The earliest memory I have of hearing the gospel was at primary school scripture class at the age of about 6 or 7. I remember being at my desk, listening intently to what the scripture teacher was saying, and standing up to pray at the end of the lesson, occasionally opening my eyes to see everyone else in the class mucking up instead of praying. I'm not sure whether I was born again in these classes, although I do remember praying earnestly to Jesus to "come into my heart", and motioning with my hand on my chest like a door opening and closing, since our scripture teacher had spoken something about the "I (Jesus) stand at the door and knock" verse. (Rev 3:20)

I suppose that if a child can have a spiritual understanding and trust in Jesus, then I had it at this point. I remember one day at home in the bathroom at abour the age of 7, I was doing my hair or something, and recalling what I had heard in scripture class, about letting Jesus control you, since He lives in you. So I said a little prayer and asked Jesus to control me, and, like magic, I was the best-behaved, happiest kid for the next half an hour or so. If I could only recapture the same sense of obedience to Jesus I had at this point! The way I felt when I was "controlled" by Jesus as a kid is something indescribable, I really know what is meant by Jesus' words "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mat 18:3)

However, with no family or friends with which to share my new-found faith, and with no idea how to do so, it withered away very quickly. I had virtually no instruction in the things of God from about age 8 to about age 15. This, combined with a bitter custody battle between my parents which stretched from their divorce when I was 5 years old for around 5 years, and trauma at school the details of which I will not go into except to say that I attempted suicide in year 8 because of it, all made these years of my life unpleasant.

In year 10, a friend of mine with whom I travelled on the train to school invited m

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