Christian testimonies

Ute
I count it a great privilege to be one of his chosen people. I am so happy about all that he has done for me in my life.

I grew up in East Germany under a Communist government in a family without any religion. The first time that I heard about the Lord Jesus Christ was at the age of nine. I had a classmate who used to go to Bible Class on Saturdays and because I was nosy I joined her and I started to enjoy listening to the stories. When my dad found out why I was always late for lunch on Saturdays he gave me a good hiding and forbade me to visit those classes again.

When I was a teenager and started to think for myself I noticed that Christians had a much harder life in East Germany than unbelievers. My mum was so scared of the system that she ripped a necklace with a little cross from my neck as she was afraid that someone would notice it. Another example of the anti-religious regime was that one of my friends, the daughter of a Church minister, was not allowed to study for her ‘A-levels’. I was not allowed to study furniture design as I refused to become a member of the Communist Party. Instead I went on to work in a nursery and soon realised how much I enjoy teaching children.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall the demand for nursery places went down drastically and I lost my job. After studying architecture for a year I began work in a children’s home. The home was taken over by the State Church which insisted that I join the Church in order to keep my job. That reminded me of my experience under the Communist regime: so I refused again and became unemployed but not for long though. I saw an advertisement in the job-centre: ‘German Nursery in London is looking for a teacher’. I applied and started my new job in January 1998.

After a succession of jobs in England I was ready to return to Germany to study German as a Foreign Language. Everything was packed and some of my possessions were already on their way to Germany when I met a fellow-German girl who invited me to Amyand Park Chapel. It was one of the most important moments in my life. I now know that the Lord was calling me to come to him. I was like a dry sponge thrown into nice, cool, clear water. That is why I did not miss a single service at the Church during the remaining three weeks that I had in this country.

I returned to Germany but spent the next year looking for a job in England but I could not find one. I became very sad when I realised that I would have to look for a permanent job in Germany and try to forget about England.

However, in September 2001 I managed to get a job in a nursery near Gatwick Airport but I spent every Sunday in Twickenham attending the services at Amyand Park Chapel. A few months later I began to read the Bible in earnest though it was not always easy to understand. However, there were always people that I could ask to explain problems to me.

God brought me to see my sins and he brought me to see that Jesus had died to take away my sins. I came to trust Jesus to take away my sins and to give me a completely new start.

My priorities have completely changed: from spending my spare time in bars, being a singer in a band and being in unsuitable relationships, I cannot now wait for Sundays to wet the ‘sponge’ again with living water. I wonder how I could ever have wasted so much time in the past. I feel very sorry for all the sins I have committed. My only desire is to give the rest of my life to my beloved Lord, to serve him with all my heart wherever he wants me to be. I only started seeking later in life but what I found is overwhelming.