On September 11th 2001 I made a promise to God. Like many others I promised him that if he delivered me from the horrible events of that day, I will serve him. Unlike many individuals who have forgotten their promises that they had made, I will never forget mine. I kept it because I now know that a promise is a Spiritual Contract.
I was one of thousands of individuals that were in Manhattan, New York City when the planes crashed into the World Trade Center buildings. I was one of the people that could not find a way to get home because the police told us that there may be bombs on the Bridges that would lead me back to Brooklyn where I lived. I was lost, terrified and lonely with no one to turn to but Jesus Christ.

Growing up, I have always believed in God but I took his love and care for granted. I would make promises to him in difficult times about serving him and when he delivered me I would go back on my word until the next phase of disappointments came. I was foolish.

Many of us as young individuals do the same thing today. We believe that we are too young to devote our lives completely to God. We believe that we have enough time when we get older. Not only are we wrong but, from experience I know that there is nothing sweeter that serving God in my youth.

God has given me the confidence and self-esteem to be in the happy position I am now. At 25, I am in a place where I am able to motivate and encourage others around me. I am blessed in everything I do. God has opened and closed doors that have benefited my life so much and I know he will do the same for anyone who keeps his commandments and serve him.
Sometimes we take things for granted; our life, promises, actions, words and commitment. I have done it plenty of times in the past but as the bible says in Proverbs 1:5 , “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.” My Wise Counsel is the Holy Bible; God’s Holy word. This wonderful inspirational book is everything to me.

Since I choose to serve God, I have become a more productive individual to my family, friends, co-workers, church and most importantly to myself. I am a leader. I believe in my potential so much more than before. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13). There is nothing to stop me from doing what I want to do. I know that if I continue to serve God I am embracing my destiny and I know that my Destiny is great.

I am passionate about life and God and I know that if anyone wants to feel true love, peace and happiness in this lifetime then this can only come from accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in their life. I have kept my promises to God and it is time that you do the same. It is time to get real with you! Don’t waste precious time on things that would not benefit you. Choose Productivity, Choose Self-esteem, Choose freedom, Choose Jesus Christ. Where else can you turn to that will give you everlasting peace? Drugs? Alcohol? Material things? Trust me, you know and I know that these things only last for a short time. What Jesus Christ is offering is everlasting. Don’t waste another second, come to him today. Jesus loves you.

My name is Karter Sumowuo. I was born in Liberia, which is located on the West Coast of Africa. First of all I truly thank God for saving my soul and granting me eternal life. It is truly amazing when I think that among the myriad of people in the world, God selected me for salvation and also designed a tailor made purpose cultivated specifically for me.

I used to be a person lacking confidence and self worth for most of my childhood into my adult life. This brokenness left a deep longing for validation and esteem. I can unequivocally say that today God has restored my sense of self worth and dignity for which I will forever be eternally grateful. I do believe many people suffer from a lack of good self esteem and dignity which unfortunately leads them into diverse wayward paths.

I was raised in a Lutheran church. As a little boy my mother took me to church and at the age of ten years old I received salvation. Unfortunately, I never received the foundation principles of living a yielded and successful life in Christ. As a result, I strayed and began to search for meaning outside the things of God. For most of my teenage life, I was exposed to promiscuity. I grew up in the midst of a very perverse and obnoxious culture. Liberia was declining very fast in morality and as a result it permeated my thinking at a very young age.

Growing up in Liberia was exciting because we were taught to pride ourselves on education and privileges. For the most part my parent did their best. They offered me the privileges of attending college abroad after I graduated from high school. Most parents in Liberia could not afford sending their children abroad. In 1989 when the Liberian civil war commenced, my parent fled to America on political asylum. The amazing aspect about leaving Liberia was defining. It was the LORD who revealed to my mother in a vision how terrible and horrible the war in Liberia was going to be.

