10 minute read
Joshua Hercules: A Different Kind of Me
One young man’s journey in defying the odds set against him and empowering troubled youth.
Joshua Hercules is a born go-getter in a pursuit for growth and change, embodying a fearlessness to take on anything that comes his way. Currently at the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA), Joshua works as a Nutrition and Dietetic Aid, as well as co-owner to an expanding agricultural business with his wife selling local crops, A&J Produce. In the middle of managing a demanding career life and prioritising his family, Joshua also runs a dynamic NGO, Reach Them Before We Lose Them, targeted at high-risk youths in need of guidance and redirection from environments stricken with crime and violence. But what commonality could Joshua share with these troubled youths? His transformative journey of abandoning a life once enthralled by vice and violence to forge a more purpose-driven path begins with an impetuous yes, that would later become an inspiration to thousands.
Parting from a Life of Crime & a Rediscovery of Faith
In 2015, the thrill of the streets called Joshua, giving him an insatiable taste for excitement and an addiction to the rebellious lifestyle. From the age of 16, his days flitted by with battling neighbouring gangs, wreaking havoc throughout the community, and excessive partying, and building his notoriety as a ‘troublemaker’. This earned him unquestionable respect from his peers, and a position of authority in his gang.
I was something of a leader figure. If I said we were giving trouble tonight, that was the plan. There was no second guessing.
Being a member of the gang exposed Joshua to unrestricted quantities of marijuana and alcohol and though his parents made desperate attempts to steer him in the opposite direction, the lifestyle of power and fast money consumed him. His mother, however, drew on her faith throughout this phase of Joshua’s life and prayed fervently for the conversion of her lost son.
The night of New Years Eve 2015 was a turning point for him. Joshua had plans of hosting a big party, where he and his friends would drink and smoke to bring in the New Year together. There was a supplementary plot to celebrate with a specific young lady. While Joshua was waiting for his guests to arrive, a local church group approached him at home and extended an invitation to attend their service that night. Without hesitation, Joshua declined the offer. The group leader, however, shared, “We met a young lady on the way here, who accepted our invitation to come to the service”. That was enough to influence a change in his decision, this was the girl he had his sights on. He immediately reversed his decision. He thought, “If that young girl could search for her salvation, why shouldn’t he?”. So he went to church!
“You know that feeling when you know this is the place, you’re supposed to be…when I went to the service, I felt a presence hug me as soon as I entered. From there, I gradually started changing. That’s when the Lord delivered me from marijuana and the vices I struggled with.” From that moment onward, Joshua’s ministry and career took off in a different direction. Enter a different Joshua – “a whole new me”
Life After Building 'Reach Them Before We Lose Them'
Joshua enrolled at MIC Institute of Technology in 2016 for a 2-year programme in Food Preparation and Culinary Arts with the goal of eventually working in Trinidad’s public health sector. While furthering his education, Joshua continued to practice his newfound faith, regularly attending church retreats, creating an online platform in 2017, giving motivational speeches offline and online and sharing his story for those willing to listen. While a student at MIC in 2017, Joshua would host private sessions during lunch, with no less than 50 students – typically those enrolled in the Helping You Prepare for Employment (HYPE) programme - who were deemed high risk and referred to by the court. During the lunchtime sessions, Joshua would give witness to his faith through inspirational talks, displaying its transformative influence on him and acting as evidence that they could also change the trajectory of their lives.
They were facing trials that a lot of people don’t experience or know about… but I knew because I was in it.
Joshua wanted to share the truth with them on a relatable level; that despite their circumstances, if they wanted better for themselves, it was possible because he was a walking testimony with a shared background. “Yes, I was involved in gang activity, yes guns were heavily present in my community, but I found a solution to get out of it. It may not be the solution for you but alternatives do exist.” All these factors- his passion for helping others, giving motivational talks, regularly interacting with students- were all integral elements for the foundation of what was to come.
At a church camp in 2016 the seed for Reach Them Before We Lose Them was planted, which came to fruition in 2018. Joshua said, “The Holy Spirit said to me that I would be speaking to thousands of people, and as time went on, specifically in 2018, I found myself doing the work and being invited to speak at different schools and events”.
