Testimony

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From the beginning his life was a story of strife and struggle that will rattle feelings down to the depths of your soul. Here you will be told how the belief in the Lord has transcended this young man’s life and afforded him the opportunity to become a “Testimony” to the world.He was born Jonathan Wood Jr. on November 27,1976 in Brooklyn, New York. His mother passed away approximately three weeks after he was born leaving behind Testimony (Tess) as well as two young siblings. Hence leaving his father to take care of them. His father was not an educated man and took to the street playing that game called the hustle. His father was the only real love and closeness that Tess knew and he clung to his father like a fawn to a deer. Thus, Tess found himself in some unsavory places and ultimately he himself learned at an early age the game of the hustle. His father married his step mother but The memories of that relationship are memories of abuse and unhappiness. the best thing that came out of that relationship was his step-brother whom he have come love as his blodd brother. However there is one women he speaks lovingly of. She is the mother of his younger sister. She left her children behind in Jamaica to come to America to raise his fathers children after thier mother died and he was deported back to Jamaica. She did her best to try to cope with his father’s lifestyle and infidelity. Eventually she left the picture. His mother’s sister requested that the children come and stay with her but Tess and his older sister was not about to leave their adoring father but off his eldest sibling went. When his father’s hustle game caught up with him and he was sent to prison again and deported for the second time, Tess and his sister were shipped off to Florida to live with his father’s sister awaiting their father’s return.When his father returned he moved his family back to Brooklyn to a drug-infested environment where murder was a daily ritual. He would sometimes have to lie on the floor until the bullets cease-fire and his mind pondered as to whether his father would return safely. It was hard for him to understand that the same dad that so lovingly reared him and introduced him to music was living such a treacherous and deadly life. Every building or house they moved in was converted into a weed spot. Tes now nine started getting into plenty of trouble and would now participate in the hustle of money, drugs and guns. For five years Tes would stay by his dad side, mocking his every move. Everything, he thought was going well until a gunman came into his father’s store and shot his dad twice as he stood and watched the horror unfold. As the life drain from his father his mind and body went into shock. He could not believe his hero was leaving. How could he go on with his life? When he was forced to miss his father’s funeral he catapulted into a state of paranoia not trusting nor believing in anyone or anything.After the shooting Testimony decided quit the game of hustle not knowing who to trust, therefore, he was not only homeless but for the first time penniless. He found himself sleeping on the train, spending many cold winter nights in the van he inherited from his dad. He would stay with friends until his welcome was no more. He lived 2 years of life on the streets fending for himself. Now at the age of seventeen, hitting rock bottom with nowhere else to go Testimony went to the Atlantic street shelter to seek help. After arriving there he promised himself saying, that night would be the first and last night in such a dreadful place. That morning as he prepared to leave the shelter he heard a loud voice saying, Praise the lord, praise the Lord, anyone looking for a new life? The man said much more than that but the new life part was the only thing he could hear. Get on the bus the man said. Testimony had mixed emotions about what to do. But after all he could do no worse. As he arrived at this big warehouse looking building with a sign that read Helping Hands Ministry, He walked inside to behold the inside of a church sanctuary. As the pastor taught his message he came to understood that it was a house of GOD and not just a shelter. At that point he was so beat down that he thought to himself that any change would be good and a meal and warm bed were added benefits. He stayed at the house of GOD for one night and decided he was ready to go back on the street. He went back to the street, got arrested and found himself in jail for three weeks. While he was in jail he had time to think and decided now at age seventeen that he would not let the streets beat him down anymore and was determined to change his life. As soon as he was released he returned to Helping Hands. He would not say that it was easy on him or anyone that tried to assist him at this time in his life but he managed to persevere.One evening as he was sitting in the sanctuary in bible class his life replayed to him like a video in his mind. GOD showed him all of the times that he had protected him from danger and intervened to save his life. Tess said he was always a proud man and never thought he would reveal his true vulnerability to anyone but this day he openly cried and thanked the Lord for what he had done for him. That night he gave his life to Jesus. For the first time he said he felt that he had been released.Within the next few weeks he felt a positive change from within that emanated the air and was also recognized by fellow comrades. He said that he felt like a butterfly coming out of his cocoon and he was ready to share what he had learned with the world. He joined the Bread Ministry who went out on the street to minister to people and loved it.The ministry had a praise service every Friday and at the service were singers and rappers. Tess started out singing with a reggae group in the church but did not get the exhilaration that he felt when rapping about the gospel. He went to minister at a Medical Center for Aids patients and it was there that he and a few of his peers decided to form Da’ Horsemen. Da’ Horsemen tried to break into the major music industry by producing their own group and speaking to Motown representatives. Because of the business disassociation between the church and the music industry this endeavor quickly went array. However, they continued to perform all over the tri-city area pushing out new songs every week. The job did not produce a lot of revenue but it allowed them to minister and rejoice in the Lord. This took a toll on some of the members in the group who eventually quit. There were two soldiers left in the group one, Testimony and the other Reggie AKA Wiseman who were determined not to give up their dream.They pressed on performing show after show, sharing the stage with some of Gospel’s greatest artist such as John P. Kee, Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship & Crusade Choir, Melba Moore and many more.Unfortunately Wiseman (Reginald Carter) Testimony’s Comrade and best friend passed away in 2006. it was a great lost for Tes and the gospel hip hop community. Tes since then got back behind the mic and continues to bring the message of salvation to the world. Helping many like himself make the transition From Hood To Glory.A Prayer 4 Hip Hop At The Copacabana

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