‘Tattoo man’ winning souls for Christ

The first things that one notices upon seeing Michael Small are his 'colouring book' skin and fashion swag.

The majority of his skin is covered with tattoos including his neck, back, arms and chest. However, just seconds into a conversation, Small will encourage you to strengthen your relationship with the Almighty while declaring his undying love for God. Six years ago he was an avid partygoer and 'gyalist'. But for the past three years, the 47-year-old entrepreneur is set on winning souls for Jesus Christ.

"Mi dream see Hell and is not a nice place. Absolutely no human should be there. When yuh go there, not even Satan is there to welcome you. It is a very dark and dirty and lonely place with fire burning all night. So my journey now is to help others come to Christ and that is what I pray for every day," he said.

As he unpacks clothing items from a container inside his Micnadkidd store on East Queen Street, downtown Kingston, he stated that it was a first-hand encounter with God at a party that helped to trigger his decision to walk the straight and narrow.

"I like to dance so I would be around my late friend Bogle as well as Ding Dong, Sadeki and others. I liked to drink and smoke and there was never a female that I ever look and never get them. All this time though, persons were telling me that God was calling me, but I didn't understand what they meant," Small said.

Coming to the end of 2017, Small, who was getting spiritual visions, heard the Almighty's voice as clear as day one night.

"As I was entering the party, I literally heard God asking me why I was there as he told me not to go. I asked God to show me a sign and He did," he said. Small said as he was leaving the party, a woman came over to touch his beard. She told him that there was an angel walking with him.

"That night I was supposed to go and pick up a female but for some reason I felt different and I just went home," Small said. The father of three said that throughout the night, he continued to hear the Almighty speaking to him. So he asked God for understanding. He remained at home for several weeks and began dreaming about Heaven and attending church.

"From the night, I have never attended another party. By 2020, COVID came into place so I started to attend an online service headed by Taneisha Shaw. Those closest to me started telling me that they saw changes in me. Sometimes I would be watching the live [sermon] and bare water start run out my eye," he said. But Small was still uncertain about getting baptised, waiting on confirmation from the Almighty. He disconnected himself from a number of friends and put aside his Casanova ways. Small got baptised in 2020 by overseas based-church Prayer Prescription Ministry.

"They came to Jamaica and I got baptised and I just knew that God was with me and I was never gonna turn back. I never missed anything including the party, liquor, sex and girls. A lot of people were surprised when I got baptised. Some even thought I was gonna backslide but I will never do that. A lot of times I even see people try mi, because back in the days I had a temper. But I will not go back there," Small said.

He said that he got his first tattoo shortly after graduating high school when his employer reneged on a promise to give him a raise.

"When I got paid, I told myself I would get tattoos and I didn't want to work for anyone. I started my own business," he said.

He admitted that some people look twice once they notice his tattoos but that's okay.

"My tattoo is just the way God wants to use me to bring people to him. God still love and favour me and I don't know what I do to deserve what I have, but God has blessed me."