I began my education at a special school for physically disabled children, from a very young age, unable to do many things myself I had to learn how to handle my disability. I refused to eat and although I was very much out of the danger zone my future was still very bleak.
During my time at the special school for physically disabled I grew stronger by the day, so strong that at the point of reaching year 8, (key stage 3) I was integrated into mainstream secondary education.
It was another 2 years until I realised what God had done for me. After asking my aunt lots of Questions about God and Jesus at 8 years ago, my aunt told me about her very best friend Jesus, and how whenever she had a thought that troubled her, or was in need of Love he was always there for her. She told me how he had taught her many things during the time he has been part of her life, but more importantly she told me that Jesus was waiting for me, and was waiting for me to become his friend and to let him into my life too!
She then went on to explaining that Jesus was desperately knocking on my door, he was waiting for me to hear him so that he could come in and save me, and bring me closer to God. That night my Aunty and I prayed together, we prayed that Jesus would come into my life and be my Lord and Saviour.
Once I had let Jesus into my life, I began to know and understand God in a personal way. Jesus alone brought meaning and purpose to life and everything that had ever happened to me became ever so clear.
It became clear that God had been with me right from the moment I was born. And although I wasn’t aware of His presence, because I did not have Jesus in my life, He has always watched over me guiding me along the way.
When I was at Danum Comprehensive in year 11, I was struck down by renal failure and my GCSE’s came to an abrupt halt. Beacause of my hospitalisation for major surgery to correct the cause of the renal failure, I was unable to sit my GCSE exams.
After I had recovered and my condition had been stabilized by medication and dialysis I was able to resume my studies and re-sit year 11 and complete my GCSE’s examinations. I passed 6 GCSE’s, allowing me to go on to Extended education.
After my GCSE I started a VCE in Business studies at Danum School. At that time I attended St. James’ hospital twice a week for Dialysis. As well as the dialysis my Dad and I were attending the hospital regularly for tissue type
matching. This was a series of tests carried out over a period of 6 months to determined whether Dad was the perfect match to give me one of his kidney’s
The tissue type matching had proven to be a success. Dad and I were the perfect match for the transplant, and a theatre slot was booked for the transplant to take place.
Once again studies were brought to a sudden halt for my surgery and recovery.
After I had recovered from the transplant I was ready to go back into education again, however God made it clear that the business studies course I had previously started in sixth form was not part of His plan for me.
Instead he led me to discover my passion for computers, and I enrolled on an AVCE in ICT (information and communication technology), where I learned the basics for professional use of computers.
During the course I became very good friends with one of the tutors, who told me about a course he used to teach. It was a Foundation Degree in Multimedia Technology, and although it was run by Sheffield Hallam University it was being taught at Wakefield College's Thorne's Park Campus.
The course involved creative technology in Graphics Design, Web-Design and CD-Rom applications. I hadn’t a doubt in my mind this was the right course for me as the transition between the AVCE to the Foundation Degree was so natural and effortless it was obvious that God was in control.
It was a hard 2 years and the going was getting really tough. During the second year of the Foundation Degree, I lost my Grandad to Lung Cancer. This affected the last two months of my performance and although I couldn’t see it then God was working to ensure that somehow I would pass the course. Eventually I graduated with a Foundation Degree in Multimedia Technology, but those last few months took a lot out of me. I was mentally drained and fed up of education, so much so that at the beginning of 2006 my faith took a nose dive for a short period of time. I settled for mediocrity and went job seeking.
There was so much more that I needed to learn, yet through all of this God did not let go of me and instead of allowing me to settle for anything less than His best for me. He blocked any attempts I made to get a job. Then just at the right time He prompted my Aunty, and through a long conversation with her that night God spoke to me.
Finally I began to understand the need to seek God's will in my life. I saw how silly it was to peruse a job, when there was so much more work that needed to happen before I was ready to leave education.
It was the last week that Leeds Met were accepting students to enrol, but even then it wasn’t certain that a place would be available. Now my faith and enthusiasm I once had previous to the Foundation Degree became stronger and once again I was back on track.
Praise the Lord I was accepted onto the Degree Course, in Multimedia Technology at Leeds Met, but not only was I accepted, it was decided since I had some experience in some areas of the Degree I would be able start the course in second year the first. This was a real faith builder, and my reassurance that God was in control once again.
During the Second year of the Degree in Multimedia Technology I discovered that I was born to love 3D animation; it was almost as if I had reached my destination and the very place God brought me to. I loved every minute of the second year of the degree and I learnt a tremendous amount of skills.
Then as if it were an action replay of the last year at Wakefield College, during the holidays between the second and third year of the Multimedia Course, my Grandma became very ill, and at midnight on the 18th July 2006 holding my hand, my Grandma lost her battle against Cancer. Only about 4 months before she passed away my Grandma became a Christian. Praise the Lord she was saved and now she lives a life with God in heaven.
Unlike my Grandad’s death, where my faith took a nosedive, this time it was strengthened, God made use of the bad experience, and during those intense few days at my Grandma’s bedside His presence was stronger than ever before.
Almost immediately after my Grandma’s death I began to attend Rothwell Baptist where my Grandma had attended on the few occasions she had been well during the final months of her life.
Since then, the Lord has given me given me a fellowship where I canshare my faith and enjoy being part of His body. My faith has grownstronger and stronger each day and Praise the Lord that brings me tothe present where I am now working on a missionary project with Tale2tell Mediawhere I am using the skills I have attained during my years of education 'to bring the bible to life' using creative media.
Comments