɔn. Ɔda tɛm dɛn, a bin de ivin wok wit kriminal gɛŋ dɛn.

Di fɔstɛm we a yɛri bɔt di Baybul, na di tɛm we a ol 17 ia. Mi ɛn mi galfrɛn bin de liv togɛda we i bigin stɔdi di Baybul wit Jiova Witnɛs dɛn. Bɔt a nɔ bin lɛk di tin dɛn we di Baybul se wi nɔ fɔ du, so a lɛf am ɛn go de wit wan ɔda uman we mi ɛn in bin ɔlrɛdi de.

Di tin we chenj ɔltin fɔ mi na we mi sɛkɔn galfrɛn in bak bigin fɔ stɔdi di Baybul wit Jiova Witnɛs dɛn! I mek bɔku chenj dɛn na in layf, ɛn a bin rili kɔle di we aw i bin de du tin saful ɛn di we aw i peshɛnt. A bin gri fɔ atɛnd mitin na Jiova Witnɛs dɛn Kiŋdɔm Ɔl. Di pipul dɛn we wɛlkɔm mi bin drɛs fayn ɛn dɛn nays. Dat bin difrɛn frɔm wetin a no bɔt pipul dɛn na di wɔl! Frɔm we a smɔl, a nɔ ɛva fil se mi famili lɛk mi ɛn bisin bɔt mi. Di lɔv we Jiova Witnɛs dɛn sho mi na in a bin rili want. So we dɛn aks mi if a go want fɔ stɔdi di Baybul, a bin gladi fɔ se yɛs.

I go mɔs bi se na wetin a bin de lan na di Baybul bin sev mi layf. A bin de plan fɔ go tif wit tu pan mi padi dɛn fɔ mek a pe 50,000 dɔla fɔ wan gambul dɛt we a bin gɛt. Bɔt a bin gladi we a nɔ jɔyn dɛn! Mi padi dɛn bin go fɔ go tif. Dɛn arɛst wan pan dɛn, ɛn dɛn kil di ɔda wan.

As a kɔntinyu fɔ stɔdi di Baybul, a kam fɔ si se a nid fɔ mek bɔku chenj dɛn na mi layf. Fɔ ɛgzampul, a lan wetin di Baybul se na 1 Kɔrintians 6:​10 we se: “Tifman dɛn, pipul dɛn we want ɔltin fɔ dɛnsɛf, pipul dɛn we de drink te dɛn chak, pipul dɛn we de yuz bad wɔd, ɛn pipul dɛn we kruk nɔ go gɛt Gɔd in Kiŋdɔm.” We a rid da vas de, i mek a si se wetin a bin de du bin rili siriɔs ɛn i mek a kray. A kam fɔ si se a rili nid fɔ chenj mi layf. (Romans 12:​2) A bin lɛk fɛt-fɛt ɛn a bin gɛt wamat, ɛn ɔltin bɔt mi layf na lay lay.

Bɔt we a bin de stɔdi di Baybul bak, a lan se Jiova gɛt sɔri-at ɛn i de fɔgiv. (Ayzaya 1:​18) A pre to Jiova wit ɔl mi at, a beg am fɔ mek i ɛp mi fɔ mek a lɛf fɔ liv di bad layf we a bin de liv trade. Smɔl smɔl, i bin ɛp mi fɔ mek a chenj di bad we aw a bin de biev. Wan men we we wi du dat, na we mi ɛn mi galfrɛn mared ligal wan.

A bin ol 24 ia, a mared, ɛn a gɛt tri pikin dɛn. A nid fɔ fɛn ligal wok fɔ du. Bɔt a nɔ go bɛtɛ skul ɛn a nɔ gɛt ɛnibɔdi fɔ ɛp mi fɔ fɛn wok. A pre to Jiova bak. Dɔn a go luk fɔ wok. A bin de tɛl di wan dɛn we a bin de go fɛn wok to se a want fɔ chenj mi layf ɛn du ɔnɛs wok. Sɔntɛnde, a bin de ɛksplen to dɛn se a bin de stɔdi di Baybul ɛn a want fɔ bi gud sitizin. Bɔku pan dɛn nɔ bin gri fɔ gi mi wok. Faynali, we a bin go wan intavyu, a bin tɛl di pɔsin we de intavyu mi bɔt di bad we aw a bin dɔn liv mi layf. Di pɔsin tɛl mi se: “A nɔ rili no wetin mek, bɔt sɔntin de tɛl mi se a fɔ gi yu di wok.” A biliv se dis na ansa to mi prea dɛn. Afta sɔm tɛm, mi ɛn mi wɛf bin baptayz as Jiova Witnɛs dɛn.

A de alayv tide bikɔs a de fala Baybul prinsipul dɛn ɛn a de liv mi layf lɛk Kristian. A gɛt nays famili. A gɛt klin kɔnshɛns bikɔs a biliv se Jiova dɔn fɔgiv mi.

Fɔ di pas 14 ia, a dɔn de spɛn 70 awa ɛni mɔnt fɔ ɛp pipul dɛn fɔ lan wetin di Baybul de tich, ɛn dis biɛn tɛm, mi wɛf dɔn jɔyn mi fɔ du da wok de. Fɔ di pas 30 ia, a dɔn gladi fɔ ɛp 22 pan mi wokmet dɛn fɔ lɛ dɛn bigin wɔship Jiova. A kin stil go na shɔpin sɛnta dɛn, bɔt nɔto fɔ kruk pipul dɛn lɛk aw a bin de du trade. Naw we a de go de, a kin tɛl pipul dɛn bɔt wetin a biliv. A want fɔ gi dɛn sɔntin; dat na di op fɔ liv na di nyu wɔl we go de tumara bambay usay kruk pipul dɛn nɔ go de.​—Sam 37:​10, 11.