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Approximately a dozen or more years ago. I was told that I witnessed the first drive-by in Duarte, CA. I was not a witness in Court, that was not God's divine purpose for me being there.  They had witness's in another car that were just five feet behind the car that did the drive-by.. God put me there to pray for the young African American teenager who had just a few minutes to live, he was breathing very hard from what seemed like a collapsed lung..

 He did not suffer because God was there comforting him in the last moments of his young life. But even then the shooter from the car could have shot me or the other wittness's. I was to my knowledge the only one standing up at the gas pumps when the shooting started. Every one I saw were on the ground on there stomachs.

The shooter should remember me because we locked eyes for a brief second while he still had the gun in his hand. I was standing closest to the street pumping gas. The shooter could have shot at me but he did not, and again God spared my life and the shooter showed mercy on the rest of us at the gas station.

Your family might remember me at the Court house, I just sat down to talk to your relatives who were sitting on a bench in the hallway, and there were others that were standing. Just as I sat down on the bench then the D.A. who opened a door asked me from down the hallway for me to come into their office. 

Someone told me that the African American teenager and his friend came into town to kill other gang members from Monrovia. And I heard the tragic and sad news about the murder of a young innocent Hispanic boy one week after this shooting at another gas station just one signal light away, to avenge the first murder at the first gas station I just witnessed. Just like many others, we donated money at a Mexican restaurant on Huntington Drive to help with the young boys burial.

We prayed for God to take care of this young boy and to comfort his grieving family. I know words cannot be much comfort at a time like this. But you will see your loving son again and he is in good hands with God. God tells us that our life time here on earth is like a puff of smoke compared to eternity. please read:  

Why do bad things happen?

It's important for us to understand that no matter what situation that we find ourselves in. We should always look for the spiritual reason and the divine purpose that God has for us at that moment and time. And you will find that there are no accidents or coincidence's in your life.

Don't lose faith and start to question God and complain to him and say, God why did you put me in the middle of a drive-by. God did not say for you to be thankful for "ALL"  things like being caught in the middle of a drive-by. God said to be thankful "IN" all things like being able to be there and to pray for someone who may only have minutes to live who was the victim of a drive-by .

If you see with your heart, you will see the divine reason why God has you at the place where you are presently at. You will find ways to be a blessing to God and to others by glorifying God like praying for God to accept the young man into Heaven who only had minutes to live. "God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy" Matthew 5:7

God believes in you

Reverend Michael Cartwright

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