I am convicted that this is something God would have me do.

I will remember for the rest of my life something my brother said to me years ago.  I will remember it because my best friend uttered the same sentiments to me as well.  They tell me that my life is going to be miserable because I worry too much about other people's problems.  I have thought about it and a part of me wants to change, but this is who I am.

When I discovered the power of Network Marketing to make ordinary, poor people financially independent, I thought it was an answered prayer.  It's been years that I had been praying that God would show me a way to make a difference in the lives of poor people.

Let me hasten to add that I do not consider myself an angel sent to deliver God's people. Far from it.  Had it not been for the mercies of God I would have reasons to walk with my head bowed in shame because I have done so many stupid things to let God down.  However, in the best of us there is some bad, and some good in the worst of us.  I guess one good attribute given me is a genuine concern for others.

So Revolving Partner Plan was formed because I thought that God approved of my intentions and the Plan itself.  When the madness started I began to doubt, especially when I considered the negative criticisms that came my way, especially from 'church people', as we say.  I started to wonder if I allowed myself to be fooled by the cunning devil.

However, apart from many miracles that I experienced, three series of events happened, that gave me encouragement.  One happened before I was arrested.  The other happened after my arrest and the third happened very recently.

BEFORE I WAS ARRESTED

My spiritual mother told me that a Church Sister told her that she had a message for me from the Lord.  To tell you the truth, I am a little weary of people who claim that they have messages from God.  But I thought I had to at least listen with an open mind.  I made the journey from Mandeville to Montego Bay to see this lady.

The first thing I observed was that I was impressed and inspired by the sincerity of this Sister.  I wondered if I was going to be told that God never intended for me to start RPP and that He does not approve of it.  But I was encouraged and given some specific instructions.

I am ashamed to tell you that I did not follow those instructions in detail.  I would tell you why, but I do not wish to make excuses.  I should have followed the instructions as given - strictly.  I still had some doubts somewhere in the back of my mind.  It was a little difficult to see how something that God approved could have gone so wrong.  But I had seen so many miracles, that I knew that God was at least extending His mercies to me - if not for Revolving Partner Plan itself, for what I wanted to achieve, or just because of His love for me.

AFTER MY ARREST

It was a very embarrassing experience, being arrested.  After a few days I was transferred from Montego Bay to the Remand Centre in Kingston.  A day or two later I was taken to the offices of the Fraud Squad for questioning.  The attorney assigned to be there had a tight schedule and did not come until the afternoon.  So I had lunch at the Fraud Squad office.

Just when I was leaving to go to the lunch room I overheard a female officer instructing another officer to go to the US Embassy regarding a case of fraudulent travel documents.  After lunch I observed a sharply-dressed gentleman in the office.  I did not pay him any attention.  I was too concerned about my problems.

Some time after getting back to the Remand Centre I observed the same sharply-dressed gentleman sitting outside.  Clearly he was arrested for some crime.  Still I paid him very little attention.

In the night he was taken to the holding area and was given a bed next to me.  He sat down and started singing some familiar choruses.  I joined in the singing until I fell asleep.  I was to discover the following morning that this was the person who was picked up at the US Embassy for tendering fraudulent travel documents.

I learned he was an Assistant Pastor from a Church in Africa.  He told me he was on vacation and decided to visit a few countries.  He could not understand how he was able to use his travel documents to leave Africa, without a problem; use them in the United States, without a problem; use them twice in Cuba, without a problem;  use them to come to Jamaica, also without a problem, only to be told when he was attempting to leave Jamaica that his documents were fraudulent.  I certainly could not understand it myself.

I had my bible and hymnal and he had his bible and two books.  One of the books was his daily devotional guide.  He loaned it to me.  (He eventually gave it to me.)  I was inspired and encouraged by every single daily thought in that book.  But the topic of the other book made me curious - "Don't Pack Your Bags Yet".  I asked to borrow the book and he obliged.

I read the book in one sitting, unlike me.  I could not believe what I  read.  I was almost scared, though comforted.  It's as though the book was written just for me and my situation.  It told me, among other things, that though others may not understand my dreams and though others may criticize me, I must not PACK MY BAGS and leave.  It told me that God had started a good work in me and that He would see it through to completion.

The book was laced with encouragements from scripture.  They all were relevant to my specific situation, all encouraging me not to give up, for God was with me and will help me not only to overcome, but to complete the task He gave me.  After reading I sat in amazement and wonder for a good while - hardly hearing the conversations around me.  I had mixed feelings.  On one hand I wanted to view it all as mere coincidence.  On the other hand it seemed far too coincidental. Besides, I know that there are no coincidences for the child of God.  I did not know what to do, what lies ahead and what God had in store.

I went to the gentleman and asked him a question: "Have you noticed that no harm came to you?"  He said yes.  I told him that I now understood why he was taken to the Remand Centre.  I told him it was just a detour because God had a message for him to give me.  I told him there was nothing wrong with his documents and that he should not be surprised if the following morning he was told to take his belongings and that he would be a free man.  Sure enough, the following morning he was told to take his things and he was gone.  Not transferred.  Not gone to court.  Gone home.  No problem with his documents.

Can you imagine the impact that experience had on me?

I was now both clear and confused about the way forward.  It was clear that I should not give up on the dream.  But I was confused with regards to what exactly I should do.  Should I seek to rebuild Revolving Partner Plan?  How would that be possible?  I was still confused.  So I prayed and fasted about it.  And the praying and fasting (more praying than fasting) have been going on for over a year.

