When I was young, I was abused by one of my brothers. When this became known, my parents handled it by making us both say we were sorry, and they told me that as long as I did not tell anyone what happened, the abuse would stop. The abuse went on for some time still though, and for 23 long years I lived with this massive secret.

I have since then met and married my loving, honourable and understanding husband. I can be myself with him. He was aware of the abuse before we got married and together we have three beautiful children.

However, the effects of the abuse followed me all throughout my life. I had impure thoughts of infidelity. I felt very unsafe around other men and did not know how to behave. For years I struggled with masturbation and all the shame and guilt that came with it. I was very jealous when my husband was friendly with other women. I had a very poor self-image and could not think of one thing I liked about myself. For the last two years I have been unable to sleep through the night. I would wake up between 1 and 3 am and simply could not go back to sleep. And if I did sleep through the night I would have dreams in which I was unfaithful to my husband. I hated those dreams most of all! I wanted to be faithful to God, my husband and my children. I come from a large, broken family and I received a lot of word curses from my own parents, which even led me to reject my own children.

When I hit rock bottom and got stuck in a burn out, a friend got me into contact with Gideon and Jennifer. She said: “Maybe these people can help you.” Via WhatsApp we set some dates for me to see them.

During the first meeting with Gideon and Jennifer I repented for and turned from my sin, the word curses I put on myself and from the sins of my (fore)fathers. They prayed for my deliverance and I was set free. For the first time I could sleep again!

During the second session I repented of more things which the Holy Spirit had brought to mind. After this I was baptized. I left my old life behind in the baptism pool and was raised to new life with Jesus! After my baptism I was delivered of evil spirits and filled with the Holy Spirit. I feel like a new person and I know that all those scriptures about being a new creation in Christ are true about me. Oh, what joy!

My husband and I work abroad, together with our family. The session with Gideon and Jennifer took place during our furlough. Right before we left again for another two year period, we were both filled with the Holy Spirit, anointed with oil and sent out together with a host of angels. We can know for a fact that we are not alone. Psalms 34:8 says: “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.”

I’m thankful that I got to know Gideon and Jennifer. They have been the tool in God’s hand for my deliverance. Also they have been a great example to me in what it looks like to trust in the Lord. Thank you, Gideon and Jennifer, for being a channel of God’s love to me and my family.