For over five months, I have attended the Seventh-day Adventist church established by the missionary group here in Bumpeh, Kono District. I was born a Muslim, but missionary Pastor Leno introduced me to the church. Through Bible teachings, the Holy Spirit convinced me to abandon many of my bad habits and even my former religion.
In my early experience with the Lord Jesus, I believed that life’s trials would be far from me. When I came to know Christ, everything seemed to be going well.
However, when I shared with Pastor Leno about my relationship with my wife, I kept to trivial matters. My relationship with my wife was superficial, and I pretended everything was fine. But in truth, I was suffering intensely.
What was the problem?
Growing up without Christ, I used to sleep around and had no respect for my wife, mistreating her. We had never officially married, living like a boyfriend and girlfriend, but having four children together. In our culture, as long as you can take care of a woman, you can live together as husband and wife without formal marriage. Given all I had done to her, though, she eventually refused to share the bed with me. She said that for us to be together again, I must officially marry her according to tradition. But after I had an accident, I became disabled and very poor. We remained in this situation for about two-and-a-half years before Pastor Leno arrived.
When Pastor Leno came with biblical counsel and encouragement, my wife and I began to live more peacefully, though we still did not share the bed. My wife said that with just the little knowledge of God’s Word she had, she no longer wanted to return to the same sin; she wanted to be married.
The devil tried to take my life.
At one point, I began to feel overwhelmed with stress and argued with my wife. One day, I heard a voice telling me, ‘Since you are disabled, you no longer have a job, and your wife no longer wants you in bed, take your life.’ I tried to obey that voice. I immediately went to buy poison, mixed it with food, and then went out to say my final goodbyes to my parents. There were tears everywhere.
How did Christ save me?
Amid this confusion, people urgently called Pastor Leno. When he arrived, he tried to counsel me, but I refused to listen. Eventually, he took me to his home. After several hours of prayer, he decided we would sleep on the couches in his living room. But before going to sleep, he removed anything sharp. That night, Pastor Leno barely slept, staying awake to watch over me.
The next morning, I gave glory to God for saving my life through Pastor Leno.
I have found peace in my soul, and my wife and I plan to become officially married soon. Please remember my family in your prayers.
