A visiting Doctor of Sacred Theology, who personally experienced life on the streets, will headline a local church's revival.

Dr. Aretha Wilson, from St. Albans in New York, will speak at next week's revival at St. John's AME Church in Hamilton Parish.

Dr. Wilson heads the outreach ministry she founded for youth called the Aretha Wilson Ministries and Young Warriors of the 21st Century.

In addition to her outreach ministry, Dr. Wilson serves as a Sunday School teacher at her church and an administrator at the Bethel Christian Learning Centre/Academy.

Dr. Wilson also developed a powerful a Supernatural Witnessing and Assault team known as SWAT.

During the three-day revival -- under the theme Walking in the Spirit: Travelling, Triumphing, and Testifying -- Dr. Wilson will share her experiences from her days when she was "miserably strung out in crack''.

She said it was when "death by suicide seemed like an exceptional idea'' that she suddenly became "sick of sin''.

"I was weary of going around and around for three long years in an endless, crazy cycle,'' Dr. Wilson said. "God soon opened my eyes and revealed to me that He had given me a supernatural miracle and delivered me from the demonic hold of crack addiction.'' "The dreams and hopes that seemingly were lost forever were restored to me by Jesus Christ,'' she added.

Revival co-ordinator Robyn Minors-Robinson told The Royal Gazette the event was an attempt to try to save people.

She said the church was trying to target all types of people with their revival and since Dr. Wilson had been out on the streets, she would understand what it was like.

"There are people out there who need to be delivered and learn about Christian life,'' Mrs. Minors-Robinson said. "They need to know that God's real and that our lives centre around him.'' The revival will be held on August 21, 22 and 23 at St. John's AME Church in Hamilton Parish, beginning nightly at 7.30 p.m.