Meet Deshaun

When we first met DeShaun, we all knew this kid was special. His interview doesn't share many of the small details we've learned during this semester, but the kid is definitely a jewel. Read below to see what DeShaun has to say about where he lives, his relationship with his family, Team ASAP, and Jesus. And for the record, he's not afraid of snakes.

Alright, so tell me your name...

"My name is Desean Smith."

Ok Desean, tell me a little bit about your life...

"Uh...I live in the projects and the projects are bad."

Alright so you grew up in the projects and you said the projects are bad...what happens in the projects, how are they bad?

"Sometimes they shoot, sometimes people get robbed, and a week ago somebody got killed."

Wow...so how do you feel when things like this happen in your neighborhood?

"Nothing because it's been goin' on for so long."

So you're kinda used to it?

"Yep."

Well, what are your dreams? Do you dream of staying in the projects?

"No, I'm ready to leave."

So what are you doing in your life that's preparing you to achieve that goal?

"I'm going to school everyday and trying to make good grades, trying my best in class, and I've been reading the Bible."

Oh, you've been reading the Bible? That's awesome...what book have you been reading?

"When I first started I was reading the beginning with Adam and Eve and the sons like Cain and his sons and all the rest or their sons and it went up to Noah and I don't really remember the book names but I just read the stories and stuff like Samson, and I had read about Moses, I had read about David and him killing Uriah's husband, and I read some about the end of the times I think that was in Revelation."

That's great...well tell me some of the struggles you've had to overcome in life so far...

"Anger problems. Sometimes I get bored quickly too, and I just get mad. And then I just get into some trouble or go to sleep."

I understand, well how's your relationship with your mom and dad?

"I don't know my dad, and my relationship with my mom is great. Except I don't live with her I live with my Grandma."

What's that like?

"Well, it's ok but I just don't really have a man in my life to help me know how to be a man so I gotta just learn from my mistakes. And I try to see my mom when I can usually on the weekends."

What are some of the mistakes you've made?

"I've lied, I've fought, I've stole stuff before, uh...that's it."

Ok, well what do you think about Team ASAP?

"It's fun cause we get to play a lot and I do my homework here and y'all teaching us the Word so we can be prepared for what's coming in the future, so that's what I think about it."

Have your grades gotten better by coming to Team ASAP?

"Somewhat yes, I sure been trying."

How has Team ASAP most impacted your life?

"Mostly the Bible. And I know a whole bunch of things about the Bible but I don't use it. Just now I been starting to apply it to my decisions. It's in my blood to do bad things, but now I've been trying to do what's good and take the good path."

What was life like before Team ASAP?

"Well, I really wasn't doing anything that bad with my life I just wasn't trying in school and didn't care much about anything, but as I started coming to Team ASAP I can tell I been trying more and my grades have been getting better. I'm a work in progress...I'm bringing my grades up from what they were in the 6th grade."

That's awesome. Do you see a change in the other kids that have been coming to the program?

"Some of them yes, and some of them no. Like the younger kids, they have good days but they still act wild in the projects. And the older kids like Rosco and Buddy and my old friend De'Voncio they used to be like 'I don't care,' but now they're just like me, works in progress."

What advice would you give to somebody that was younger that doesn't have a father like you?

"I would tell them to listen to their mother because she knows best and to not think of it as a bad thing because they really do have a Father, they just can't see Him right now."

I know here at Team ASAP they talk a lot about Jesus, who is Jesus to you?

"My Savior."

Go a little bit more in detail, can you?

"Well, He died on the cross for my sins and that He didn't have to die but He did to save us. And I know that when the time comes for Him to come back to Earth that I need to be prepared and I need to have a good life and a good attitude because He knows I'm gonna sin sometimes but He doesn't want me to be a sinner and He's given me grace."

What is the greatest thing Jesus did in the Bible?

"He walked on water. And it's cool because it was like a normal thing for Him and He wasn't amazed by it."

Ok, so if you were in the boat and thunder and lightning was all over the place and everyone was in a panic and you saw Jesus walking on the water...and He asked you to step out of the boat, would you do it?

"Yes, because if I knew that it was the Lord I would take a chance with it because I know He wouldn't mislead me to die."

Ok, well if you could ask Jesus any question what would it be?

"I wouldn't ask Him anything because I'd be in total amazement."

That's great. Well besides Jesus, who's your favorite person in the Bible?

"Samson because his parents prayed for him to be a special child and he got his strength from his hair. And when he was a kid he let his temper get the best of him and he said, "I hate those stupid Philistines," and he ended up snapping a spear and beat up like 300 people with the jawbone of a donkey and he fought against people who had hatred towards God."

What can you learn from the story of Samson?

"Don't fall in love, and if God tells you to do something always listen."

And what do you want to be when you grow up?

"I want to be an entomologist and also adopt a kid and be a dad to them."

-Desean