It may seem a little bit strange, but my favourite place in town is none other than this beautiful church, the Free Evangelical Church of Africa. However, it wasn’t always so.

When I was a child I used to be ashamed of entering such a place for it seemed so imposing and somehow boring in a way, especially when I was around my friends. I would always be scared of what they were thinking about me. One day, in order to keep a promise I had made to my aunt who had passed away in a tragic incident, I saw myself forced to enter.

I entered looking behind me, at my friends who were making fun of me. It took me quite a while to get the courage to pass through the newly painted oak doors, but the moment I stepped in I felt how heavenly this building could be. Its fantastic architecture and exquisite frescoes reflect perfectly the unity between this earth and the unseen kingdom of angels in such a manner that one cannot say where one ends and the other begins.

The way in which the church was built is also the vivid testimony of my faith. Although it is a place that can sometimes be quiet and ask for respect, it is where prayers are answered and miracles happen. An overwhelming feeling of inner harmony takes over you once you enter and heaven is at your footsteps. Darkness and light are welded perfectly together, creating Redemption’s House.

The music played is just praise and worship, the harmony just touches me greatly and it makes me feel closer to God himself. In the early summer mornings, when the sunshine is young and playful, inside the church another realm is born. Sitting in the back rows one can see a heavenly mist flowing through the windows and filling the sleepy altar with life and hope. It is a different dimension in the breast of an unsuspecting world.

Moments such as these bring you joy and reassurance and also show you that there really is someone out there; there is someone watching over you, protecting you. Your soul is elevated just sitting there and it makes me feel in another realm. Your mind is thirsty for new experiences and your body is strengthened to do things that you wouldn’t dare doing on your own.

Ever since I had that first encounter with the church, I never had anything to do with this world, it boosted my self-esteem and gave me something to live for, and the reason I look forward to every Sunday. My life depends on the Lord Jesus Christ who is the founder of the church.