If they carry me to the prison I’m going to preach!

Shorenette Stephens is determined to stand up for Jesus, even if persons become angry at her, or even threaten her life.{{more}}

Shorenette, a resident of Spring Village, says that she receives messages from God and that God has instructed her to proclaim these messages to her community, as well as other communities across St Vincent and the Grenadines.

SEARCHLIGHT first spoke with Shorenette and her mother Elorne in July 2011, when she explained that God had given her a message to tell to the nation. The message stated that Vincentians were to repent of their sins and to turn to God and to keep His commandments.

In this message, Vincentians were also reminded of the destruction that took place in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and were warned of sudden destruction and disaster that will be coming.

Shorenette had predicted then that many would call her crazy and get angry at her, because of these messages. Of late, some residents of her community have proved her right.

SEARCHLIGHT was contacted by a member of her community who stated that Shorenette’s messages are causing chaos to many villagers, and that she has been spreading malicious lies and “could very well be charged with harassment”.

The resident, who alleges that the young woman may be mentally ill, also states that her messages are becoming a problem to the general public.

However, when SEARCHLIGHT caught up with Shorenette and her mother at their home on Monday, January 23, Shornette admitted that persons do get angry, threaten her, curse at her and even make up stories about her, because of the messages that she preaches. Stephens maintains that her messages are from the Spirit of God, and that what she speaks is the truth.

SEARCHLIGHT also spoke with other members of the Spring Village community, who did not share the view of the resident who had contacted the newspaper.

“I can’t judge her,” one young woman told SEARCHLIGHT. “She does not annoy me. Some of the things she says, I’m seeing. I might not tell her that, but some of the things she is saying is true.”

Another resident of the village told SEARCHLIGHT that there is a lot of evil and wickedness in the community and that persons do need to change their ways in order for the community to be better.

A resident added that persons who become angry at Shorenette’s messages, ‘have bad mind’.

“They just have bad mind. It’s just a certain set of people have bad mind,” she said.

Shornette and her mother however are determined to spread the message of Christ wherever they go.

“I’m going to preach; if they take me to the police I’m going to preach…If they carry me to the prison I’m going to preach to those persons in the prison and tell them there is hope in Jesus, there is hope in God,” Shorenette stated.

She also related another message which was given to her by God. “Vincentians must repent and turn from their sins. They must keep God’s Ten Commandments. The volcano of St Vincent and the Grenadines shall come out in another place and they shall not escape it.”