This is my friend Ellie’s story. I got to know Ellie this month because she lived in the mission house with us. She is an absolutely beautiful lady and I think you will appreciate reading how God worked in her life. My name is Ellie and I’m 17 years old. I was born into a family that does not know God as Lord and Savior. My childhood was difficult because my parents split when I was 2 years old. Both parents remarried and I stayed in my mother’s care.
At age 12 my mother decided to go abroad to work and I was left with my stepfather. I lived in a village and people came and made groups for children to come and learn so I went too (kids club). I was surprised by the words we heard. It was total opposite of what I knew about God.
So for years I went to this group of children and I wanted to know more about God. I was eager to learn about him. After some time in the village, a church opened and my stepdad started coming too.
I started going to church. I attended BISE and repented of my sins and asked Jesus into my heart. My classmates began to laugh at me and I was threatened. I felt fear and shame so I did not go to church.
Although I stayed home instead of going to church I feared the Lord and still prayed and read the Bible with illustrations. The word of God began to knock on my mind so I let go of shame and fear and continued to go to church.
Shortly after my stepfather got sick, so I did not go to church because he had to remain with caregivers. When he arrived at the hospital the disease had gotten worse again. I started to pray and ask God to heal my stepdad.
A few months later my stepdad was sent home because the doctors could not help him. It made me think that God did not love us and made us suffer so much. I cared about him because he was the only one who cared for me. I grew up with him six years then my mother came back but there was no relationship with her. My stepdad was the only person I still loved.
I could not sleep at night because I kept having nightmares that my stepdad was going to die. I talked to God one night and I said if you take daddy I do not want to hear it. My dad died 2 weeks later. I was mad, I did not want to talk to anyone that knew God.
After the funeral my mother returned abroad and left me. I lived with my neighbors. I did not go to church. Six months after my stepdad’s death I was kicked out of our house by my stepdad’s mother and brother. I lived with my aunt who had a drinking problem so I decided to go to my blood father’s home. It was fine but he was an alcoholic. I was forced to quit school for lack of money.
I finally arrived at the mission house (This is where Teresa stayed this month) where I am supported by BISE and continue my school. I have a house to stay at. I was scared, worried, felt abandoned and I realized that the Lord’s plan was to make me realize that I am nothing without him. I have nothing. On Sunday I went to church and the Holy Spirit spoke to me through the sermon. I realized that this is not my life but a life to live for God. I felt so ashamed because of my disobedience to God. I started to cry and prayed to Jesus to forgive me and accept me back.
So it was that from that evening God cleaned me of all my faults. I felt loved and I saw that God had patience with me. He provided me with food, a home, a job cleaning at the church, and schooling.
I look back at my life and I do not want to go back there. I know that life without God is eternal perdition and that scares me to live without God. I tasted His goodness and He has given me a purpose in life.
I live to do the will of God!
AMIN
