About

I was born on April 1977 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I was the third child out of four, 2 elder brothers and a younger sister. I was a member by birth and tradition to the Ethiopian Orthodox church. My mother has raised me to pray every evening and made a practice reading a chapter from the bible, most night: mainly from the Psalms. We watched Jesus of Nazareth most holidays and went to church on some occasions, though this was mainly a formality, a religious practice, kiss the building, the cross of the priest, perhaps take communion and give alms and went home.

I did not know what it meant to give your life to Jesus, though my mother many times told me “God wants you, when you seek him when you are young, not when your old.” I become more involved, through our neighbours who were mostly Pentecostal. We started to associate with them when they started to an english language school in their home during summer and we had a reason to communicate with one another. Prior to this we were total strangers completely cut off from our neighbours. Now, we became fast friends and started to speak about Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the gifts [mainly speaking in tongues]. We attended their Sunday school in their house, I started to identify myself as Pentecostal as well. At that time Pentecostal, were frowned upon and mocked, called “Pente” as a derogatory term.    

My mother was also drawing towards the Pentecostal side, and when a crusade came to Addis Ababa she took us to attend. I was between 12-13, and at this event they were baptising and me and my sister got water baptised. They also started to pray for people to receive the Holy Spirit, and the minister at the alter was laying hands on the people. People were reacting some shaking and some speaking, so when he came and laid hands I also did the same, my sister who was next to me was baptised in the Holy Spirit. When we were leaving my mother was so ecstatic, two of her children were baptised both in water and the Holy Spirit. 

This did not quiet sit well with me, I thought I faked it and most of all one of my young friends from my neighbourhood, has told me saying “God will forgive you anything, except anything that is done against the Holy Spirit.” Now, things were markedly different, the thoughts that started to pop in my mind, made me so afraid. When I tried to pray as I used to all manner of things, flooded my mind. At this time, we have moved house, from a neighbourhood surrounded by pentecostals, to being, I think the only pentecostal around. Not long after this we moved to London, I was 14 years old.     

When we came to London, I started to move away from God. I reasoned within myself, when I prayed this thoughts that came to my mind distressed me, and was honestly afraid I am going to damn myself if I continued in this path. Therefore, less prayer, less accusative thoughts, which led to no prayer, except before most meals, and times of great need before exams, or whatever hardship came before us. I started to drift more and more, started to smoke and drink from the age of 16, first cigarette and then at college weed. After a little while our elder brother got diagnosed with schizophrenia, and our family was separated.  

I have always believed in God, though I was far from Him. My sister and mother, have continued with the Lord and in many occasions had tried to get me to come with them to church. And the times I accompanied them, I did in obedience, but was not considering a life as part of the church. This was the furthest thing from me. I was more occupied with trying to get my degree, which has been so elusive. From, dismal A-level’s to financial aid troubles. 

I have been in a few physical relationships, though I did not consider it to be sin in any shape or form. I did not consider the effect it had on my family; at that time I had moved in together with my sister and mother, since we all were studying more or less at the same time. I was brazen about having people staying over, though I drew the line in smoking and drinking in front of my mother.

My life revolved, around work, education and having fun with friends. Drinking was a great part of it, though not excessive. I have stopped smoking weed, because it was no longer funny, but not cigarettes. I managed to finish university: which was a major anticlimax, it has been a great struggle to get there. My brother had an employment agency, and I started work for him. Though I am thankful he gave me a job, and was able to get myself out of debt, my driving licence and my Masters while working there, however it was a very difficult place for me.

I have moved out, and was leaving on my own, relationships were very rocky. Drinking was excessive, smoking was a plague to be tolerated, every known method applied to be rid of it had failed. Porn habit has started, and have ventured into new levels of drugs, has tried ecstasy and cocaine. Now, I searched for any means for escape, when the tabloid reported about a great concern that is sweeping the nation of these loophole drugs, I did not see a warning but an advertisement for a drug that is still legal. I was deeply unhappy, work was very stressful it was long, it never stopped. Relationship has taken a turn and has become destructive. Then the finical crisis hit. 

I have moved in into the office and have been leaving there, for quite some time now. Then decided to enter the finical markets, and started to make investments. I was very enthusiastic, the fact that the market has hit rock bottom was help. The Telegraph articles I read every morning were a great help, by the mercy and help of God it worked out and I was able to buy a house, which I thought will give us a base. Our existence until now for me at least has been nomadic. I made sure I was on my knees praying during this time, though I have not done so for years, and got up feeling I was heard. 

