Transcended

Transcended, O how transcended! Who would have thought that an African village boy born into a belligerent polygamous family and raised in inner-city slums would ever develop a thriving scientific career around the globe? My mother, though uneducated, correctly predicted that godly fear, education, and self-control is the only avenue by which an indigent son can be lifted from poverty. We battled leaking roofs whenever it rained, and food was always scarce. There was no running water, electricity, or toilet. Our classrooms were dilapidated, overcrowded, and littered with broken furniture. There was no library, and students shared tattered textbooks with several missing pages. At night, we used kerosene-burning lanterns to study and complete homework. My weary-looking mother did every odd job in the world to be able to look after my six sisters and me with zero support from an egocentric husband. At some point, she was forced to sell her only prized Dutch wax print to pay for my high school fees. This is how my path to an academic career and scientific research began. Driven by faith in God, passion for global missions, and Christian higher education, the onetime village boy continues to change lives in America and beyond. This book captures the story of an African professor, scientist, and missionary.