Salvation Testimonies

(Sister Ebun Adeyemi's testimony)

I wasn't bad or any such thing when I was growing up. When I was a teenager there was this fear of God in me. My parents were never religious. I think we only went to church on Christmas. I know we ate special food on Sundays and special clothing on Christmas. I was the youngest child. I think my mom and my sister would sing Christmas carols. That was how we celebrate Christmas. Prayer in the house was practically none. Nobody force you to pray, you just do whatever you like. But we were Anglicans. When I was about 15 years old in secondary school, I got baptized in the Anglican church and did confirmation where we wore white dress. It was a big ceremony, all my friends came.

In my high school they had the christian movement called "Scriptures Union" (SU group). Those folks in that group used to go out to evangelize and sing. They were reffered to as good people. But I was troublesome when I was growing up. I would get into a fight with boys when I was a little girl. I liked to beat up boys. It wasn't that I was that terrible, I just got into fights here and there. Then when I was in high school and about 14, I had a fight with a girl. It was a fight in which we planned it. When I talk about it now it sounds funny but it wasn't funny then.

This girl said something (mean) to me and my friends said I should not allow her to go free. We all planned to take her to the bush and beat her up. The girl did not know about it. They made up tickets for spectators (just pieces of paper) to come to the show. The girl, Josephine, also was invited but she did not know she was going to be the one in the show. When we got there, we had a referee and it was announced that the fight was between me and Josephine. The girl said "Oh I didn't know that what I said offended you, I am sorry." We said it's too late for you to apologize now. We had already sold tickets for the fight. (Only fake money). So we had the fight. I baptized (deeped) her in a muddy water. I said that I won, and she said "I beat you too". I thought it was all over. We were in a boarding school. When we came back to the compound, the girl's eyes turned red and was crying. She went to her school mother who asked her what happened. They went straight to the principal and told what had happened. The principal called me and said, she read this kind of stories in the books and she never knew it could happen in real life. Then I felt so bad that I did something so terrible. Three of us were suspended for two weeks from the school. Then the principal said she would be thinking of what to do to us. We went home. When we came back, we were given physical labor: we were told to cut the grass for another two weeks. I had never been punished like that. We were not allowed to go to class for about one month. I missed one month of school. That trouble really helped me to think twice.

Unlike this generation and this country, kids don't get punished for mis-deeds. You need to go to some other countries to see how kids are disciplined. With those punishment, I said to myself: this is not necessary; I don't need to be getting into this kind of trouble. It's not worth it. If I was just going my way and don't get into fight with anybody I wouldn't be suffering all these. Because, all day I had to cut the grass, and in the evening I had to go wash the kitchen. All kinds of punishment. Maybe the Lord used that to touch me. I just said to myself, this is it. I decided to be a good person. So I tried to be good on my own and I joined those "SU" group. I hoped the SU group would help me to become a better person, so I decided to be going to their bible studies. I didn't really feel the impact. When I went home on vacation we had a family friend which I usually go to visit. Anytime I went to their house I just saw the difference of how a family should be. The family prayed, and worshipped together etc., all the things that I never did in my house. I started befriending them. I knew that God was in that house. They were Mr & Mrs Adeleke. They were the couple that the Lord used to bring me to salvation. I started visiting them and observing how they lived their lives. The wife made me a friend. Anytime she wanted to do her hair she would call me. Sometimes I helped them to cook. I just became their friend. Then one day they invited me to their church. I just loved how they lived and wished in my heart that when I grow up I wanted to have a family like that, who will love the Lord. They invited me to a crusade, and during this crusade, they called for people who wanted to be saved. I took up the opportunity and went forward, because I have always asked myself why are these friends different. I said to myself: this is a good opportunity for me to accept the Lord and be able to live like them. I could have said though I wanted to be saved but I wouldn't go forward being ashamed or shy. But the preacher said "you are to come out and let the devil know that you are no longer his, and that you belong to Jesus." So I went to the stage. They prayed for us. That night, when I got home, I could not sleep. I was overjoyous. I was singing like someone who had been drinking. I was full of joy. I was just praising the Lord and dancing in my room. Since then I have been different. I knew I met the Lord that day. Nobody could tell me fables whether I have not been saved or not. I knew I have found the Lord.

I started going to church with the couple. Later I went for higher education at the Federal School of Science. In this school, I went into the midst of a christian group. I was not impressed by their order of worship. There was no enthusiasm in their midst. They were clapping as if they were sorrowful. The next day, I saw another christian group, and you can hear their voice, singing and rejoicing. I said to myself: that is the group I belong to. I started fellowshipping with them. I also was working in the federal office of Statistics, and we started a fellowship in my office. In the school fellowship, one day they preached to us that when you receive the Lord Jesus Christ, you need to be baptized in the Holy Ghost. I surely needed that. Anything to make me a better Christian; I need it. So we went to a church fellowship in the city. We were ministered to in order to receive the Holy Ghost. Guess who ministered to me. It was Brother Yato Adeyemi, who later became my husband. That was where I met him for the first time.

He ministered to me and I received the Holy Ghost. Before this, I said I was joyful, but the baptism of the Holy Ghost just doubled my joy. I got the boldness to tell people about the Lord. I was not afraid nor ashamed. I was just free in the spirit.

When I went home and met my former friends, the couple with whom I usually went to church, I told them about the Holy Ghost, and they said they donot think I was doing the right thing, because they did not believe in the Holy Ghost. I was surprised. I asked "what type of Christians are you? You donot believe in the Holy Ghost?" They said,"Well, it was in the old days. We are not supposed to mess with that anymore". So far they went and no further. I said to them, this Holy Ghost which I got, it was like tongues of fire that fell on me. They said "are you sure it is from the Lord?" The funny thing was that, I went to church with them, it was the same thing their preacher was preaching on that day: against the Holy Ghost. I just said "I will not go to this church again." I knew what the Lord gave to me is genuine. Nobody can tell me otherwise. I found another church that believe in the Holy Ghost and started to fellowship with them. That couple were still my friend but we couldn't see eye to eye as far as the Holy Ghost is concerned. I thanked the Lord that he brought me from height to height to know him more.

Here I am today and I pray the Lord will keep us to the end in Jesus' name. Amen.

Sister Ebun Adeyemi.