The atrocities made worldwide headlines and many people died. My parent were very fortunate, thanks be to God. America became a place of refuge and a new found freedom for this fifteen year old boy. Most of my life began to change during this age. The culture shock and my inability to cope with the reality of a new environment left me depressed. I felt insecure and inferior among my new peers. School became drudgery. Although I was doing academically well in school, I was very shy, introverted and insecure. It was at this point that I met a beautiful young lady who would flatter my ego and she changed my perspective for the better, so I thought.
The relationship was very intense and very passionate. I found myself preoccupied with her and although I was a responsible young man in terms of school and home obligations, like a drug addict I was embedded into this female. She became my life and the relationship almost destroyed my entire life.
Upon entering my early 20’s the relationship began dwindling and took a turn for the worst after she became pregnant for someone else. The worst part was the fact I had poured so much of myself into her. The time and efforts were all in vain and my world began falling apart. It was at this exact overwhelming junction that I decided to fully yield and rededicate my life to Christ. Unfortunately much emotionally damaged had occurred.

I truly thank God for my praying mother who interceded on my behalf. God rescued me from this toxic relationship and I began to discover a sense of purpose and validity in Christ. He has delivered me in an amazing way. Presently I am at a defining moment in my life. God has placed me exactly where he wants me and has truly blessed me with a beautiful, amazing wife. I feel complete and fulfilled. I can’t be more enthusiastic about the future. Our God truly is an awesome GOD who restored all that the locusts have eaten.

My name is Esther Sumowuo and I am originally from Haiti. I was born on September of 1979. I am the seventh child of my father. I came from a dysfunctional background, where voodoo and Catholicism were the dominant religions. I also came from the typical Haitian family where the verbal idolization of men and the verbal debasement of women were commonly practiced. Haiti is a country where Voodoo and Catholicism reigned. Life in Haiti was difficult. As a child I was raised by my grandmother who practiced Catholicism. She was a devout Catholic who woke up every morning to pray. She also fed the homeless.

My grandmother commitment would later influence my life spiritually. My father passed away when I was yet unborn. As the economic situation in Haiti declined my mother left my siblings and I with our grandmother and migrated to the United States to make a better life for us. My grandmother took the responsibility to care of us. When I was four years old I became very ill. My grandmother took me to the hospital but when I did not recover immediately she took me to a female witch doctor. The witch doctor cut a piece of my hair. I did not know what it indicated. I believed my illness worried my grandmother very much. She also had to care for my other three siblings.

In 1986 when I was six year old my mother filed for me and my siblings to come to the U.S. I met my mother and her boyfriend for the very first time when we arrived in America. When she left me in Haiti I was an infant. It was strange because I did know her. There was no emotional connection.

My new life in America was challenging and extremely difficult. Learning a new language and a different culture was complicated and as a result I felt depressed and confused. There was no one to help us comprehend and break the language barrier. I was teased in school by students and teachers because of my accent and clothing. My self-esteem was trampled because I could not function adequately in school. My mother worked as a Home Aide attendant for twenty four hours four days each week. I was lonely and depressed. I felt frustrated and confused and I began to pray a lot.
Spiritually I needed God but did not know how to find him. Life at home was difficult. As the years went by my mother’s boyfriend molested my older sister and eventually raped her. When the accusation was brought to my mother’s attention she strongly denied her boyfriend did anything wrong. I was devastated, I wanted to run away from home. My mother became verbally abusive to my sister and I and began calling us names such as dirty dogs, no good, etc. In addition, school was miserable. The kids and teachers were verbally abusive and sexually harassing me. To escape from my pain, I began to take sleeping pills and even felt suicidal. At times I wanted to die. My world was a living hell.

Even though I was developing as a young lady and my language was improving I still felt neglected. My siblings were hurt by pain and sorrow in our lives because there was no justice done for my sister. I began praying, worshipping statues and searching for an escape. I did not know where to turn and eventually I had a nervous break down at the age of eighteen years old and I was hospitalized. I was becoming of age and full of fear. My future felt hopeless and life was filled with despair. I could not think nor could I have hope for the better.

Somehow, God intervened in my life by sending someone special in to my life. He introduced me to Christ. He told me that worshiping statues and praying with rosary beads was evil. He also told me that being a Catholic did not make me a Christian. You have to be “born again”. I realized that I was sinner and I gave my life to Jesus Christ.
This person became my husband and now we are happily married. Christ has changed my life dramatically. Now I have peace, joy, love and continue to grow in the things of God. I don’t have to pray to statues any more. Furthermore, I have forgiven my mother and the Lord has healed my emotional wounds.