Abigail Abraham

As a child I remember going to church multiple times a week and loving it. I really enjoyed fellowshipping. Although I didn't always understand what was happening I enjoyed the praise and worship (especially as I was in the children's choir) and hearing the bible being broken down into a daily life context. I was taken to church consistently by my mother who was a single parent and when my siblings and I were younger it was easy for her to raise us in church. As I grew older, I started pushing against more and more boundaries and particularly started taking advantage of my mother working a lot. Around the age of 16 I said to myself 'I want to make my own mistakes', and from the ages of 16-19 I fell into a cycle of making terrible choices which fuelled my insecurity and low self esteem. I lost my virginity and entered into a succession of promiscuous relationships. When I went to sixth form it became worse. I couldn't stay at home. As soon as my mum’s back was turned I was out the door. I would go out clubbing or meet up with guys - sometimes I would be gone for a whole night without my mum knowing where I was. Throughout this time I only attended church once in a blue moon or if there was an occasion or if I felt I was free for the day. I really thought that Jesus hated me because of what I had done and I was beyond redemption. In my first year at university I became pregnant and at that moment my whole life stopped and for the first time I thought to myself what am I doing with my life?

I was always angry that my father was not a part of my life and I really yearned for that fatherly love and attention. So at the age of 19 when I realised that I was bringing a child into the world without a responsible father I broke down in repentance before God to forgive me and change my life. I confessed my sins in spirit and in truth and received the Holy Spirit. My life did a total 180° and I let go of the street life completely. I changed the company I kept, my dressing changed and my mindset changed. I now had a personal relationship with Christ and I began going out on the streets testifying to many youth around me about what God had done in my life, telling them that If Jesus could set me free from the street life He could also set them free.