As a
young man of nineteen I found myself aboard a DC8 jet bound for
Africa. I journeyed with some other young men whom I'd worked
alongside in Belfast shipyard. Our department closed down and we
signed contracts to work in Kitwe, Zambia. Our aims were to make
plenty of money and have a good time in the sun.
Work
was plentiful and the money was excellent - we began to live it
up!
Soon I
owned a sports car, a fancy camera and some good sound equipment.
I was a MAN now!
Coupled
with the excitement, however, was the increasing sense of a
growing problem beginning to develop in my life - in a word
"BOOZE"!
In the
mornings I would look out the window to see if the car was there
... I hadn't remembered driving home the night before!
After
two years I left Zambia and travelled to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
where I found a new job and a new life. I told myself I would
stop drinking and get my act together. I was in a new environment
with a brand new circle of friends but DID MY LIFE CHANGE? No! I
became more of a drunkard than ever.
One
night I got into the car to go to a party. It had been a
particularly busy time with one party after another. As I put the
key into the ignition I was suddenly aware of a silent but
powerful presence with me in the motor. I knew immediately that
it was the Lord Jesus. He was unseen but a very real presence. He
warned me not to go down the road because there was DANGER ahead
for me! It wasn't hard to believe, knowing my crazy driving!
The
thing was, IT WAS DECISION TIME! I had to make up my mind fast;
my hand was on the ignition key! What scared me too was the
reality of Hell ... I knew I'd be there that 
night if I wrote off the vehicle and
myself.
I
slowly removed the key and went back into the flat, where I lived
alone. I fell down across the bed and began sobbing out prayers
to God. I told Him all about the mess I'd been making of my life
and asked His forgiveness for that and for all the empty promises
I'd made to Him before and never kept. I begged His help to
change, truly, and lead a new life for Him.