I come from a large family – the first of 19 children – 8 from my mother and the others from my father's 7 other wives. I was born and brought up in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. My father was baptised into the Roman Catholic Church, and took us along there. My father taught me that life has two faces: the good and the bad. He taught me that if I wanted the good then I would have to speak, think and do good, and I would get good in return. He also taught me to always give to those in need and to share with others.

I was baptised in the Roman Catholic Church on Good Friday, 1979, aged 12, and took my first Holy Communion on Easter Sunday, 1980. My father bought me the Children's Catholic Bible, with pictures of each story. Here I learned that God loved me and gave his beloved Son to come and die for me. I learned from the Israelites about when they were sad or happy. They had peace and blessing when they obeyed God their Father, but pain when they disobeyed Him. My desire was to obey God's Ten Commandments, but not knowing how because those around me were not practising what they preached. I wasn't fully happy because I could not see myself in any of the bible stories; I could not see myself participating. I believed that God created the heavens and the earth, and that my life came from him. But I was not happy with the way the world was – a place of pain and sorrow.

Although all my life I have read the bible, I had no-one to help me to understand and put what I read into action. This all changed after I ended up in prison in 2003. There I met a Christian lady who helped me to study the bible and I began to hear God speaking to me. I began corresponding with Kenneth Copeland Ministries (Prison Branch) UK. I received CD's and literature on subjects such as faith, God's covenant, prayer, fasting, tithing and love. I was sent a bible and a monthly magazine, and went on to receive more material on the Christian life. Through these I came to understand that the way for me to be saved was through faith in Jesus Christ. I realised that trying to obey the Ten Commandments without Christ was nothing but vanity upon vanity. Christ's death is so important to me because it redeemed me from the kingdom of darkness and brought me to his kingdom of light. I have received God's riches at Christ's expense. But I also believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, and I'm waiting for his coming again in glory, honour and power.

Big changes have happened in my life. Because of Jesus' sacrifice for me I want to live to please my Heavenly Father. I want nothing else than to live the way Jesus Christ lived – to love those I meet unconditionally – and to be his faithful servant, a vessel of honour, cleaned and ready for his use. I love God Almighty as my Heavenly Father, and I trust him to do with me whatever he wants, because I know he has a good plan for me. Knowing God personally is the greatest thing that can happen to anybody, and I am so grateful that it has happened to me. Living as a Christian is the freest thing in life: I am filled with the peace of God that surpasses understanding, a peace that the world cannot take away. Christ lives in me; he is my strength and hope for the future.

The bible is now my manual for life. There are many verses God has shown me to instruct me through every step of my walk with him. Here are some that have helped me: Jesus said: The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10). Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).