My name is Amanda and I live in Killeen, Texas. I am 26 and a mother of 4. I have lived a troubled life. Battled physical and mental abuse and mental illness. I was broken. I thought God had abandoned me a long time ago. And then I had my children. 4 beautiful girls, ages 8,7,5, & 2.
My 7 year old daughter was born a with a congenital birth defect. My world fell apart all over again. But as I watched her grow and overcome every obstacle thrown her way, something kept pulling at me. I kept pushing it away and pushing it away. But my heart knew. A little voice in my head always resounded, “this is God. This is God’s love. God’s miracle”. So I opened up a little bit. Still hadn’t fully acknowledge or stepped foot into a church, but I stopped being bitter and started beng greatful for the things that I had.
Then a year ago when I was at my lowest point in life. Medical problems piling up with my daughter, family problems, financial problems, and battling my mental illness. I met a lady via Facebook over a conversation about a homeless man in our city. She and I cofounded an organization to feed the homeless. Everything coming out of our own pocket because we felt this was what we were meant to do. As people heard what we were doing they wanted to get involved. A Pastor of a local church asked us to help with their Thanksgiving meal and when I met him and his wife and attended a service out of respect for asking us to help, I felt at home. Everything clicked. Finally felt what had been missing: God.
6 months ago my partner’s husband answered his calling to become a minister. I followed them to help build and support their church. Our organization and church have combined to 1 ministry. We feed the homeless every Saturday evening and Monday mornings, offer laundry services twice a month, provide clothes and hygiene products, but most importantly we show them His love. Our ministry is in Killeen, Texas, next to a large military instillation. Our church is located in the heart of downtown, where we can reach the most homeless and needy.
I hope to better my education to become a good Christian woman so my daughters have an example to live by, to be able to better serve my community and church, and to be obedient to His calling.
Christian Leaders Institute’s scholarship program is a tremendous blessing because it allows me to answer my calling and better myself without the financial burden. Thank you!
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior!
My name is Jose Benzon Sanchez, a Filipino, 49 years old and a father of five children. I have three boys and two girls, with two grandsons and a granddaughter. My wife and I and still three of our children lives in Hamburg, Germany.
I became a Christian when I was in my teens. But because there wasn’t much fire in my relationship with the Lord, I strayed from His path a lot of times. I just wanted to do everything my own way and God humbled me. After I lost my first family, I was deep in drugs and alcohol.
When God called me back, there’s no sweeter as home sweet home. There is no other thing in my mind, but to be his disciple. No plans of going back to my old self, just praying to be obedient and prepared for our Lord for whatever plan he has for me.
I assist my pastor in every way I can. He allows me to preach from time to time or when he is away. And I also handle the youth ministry. That is why I can say that CLI is an answered prayer for me. With my financial problems, CLI is the answer for my deeper study of God’s word.
Most people here don’t know God or refuse the existence of God. They are well in their lives that’s why they don’t need God. I also have catholic friends who have a general idea about God or people who practices traditional religion.
CLI is so important because if not for you, I wouldn’t be able to go to pursue these studies. My situation does not allow me to do anything like studying. And when you say studying it always has to do with money, but here it is free. Praise God for that! Thank you CLI for allowing us to have opportunities like this.
Please pray that I will be able to finish my course or studies. And will be able to serve God mightily. To be able to evangelize to the people around us here and to be able to take care for those who are with us with the love of the Lord.
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. My name is Robert Biyena and I live in Cameroon, in the town of Douala. I am the sixth of seven children. I blessed the Lord greatly for the freedom we have in our country here to share the Gospel. I’ve been doing it for some years now, in markets, from house to house, in crossroads.
The Lord revealed Himself to me when I was still a small boy in the Town of Garoua in 2000. In 2001, I knew some challenges and backslided even though I continued going to church. I bless the Lord because since 2004, I was forcefully catched by God and I am enjoying this glorious walk with Christ and I will keep enjoying it till Jesus come.
My ministry dream is to invade my town, my country… the world with Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many people have heard about a certain Jesus, but they have never received an understandable presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I want to do it by setting up small groups everywhere and equipping every believer to be a disciple maker. I believe what fits me better is evangelist/church planter.
In 2004, I was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. From that time, I went about preaching the Gospel of the kingdom and I knew I was called to ministry. One year later (in 2005) as I was on my knees praying around 11 p.m., the Lord called me twice by my name and confirmed the call the ministry. He gave me some clear instructions
Among other issues, I believe corruption is one of the worst things in our Cameroon. Corruption has become a way of living in this nation. It is very difficult to get a service without bribe and it has seriously affected the economy of our nation. People are also unemployed and there is much poverty.
The church has encouraged a lot in my call and has given me the opportunity to display my potential. I came to know God through my elder brother and he is encouraging also.
I believe CLI is a gift of God to me because I am not financially viable. I was seeking a good Bible School to train myself without relocating somewhere else, then I came across CLI and saw it as a divine opportunity given to me.
I pray that the Lord may mightily work through me to bring everybody I encounter to obey to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