The cold in Russia was indescribable, especially coming from the humidity of Ghana. I would leave my beer and drinks outside the window - it was better than a fridge. Studying at the University of Moscow was exciting, especially at the time. I became a de facto DJ in the dorms and would play records of jazz and soul music for my friends. We had a small Ghanaian community in Russia and sometimes we would travel by train to Germany and by boat to the UK during the long holidays. I was studying there while America and Russia raced to put the first man on the moon. We had a cultural day and I wore my Kente cloth in the cold. They all appreciated the colorful Kente cloth but it was too cold! After my studies I returned to Ghana and met my wife, Theresa. We then moved to Yugoslavia so I could pursue my PHd at the Josef Stefan institute at Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia where I researched ways to reduce the large errors associated with neutron monitoring of radiation damage, which affects the fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessels. PHd was supervised by Prof. Mitja Najzer, who had connections in the International Development Programme, a department within the IAEA. After my doctorate we moved back to Ghana with one child and I worked at the Ghana Atomic Energy Agency as the Neutron Activation Analysis Laboratory Head, where I had previously worked as a researcher. Our Second daughter was born in Ghana before we relocated to Vienna, Austria where I started work as an Inspector at the International Atomic Energy Agency, where we had our son and where I spent the majority of my career. Our home in Vienna has been the longest place I have lived in. It has always been about family and nuclear.

My earliest childhood memories are staying with my grandmother. My grandmother was strict. She was more serious than my mother. Usually the grandmothers are less serious. That's funny. She would go to different villages. She sold groundnuts, shea butter and essential oils. One time she asked me to go with her. I said no. And then she asked me why. I told her that the last time I had gone with her she had an argument with a lady who owed her money. It was not a lot of money but it mattered to my grandmother. I told my grandmother she was spoiling her name in public. But for me, my grandmother was the best one. Because she would come to school if I said a teacher beat me. And my school was far! And she would ask the teacher why she beat me and she would argue with the teacher. I loved my father. To me my father was the best for my mother and for us. I remember Sunday after church he would make a huge salad. He often took us to the balcony and would ask us many questions like "who is your favorite teacher"? Sometimes he whispered to birds and they landed on his knees. My fondest memory of my mother was the sweets and bread she used to make. She puts the sugar in the pot and turns it into caramel. When she made bread, she would allow us to make our own shapes like a fish. And then give us Kraft cheese to put in and it would melt inside the bread. I really liked it. My parents were very generous. That is something I remember.

Many people lived with us when I was growing up. We had a big compound. We had different types of fruits and vegetables in our house. I remember my father would tie nets under the trees to catch the fruits as they fall. They would not fall to the ground. When they are ripe they fall into the net. Think about it. That's very smart. My father fought in the Boer War, so when he returned he came back with a lot of different fruits and vegetables from South Africa. The house was full of food. We even gave some to our neighbors. That's a big lesson I learnt from my parents and it fueled my love for gardening. I love gardening and eating fruits from my small farm. My parents were Catholics. My mother was very senior in the Catholic church. So when I was born again, she and my dad did not like it. My dad said I had forgotten my identity and my roots. I challenged this. I was learning that as a believer, I was grafted into the family of Abraham. I am Jewish in that way. Those are my new roots. I used to sneak into the bathroom to read my Bible because no one read the Bible in my house. I wanted to join the Scripture Union on Sunday afternoons but my mother said no. My mother was always afraid that someone would kidnap me or something. She tried to make sure our Sundays were busy so I could not go. She would make me cook and cook. It was very frustrating. I told myself one day when I have my own children how I take them to bible study myself.

The pivotal event during my teenage years was Scripture Union. I had an ulcer. My elder sister (Eugenia) was a nurse so when I had pain she would take me to the hospital and give me an injection. It would help me relax and sleep peacefully. So when I went to Scripture Union I went with my stomach issue. I had my first healing from Scripture Union. It was an Easter convention. We went to a convention and the speaker said you are here for a purpose and if you believe in God, He's able to set you free. I really didn't understand. During the break three people came to pray with me and they said do you believe that God can set you free from these troubles? I cannot remember their names but they prophesied so many things over me. After the programme, they took me to the dining hall and told me you are going to have lunch. As I was coming down the stairs and then I heard in my heart "you are healed from your ulcer." They gave me the food. It was spicy. And he said eat this sister. Previously, even the smell of cooking with lots of pepper would trigger my ulcer and I would collapse in pain. That day, I ate the food and was healed. It was really an amazing testimony that made me understand the miraculous power of healing. And I shared that testimony with all my family - especially my mother. That testimony at a young age gave me so much confidence in prayer.