Through out this period of self exile, I have always felt God’s grace. I prayed with assurance, many times got answers and directions through dreams. And God directed me in many ways, even in the purchase of the house I was able to see His hand, from the rejections of offers I made and it’s final success. But once I got, what I wanted, I was back in the destructive path. I had always feared, the business will have to fail for me to go, and through the crisis that is exactly what it took. 

Now, I was at home and looking for my dream job of being a simple computer programmer. I started some self study courses, to sharpen myself somewhat and looked for work, in a down economy. I was very unsuccessful. Drinking has become problematic now, I suffered greatly from acid reflux. Beer has lost its taste it has became repulsive to me, there are times at a bar I have tried from one brand to another each with the same result. The only option, to drink whisky or cocktails, the problem with those is I have to sleep sitting up, or the acid burned my chest and throat. This resulted me withdrawing from the crowd I hanged around with, being sober among drunks was not possible and I become estranged to them, now that I was out of the loop. I went more more on the so called legal route [mdma], and on two occasions entertained escorts.      

Then, our father passed away and we went to Ethiopia to bury him. When we got back I thought it would be a good thing if my sister moved in  with me. Now, she had an excuse every Sunday morning to knock on my door and say do you want to come to church. My best friend also had a son and asked me to be a Godfather and stressed the importance of being in faith, at the same time my sister followed her routine and asked the same question this time I agreed. 

I went to Kensington Temple, 11am service: I do not remember the message but it had spoken to me. My sister thought it best to capitalise on this win and sought to get me linked with a Pastor and leader of cell groups Gabriel Chan. I got hoodwinked into giving my phone number to which I was not best pleased. He stated there is a group that meets on Wednesday and he will give me call to confirm. From Sunday to Tuesday evening I rehearsed how to let him down gently, I told myself “don’t be a push over no means no” and sat by the phone and waited. It rang I knew it was him, ready and poised started the conversation, I am not sure how by the end I had agreed to be there the next day, and I have not even put up the least amount of resistance. The conversation had taken less than 30 seconds.         

Now, Sunday church has become a regular thing and with Wednesday cell meeting to boot. The strange thing was, I looked forward to it. I enjoyed church more than I had ever thought possible. Though I was lacking in social skills and my interaction were sketchy at best, it was not enough to keep me away. I called the social interaction, the gauntlet of awkward hugs to pass from the door to our regular seat upstairs. I took part in a Leaving Free Course, which was a great help in getting me in a regular habit of reading the bible and praying daily. I realised for the first time what fornication was, and it was not to be practised. I downloaded the New Testament and started to listen to it daily, and loved it more. 

Then we had a weekend Encounter getaway, mainly composed of the cell group called the 300. I was not looking forward to it, I smoked they did not. The first night we got there after dinner I went out to smoke before going back to service, when I flicked the lighter the spring mechanism failed, the roller dropped and the flint flew off. I looked hard to find a lighter, the last option was to ask the kitchen staff. The cook was not best pleased to find such a person in the crowd, with a scowl on his face he threw the lighter at me and commanded “bring it back!” I was grateful, but was all the more determined, rather to die than ask him for it again.

The next day, when the opportune presented itself when our group was playing around the pool, I was baptised. That evening we were gathered for a worship and prayer to receive the Holy Spirit and I was also baptised in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. When the encounter finished, I had asked for a lighter one more time that was on Sunday, though I have not felt the strain to smoke. 

When we went home, it was like coming down from a great high. I told myself I have not smoked all weekend and ought to sort that out, and got a lighter and some cigarettes. I smoked not because I craved it but it was something I have done. When I got home, I tried to do the same thing as before, and visit the same porn sites. I honestly forced myself, and was greatly disappointed after, because I knew in me there was a total change and strength yet I wilfully done what is not right. That was the last time, I took part in such activity. Soon after not more than a few days later, I stopped smoking. I also had no desire to drink at all, the half litter of Glenfiddich weekend habit was promptly stopped. I was fully healed from the acid reflux condition. At the same time as this the enemy threw situations my way, that tried get me to drink, a friend I had lost contact with came back and wanted to rekindle our drinking habits and nights out, though I entertained it for a bit, I could not drink any more and finally had to stop. 

A cell member pointed me to Bible-in-One-Year, and how it helped him, so I started as well and felt the Lord minister to me through it. I got more involved in cell, and serving in church and spent my Sundays there and was also part of Saturday prayer group: and it was a great blessing, I could not understand why I had stayed away this long. Though I felt like a toddler, God has become more real to me than I ever thought possible. In my younger days, I had dreams of the devil chasing after me in various forms, now I had dreams of God, and I saw and heard Him.

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