My name is Albert Tonye, and I am excited to receive ministry life coaching training at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). A Cameroonian living in Abuja-Nigeria since 2013. I am married to Evelyn. We have three children. Actually, I am a French language teacher and a Sunday School teacher in a local church. I was rescued and saved by God to serve Him. This is my story.
My Youth
I was born in Cameroon in 1985. The last born of a family of six, I am the only son. I was four when my father died. My mother, accused by her in-laws of killing her husband, was sent out of our house with all of us. Without our father, our only support, life became hard. Seeing my mother and sisters doing all sorts of things for us to have a meal every day is something I can never forget.
My mother was a Protestant who wasn’t going regularly to church. We were going to church only on rare occasions like Christmas or Easter. We had regular family devotionals where we mostly praised and worshiped God with songs and prayer. At age 12, I lost two of my sisters in a mysterious way. I was the only one going to school because my mother couldn’t afford to pay school fees for all of us.
Challenges
Years later, I got admission to study chemistry at the university in September 2005. It was one of the rare moments of celebration in the family. In January 2006, my mother died. A few months later, the elder of the family died too. My world crumbled. For more than 5 months, I didn’t go to school. I wanted to die and didn’t want contact with anybody. I became alcoholic, rebellious, living in bitterness and sorrows. To please my sisters, who were devastated by the situation, I returned to school. I drank more and added smoking and fornication.
In 2008, after I miraculously survived a train accident, I knew that God is real. He wanted me to be alive. After any sinful act, I could hear a voice, asking me: “When are you going to stop doing this?” I didn’t know how to stop. I was not happy with the way I was living.
Saved by Grace
Then, I met one of my father’s relatives. She told me stories about how my dad helped her. She gave me support and advice. One day, she invited me to know her house. The day I went to her house there was a church service going on in the parlor. Being very skeptical about Pentecostal churches, I decided to stay outside and wait till the end of the service. Sitting outside, I felt peace of mind during the praise and worship ministration. The sermon was just for me. I was surprised how the preacher could say with precision what was happening to me. He said that Jesus is the solution to all my problems. That day, I gave my life to Christ. I got baptized and decided to stay with my aunt.
Ministry Dream
In 2009, I was a Christian full of zeal for the kingdom’s advancement. I enrolled in an e-mail Bible Study Course. Also, I was part of an evangelism program in some villages using football to spread the love of God and His redemption plan through Jesus Christ.
In 2010, after getting my degree in Chemistry, I started teaching Math and Physics in a secondary school. I did this to support my sisters and save money to enroll in a Master’s Degree program. After two years, someone offered me a job in Nigeria as a French Teacher, with a Master’s Degree program fully paid by the school once I learned English. However, after 6 months, the school ended my contract for security reasons without any compensation. I was about to go back to Cameroon when, in a crusade where I was invited to translate, God revealed to me the purpose of my life. I am to help people to get out of poverty and bondage using the Word of God through free coaching. That is my spiritual dream.
Ministry Life Coaching Training at CLI
After I married, I was looking for a way how I can use the Word of God in coaching. I went to a Bible school. The coaching training I found was expensive and not based on God’s Word and principles. Then, I found Christian Leaders Institute “accidentally” while I was searching online. I couldn’t believe that they offer ministry life coaching training and Biblical study. That was an answer to my prayers! The free scholarship is just a big help for me since paying for the courses and taking care of my family both here and in Cameroon will definitely be challenging for me.
God brings me here to learn so I can serve efficiently. Learning at CLI is a privilege. Thank you and God bless you all!
