God saved a dying 15-year-old boy like me. I was so close to hell, but mercy found me again after several falls. However, I still drunk the charm (venom mixed with alcohol) that was custom in my life. I would drink this because it was meant for spiritual strength. Being raised in a pagan (voodoo) home, there's no hope of ever becoming the servant of the Most High. The venom-alcohol was also meant to stop any poisonous bites that may occur during worship. My heart could not stand the poison loaded into the veins in my right hand by poisonous snakes in my part of the world, so I would take this to combat a potential bite. This was my life and my religion.
Growing up, many missionaries came and went to our roadside village in a valley in West Africa (Ghana), leaving us to develop hatred for one another, such that the bread and clothes, along with some other things brought to us was partially shared, and argued over. It favored people who were considered the "high class" children, and even adult friends who would take what was left for us. I always went with a friend; two of us always had a few morsels of bread or nothing. We always cried for things, but as those days passed by, it left trails of precious memories. Because of this, I vowed not to go to any partial church again, because of what hurt this caused to me.
After my encounter with the missionaries, I gave into idolatry the more; of which I did my own amulet and wear. I prayed to it, honored it and had faith in it. I needed something I felt was stronger to symbolize my new religion... I thought of the lion... no... Thoughts flashed in my mind, and I finally got an answer, I suppose: It's the great bird, the eagle! It remained my symbol of power for my religion until one day, I found the real Eagle..... GLORY HALELLUJAH!
In a faraway land on the shores of Elmina (a fishing town on the south coast of Ghana), a miracle was done! It was the revelation I will never forget. My brother, Thomas, after he finished his regular fish chanting routine for the desperate fishermen in our city, was arrested. (He found the Message in jail). Just as Philip came shouting, “We have found him, we have found him!”, few days later so did my arrested curious brother, with whom grandpa left some idols, came back to us. You could see tears down his red eyes as he shouted, “REPENT!" To me he turned and said, "I have found Him, I have found the truth, Eric." I said, "Which truth, Tommy?" Mom and few people came around, and were bitter that her elderly son was mad with this new religion. Thomas turned to me with a Message book in his hand, and said, “This is the truth! The BREAD Of Life.” I thought to myself, "What is this?" Like Nathaniel, I soon was sure he was witnessing the Truth to me.
And today, we three brothers, a sister, and some few friends, including my old friend who had nothing to do with me, believe Brother Branham's Message. And today, we have the BREAD of life.... not the old missionaries' mortal and natural breads, but Spiritual Food.
I later discovered we ourselves are the EAGLES!.... the most invincible army! O Glory! I was to be baptized on Monday in the local denominational church, but that same day I was baptized in THIS Gospel, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, yet was hated, because we followed Christ, the one my brother told me about, and HE confirmed it.
I am 25 now, and nothing can move me. Thank you Lord Jesus for the plan of salvation. I love you all.
Your brother, writing from somewhere in the heart of the woods, somewhere inside Africa! Shalom!
Bro Eric
Ghana