I have received much help in my Christian pursuit to know and love the Lord Jesus and His Word and to have a personal and corporate daily walk in the Spirit through my experience in the local churches and through the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. Their lives, and those of many other believers, who like Mary have poured out their all for the Lord, are a pattern and an inspiration to me (Matthew 26:8).
I was born in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago. As a teenager, I was a real rebel. I caused many problems in my school and, together with other students, caused problems in other schools. By the end of high school, my academic career was a dismal failure. I had flunked out and there was no future in sight. I spent my time hanging out with friends and partying.
In 1972, my family moved to Canada with the hope we would have a new start and a chance to make something out of ourselves. I went back to high school, but in a short time I was partying and doing the same things I did in Trinidad. I eventually dropped out of school and was going nowhere fast.
In 1976, one of my cousins and his wife, who were living in New York City, came to visit us in Toronto. His younger brother had become a Christian and began to meet with the local church. Mike invited Dennis and his wife over for dinner and I went along. They told me Jesus was God manifested in the flesh and that in order to be saved I needed to accept Him as my Savior and ask Him to come into my heart. I argued with them that night, but about six months later, through some amazing circumstances, the Lord opened me up to Him and I received Him as my Savior. I experienced a most wonderful salvation that night.
It was about one year later that my cousin invited me to attend a meeting of the local church. At that time I was seeking the Lord in a deeper way. His presence was so wonderful in that meeting. Within two weeks the Lord led me to meet with the local church regularly. I attended the Sunday morning meeting, the prayer meeting and the ministry meeting. I received much help to know the Lord and how to spend time with the Lord in the morning in the Word and in prayer. The Lord's presence was with me everywhere I went. All I wanted to do was to tell others how wonderful Jesus is.
In 1979 through some messages spoken by Witness Lee, the Lord led me to go back to school. My experience in college was a wonderful one. The Lord became so real to me in many practical things. In 1985 I graduated with two degrees: one in computer science and one in education. Today in 2002, the Lord is sweeter than ever. I am happily married, have a 15-year-old son and the Lord has drawn me to serve Him full-time.
I praise and thank the Lord for the help I have received through the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. The Lord has kept me all these years. He who was a rebel is now a son of God. I now have the highest goal for my life--the glorious Christ Himself. May He grant me mercy and grace to be faithful to Him unto the day of His return!
-R.P.