I was born in the east part of Germany in 1979, in a non-believing family. I was baptized by tradition, and somehow in first grade I began to go to a weekly Christian teaching for kids. I’m amazed now, that though there was nothing Christian in my family life, I was still able to go to this place and hear the bible stories and now when I read them I am so glad that they are already familiar to me.
How I came to play the guitar: When I was twelve years old, I was looking around in the attic and I found a small guitar; it had belonged to my father when he was a child, but he had to stop playing because of a sickness. I took it down from the attic and asked my parents if I could have lessons. No one in my family was musical and guitar lessons at the music school were very expensive, so my parents said no because I had already started many other hobbies that cost money but I had lost interest in. Then my mom got the idea that maybe someone at the church could give me guitar lessons for free. Eventually we found the youth group leader of the church, who played the guitar and really wanted to give me lessons. So he taught me and I learned my first worship songs. After one year, the youth leader moved away. I asked my parents again if I could take guitar lessons and this time they said yes because they saw that I was really interested. Altogether, I had lessons for eight years and I consider this a great gift.
How I became a Christian: Fom the age of 12 to 14, I went to confirmation instructions at the church with a group of about 15 teenagers. The pastor’s instructions were not really about living your life for Christ though, rather how to behave and what to know as a Christian. After we were confirmed, all of us started going to the church’s youth group, but after about three weeks, many of us lost interest and stopped going. I was away from the church for about a year. The following summer, the youth group invited everyone to a big party and I went. After this I started going to the youth group again.
In the winter our youth group went to a youth retreat for a time of teaching about the Holy Spirit. I knew about God, and I knew about Jesus, but I had never heard of the Holy Spirit. The leader even asked me as we were considering the topic for the retreat, “Daniel, do you know who the Holy Spirit is?” and I said “yes.”…But I did not.
Even after the retreat I did not have a personal relationship or commitment with Jesus Christ yet. I knew about Him, but I did not know Him and was not living for Him. As a teenager I was committed to many things: sports, guitar lessons, a band, youth group and school. All these things were not bad, but they took the time away from me that I could have spent with Jesus. I was really living for myself. The circumstances in my life, such as the children’s Christian teaching, confirmation, and youth group, did not lead me to become a Christian, but I can see now the Holy Spirit was working through these things to draw me to Himself.
My becoming a Christian was stretched over time. I don’t remember the day that I gave my life to Christ, but there was a time that I started to live out what I had been taught all the years growing up. It was like a flowing process to give my life to Jesus, first 20%…40%…80%…then 100% --yes I wanted to live my life radically for Jesus! When I see that the Holy Spirit pulled me to Himself, I often ask, ‘why me?’ because I was one out of about 15 other teenagers who went to the Christian teaching, confirmation and youth group, but most of them also really were not believers and continued to live their own life. I am so amazed when I see the Holy Spirit really led me to know Jesus and live for Him. I am really thankful.
Joining the Anastasis: After graduation from high school, I completed the one-year requirement of civil service in our hometown hospital, and then was trained for three years as a carpenter. During this time I was really living for Jesus and grew in worship and in the Word. After this time, a close Christian friend heard about Mercy Ships and had a vision that I should apply. She even got the application for me. A lot of things fell into place that gave me confirmation that I was to go to the Mercy Ship. About three months later, I joined the Anastasis in Sierra Leone, West Africa. One confirmation was: Because I was just a carpenter in training, I did not get a good income, but still had to pay my living expenses, so I did not have the money on my own to pay the monthly cost of living on the Ship. But gradually, God put people around me who offered to give support monthly. And even on the last day before I left, God provided the final amount that completed my expenses to the Ship.
Present ship life: I work as a carpenter in the Renovations Department, which is understaffed right now, so sometimes it gets very busy. After work hours and in my off time I minister with the Wobble Worship Team in the Outreach Department.
Thank you for reading my testimony and I would very much appreciate your prayers.
God bless you!
Daniel Scherf
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