To make a long story short, it has been a year and a half of questions in my mind and praying for direction.  Many things have happened that I have not shared with even family.  I just kept thinking, wondering and praying.

It is clear to me now.  My task is not to rebuild the Partner Plan.  That was just a means to an end.  It is the end that is important, not the means.  My mission is to continue the struggle to show people how they can find success and financial independence.  How we can all enjoy a better life.  But the mission really is that God loves us and it is really His desire to bless us.  If you can understand how much he loves you and how important every single aspect of your life is important to him, including your financial situation - your ability to live comfortably - you can better understand his will to give you riches in a better place we call heaven.

VERY RECENTLY

With all the above in mind, I put together a plan and created this website to bring to plan to your attention.  What I am about to tell you was not originally at the website.  It happened AFTER I created the site and decided to advertise it.

I contacted a very close friend and told her of my intentions.  She told me she was very uncomfortable with my decision and that she is scared of it.  I told her I was scared too, but I just have to do it.  She repeated her reservations.

The plan was to place an ad in the classifieds section of the Western Mirror, a particular Monday for the Wednesday publication of that week.  But when I woke in the morning I was very uncomfortable - very reluctant.  I kept remembering the words of my friend and I had a battle in my heart, for I too was afraid to do this.  I really didn't want to.  But I believe it is God's will.  To be honest with you, the fear was taking over the conviction.  All morning, I was troubled.

Then I received a call from another friend - a Church sister and colleague.  She asked me if I was busy and I told her yes, I was.  She paused, and I paused. She is the kind of person who would always ask if I am busy.  Previously, whenever I told her yes, she would ask me to call her when I am finished or tell me she will call back.  But this time she did not.  So I wondered what she was about.  She sensed my hesitation and curiosity, so she told me it will not take long - and then asked if she could read something to me.  I was a little curious, so I told her to go ahead and read it.

She read the day's thoughts to me, which included these words:

"A perfect day begins with hearing from God. What He has to say to you is the most important thing you'll hear in the next 24 hours.  It'll determine what you believe, what you say, and what you have the wisdom and the courage to handle.  Others can't talk to God for you, nor can they know His voice for you - only you can do that. ...

...Hear His voice before others influence you, for He alone knows the truth.  Hear His voice and the accusations of others won't discourage you..."    (Emphases are mine.)

If you think that is interesting.  Get this.  This friend has never before called me to read something to me, as far as I can remember.  Not only that, as pointed out before, she never persists if she calls to talk to me and I tell her I am busy.  But that is not the most interesting thing about this incident either.  The following is:

She had only recently discovered the book "The Word For Today - Caribbean Edition", and we had just finished the August to October edition.  Remember, this happened on Monday morning.  It was only the week before that I went to Kingston and picked up the latest edition for her - November to January.  But it was not until the Sunday night (the night before the morning that she called to read to me) that she came by and collected it.

She told me she was reading from "The Word for Today" but the day's thoughts that she read to me were from May 9, 2002.  Why did she read from May 9 to me on Monday, November 25?  Why did she choose for the first time to call me and share a devotional with me?  Why did she read those words when I was struggling between what I thought to be God's will and the advice of people who cared about me?  Was this all coincidence?  I thought not.

So I made up my mind and faxed the ad to the Western Mirror.  I told another person close to me my decision and she conveyed it to other persons close to me, with my permission.  They became mad, especially one of the persons - someone I love very much.  She was hopping mad and made no qualms about telling me.  So for a peaceful life, the ad was not placed and I decided that maybe I should find another way.

But I have not been at peace with myself since, for I felt that I gave in to others when I need to trust God and obey.  He's not going to come down and speak with us face to face, but He speaks though various means, including His written words and through His servants.  The struggle continued.

But I made my final decision on Friday, December 6, 2002.  My friend called again, this time to read two days' thoughts to me.  That did it.  In one of them the story was told of two boys, one of whom fell into the cold water after the ice on which they were skating broke.  His friend watched him struggle and then go under the ice that he was on.  He tried to use his shoe and equipment to break the ice to rescue his friend but he could not break it.  He then saw a large tree limb that he used to break the ice and get his fried out of the freezing water.

When others came around and learned what happened they all wondered how he could manage a tree limb so heavy.  He could not understand it himself, but tried to give a reasonable answer.  But his friend, the one he saved, gave the best answer.  "He was able to do it because there was no one around him to tell him he could not."  The message was clear.  Many times in life we don't achieve what we can because we listen to others who tell us we can't, when the truth is that we can do all things through Christ, who is our strength.

The other thought she read to me, ended with these words:

"Forget your past.  Confront your fears.  Size up your God-given opportunities.  Do that and your best days are ahead of you."

Finally, let me say two things:

1. In case you're thinking that all of this could be mere coincidence and not God talking to me.  All I can say is, I agree with you 100%.  It could in fact be merely coincidental.  But I do not believe it is, and as such it would be sin to me to refuse to obey what I considered God's leading in my life.

2. In case you're wondering why I did not just act on this without sharing it, the reason is simple.  For the same reasons Paul told his story, over and over again, about his encounter with God on the road to Damascus - He wanted to make them understand why he was doing what he was then doing (preaching Christ and His gospel), and he wanted them to understand that we serve a God who loves us and who still intervenes in the lives of men.

I am still human and there remains a side of me that is concerned about the reaction of others to what I am about to do.  But I am not scared anymore.  My job is to trust God and obey.  He will take care of those concerns.  Whatever the outcome, the most important thing is to follow His leading.