Ian Sweetness had enough siblings to occupy his spare time, so he didn’t have to go out of his way to find friends. He had seven sisters and that didn’t include his brother.

“We loved each other as our parents had taught us to do. Both mom and dad had christian principles and we had to attend church which inspired our lives. I was a leader and when we (children) played Church, I was the pastor. I loved being pastor ’cause I wanted to be dominant and had good reason to say so.”

“There was a church right next to our house and I could feel the power of that pastor, like the rolling of thunder, proclaiming the gospel. We had to listen as he recited the ten commandments and the fear we had inside as he described Judgement Day with all that fire and brimstone upon sinners who had a chance to repent, but refused to do so.”

“We played Church in an open space at the back of our house. I would have a big Bible; my siblings the congregation. And as I read they would shout ‘AMEN! PRAISE THE LORD!’ and ‘HALLELUYAH!’ with all their might.”

“And there were times they would listen without a word as I prayed for the thieves and the backsliders, the fornicators and the prostitutes.”

Ian Sweetness would raise one of his daddy’s favourite songs which include these words:

“Jesus is the answer for the world today,
Above Him there is no other,
Jesus is the way”

Then, he moved on to:
“Have thine own way Lord,
have thine own way
Thou hath the potter,
I am the clay”

Ian Sweetness knew he had something special to woo the wider community.

“I had a different mission from other chidren who were playing Mommy and Daddy, and went the opposite way. Each morning we had family devotion before going to school, so we grew up knowing we got to thank God each morning to wake us up.”

Ian Sweetness schooldays were not all fun. Learn more as we will continue to move deeper into his journey.

(Photo contributed)