I greet you in the beautiful and precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I am Sister Alimatou BOUBAKAR, from the Fulani Muslim community. From my childhood, I was attached to my paternal grandfather. He was the one who led prayers at the mosque in our camp. It was through my grandfather that I was taught Muslim prayer. I normally performed my five prayers a day like a good, pious Muslim woman. From my childhood, I observed the 30 days of Muslim Lent during the month of Ramadan. I was the only one among the Fulani children who managed to observe Ramadan. Ramadan was a chore for the other children, who sometimes mocked me for going to so much trouble for religion. Islam is not only a religion for my maternal family but also a cultural heritage. In my mother’s family, anyone who leaves Islam becomes a stranger to them. The roots of Islam in my mother’s family meant that everyone was educated in the Quranic school, including my mother. Today, we have great imams, Alfa, and Quranic masters in the family. But my mother wasn’t finished when she was given in marriage. It was my mother who initiated me into the religious duties of a Muslim woman. This is how I grew up in Islam, proud of this religion, but also proud of the fact that I had taken the right path, that of my parents. On the surface, Islam gives great honor that contributes to self-satisfaction. And so, outside of Islam, there were no other paths for me that seemed true. For me, if there could possibly be another truth, Islam would be more truthful than this truth. Subsequently, something unusual happened to change the story of my life. Indeed, in the camp, the Fulani did not allow their daughters to attend the French normal school. But against all odds, I was chosen to attend the French school. I was the only Fulani girl who went to school. In CM2, my parents could no longer take care of my studies. So I had to drop out of school. The year when things became difficult for my parents, a new principal was sent to the school I attended. He was a true disciple of Christ with a family of eleven (11) children. He took an interest in me and decided to take me in and adopt me as his daughter. I was able to continue my studies with him until 6th grade. I had a paternal aunt who was versed in maraboutage. She is the most influential woman in the family because she was rich and presented herself as a visionary. No one opposes her decisions in the family. One day, while I was normally pursuing my studies at the Christian director’s house, she brought a rich old Muslim man from Nigeria to propose to me at my parents’ house. My parents were powerless. But the director fiercely opposed it to the point of it becoming a great tension. The aunt ended up giving up because of the determination of the principal. The principal was a devout Christian. Although I was a Muslim, I had no other choice but to participate in the family worship at home and attend their place of worship. I no longer said my Muslim prayers. In my mind, among Christians, I go to church and once home I will find my identity as a Fulani Muslim girl. It all depends on where I am. I don’t see a difference between the Christian faith and Islam. I didn’t understand anything at all. I used to spend my holidays in the village with my parents. During my holidays in the village, I hid everything that the Christians had given me as an object that could reveal that I was going to church at the principal’s house. I remained in this confusion until the 8th grade. My marabout grandfather, who was so attached to me, wanted to initiate me into the mystical cult of Islam. He wouldn’t let anything separate me from him. But that year, when I was in the eighth grade, he died. And the following year, the principal was assigned to another location. So he left, taking me with him. If my grandfather were alive, he would never allow me to leave with him. At the principal’s house, I continued in the same confusion until university. So I had to go to the city of Parakou (a city in northern Benin) for my university studies. It was in Parakou that I met Brother Bernadin for the first time. I bless the Lord for the life of Brother Bernadin and his wife. This meeting opened my eyes to Islam and to the person of Muhammad. Everything became clear in my mind. Brother Bernadin had several working sessions with me on Islam and the Christian faith. In-depth studies on Islam and the Christian faith during which the veil was torn. Through the comparative study of the two religions, I came across the first treatise written by Brother Bernardin, entitled “Who can save from hell:  Jesus Christ or Muhammad?”

I received several teachings, and subsequently I was subjected to a deliverance program of breaking the bond. I understood that only Jesus can save and therefore Islam and the Christian faith are not the same. There is nothing in common between light and darkness, between day and night. I confessed my sins to the Lord by writing them on a piece of paper and imploring his forgiveness and purification by his blood. It was as if I had been relieved of a heavy burden, because all the time I remained in confusion, I was living in great sins. I truly received the Lord Jesus as my personal Savior after confessing my sins and the Lord filled my heart with the joy of salvation. After that now comes persecution in the family. Even my Fifth (5th) little sister who is also the youngest was free to speak to me as she saw fit just to show me that I had taken another path. My father’s brother is the one who persecuted me the most. He incited several of our relatives to have me removed from school and enrolled in a Koranic school. For him, the fact that I also attended contributed to this revolt. There was a time when he couldn’t bear to cross paths with me on the road. He only came into the house when I wasn’t there, and even if he came and was served food, he asked if my hands had touched the meal so as not to be defiled by what came from me. All this because I received the Lord Jesus in all truth. One day he came into the house in the presence of my parents and called me face to face to ask me if I knew how much he hated me. He said that I had no place in his heart and that he didn’t want my greeting. That day, my mother couldn’t hold back because she saw this as a curse on my life. My brother, if you still remain in ignorance, it is because you have not yet known the truth. Better if you say that you are Muslim and that you have received the Lord but you still have a good relationship with your parents without anyone persecuting you, the truth is that you are not truly converted and you have not received the true message of the gospel. Today, thanks to the ministry of Brother Bernardin (the treatises, broadcasts and teachings) I am standing in the faith. My brother or sister, the truth is that Islam is false and its prophet is a false and a deceiver who has no part in heaven.

If you are in this until today, and the evangelists come to you, receive the Lord for the salvation of your soul. I give continual thanks to the Lord who saved me and who gave me the favor of serving him in the vision he entrusted to his servant Brother Bernadin. I am one of his co-workers and I serve the Lord in the house of prayer for the conquest of the Muslims. May all glory be given to the Lord Jesus, the only truth, the only life, the only way. Amen