The non-profit organisation focuses on providing motivational and character development sessions for atrisk youth. Being known as a ‘bad boy’ had its benefits as principals and teachers privy to Joshua’s past reputation were in shock of his transformation after watching his social media videos and desperately wanted him to visit their schools to speak to their youth. As his message of faith and change spread throughout the school communities, the NGO was able to do various school tours across the country, hosting free seminars and community events for young at-risk students facing struggles similar to Joshua.
Joshua noted that from his direct exposure to gangs, a contributing factor to gang activity is the music the youth are listening to and its messaging, particularly Trinibad dancehall. Many of the young people are hearing the lyrics of struggle and pain, not as warnings but as manual for creating that glamorized yet severely dangerous lifestyle.
Apart from Joshua’s efforts of reaching the young people through his NGO, he also urges those with power and authority to be responsible when choosing influencers and their placement of influencers as role models for the youth. “A thorough evaluation should be implemented during the selection process. There are many persons being deemed as influencers, going into schools, and speaking on issues that they have never been through.”
The Good Hustler
Alongside his passion for ministering and helping at-risk youth, Joshua has also dedicated time and effort into pursuing a career path in the health and agricultural sector.
Currently at SWRHA, as a nutrition and dietetic aid, he is responsible for the preparation and provision of healthy meals based on patients’ dietary needs. Joshua shared, “I’ve always wanted to work in the hospital and food availability should be seen as the engine of our country. When we can cultivate natural resources and provide nourishing food sources to our society, especially to those in need, we can better sustain human life.” Joshua also expressed his excitement regarding a few new and upcoming projects that he will be spearheading in 2024.
A & J Produce, his second business, is co-owned by his wife and himself. The business started in 2020 during Covid-19, with the purchase of a car, acquiring produce from the market – mostly greens such as lettuce, patchoi, calaloo, and driving around in the hopes of getting a sale. In the beginning, a large portion of sales came from customers who wanted to provide food for family members that were unable to leave their homes during the pandemic but over time, their customer base grew, and they’ve settled in a 20x10 tent at Corinth Hill, San Fernando where people now stop by and purchase their crops.
Joshua’s persistence and drive to mobilize the multiple parts needed to successfully build his business speaks volumes to his character but he continues to credit his faith and trust in God as the foundation to his achievements. In 2020 while the business was gradually growing Joshua felt the Lord leading him to shoot a video for A & J Produce and upload it onto his platform, “I felt moved to make a video on A & J Produce, promoting our mission and our different offerings. Within the span of three days, the video had around 200k views on Facebook.”
While Joshua enjoys the visible progression of A&J Produce presently, he doesn’t forget the hardships of the earlier days of the business. “Finding motivation was a challenge.” He says. “The lines to enter the markets were long and hard. We had to get there at 11pm and wait until 6 am , no sleeping and they’d have a line of 100 cars and not all entered”. Shopping for produce would finish around 8am and then Joshua would head back to San Fernando to pack out the produce and start selling on the side of the road.
Joshua’s Message to the Youth
When asked what advice Joshua would leave for young aspiring entrepreneurs, he gave three critical principles that have helped him in his success:
• Continue to follow that dream- every business starts from a genuine dream and once you have a desire to create it, the journey has already begun.
• Don’t procrastinate. Don’t be afraid to do the lows, the small tasks, before you achieve the highs.
• Cultivate a strong foundation of guiding principles such as discipline, faith, perseverance. These will be what you go back to when things get hard.
At the young age of 24, Joshua has big plans for his future. He shared his anticipation for the unveiling of the SWRHA project and all the benefits that will be reaped, his desire for A & J Produce to continue its current operations, and hopefully expand its reach, by venturing to more parts of Trinidad and to eventually growing its own produce. Reach Them Before We Lose Them is hoping to create more programmes and offerings for at-risk youth and widening its services by offering character development sessions for businesses and their staff and also build more partnerships with sponsors.
When Joshua looks back on his life and thinks of where he would be now if he didn’t change his ways, he is thankful for all those who have been a part of his journey-his wife, family, pastors, teachers, but most importantly, for the divine encounter. He gives praises to God’s hand in his life.
To find out more about Joshua Hercules, visit his Facebook page @Joshua Hercules
