Mauritian soldier David Thomas

Before becoming a police officer, soldier, and father, David Thomas’ fear-filled questions as a boy gave him the foundation he needed.

Who am I, where do I come from, what is my purpose on earth, what happens after I die, and where is the true God?

These are just some of the questions David had as a young confused boy in a mixed religious background — born to a mother of Eastern religion and a father who followed Western traditional religion.

“Since a little boy I had always wanted to know the truth,” says David. “But as I read various religions none of my questions were answered. For years, I was frustrated and afraid of death.”

When David was still young, his father became seriously ill, which prompted his mother to search for spiritual answers.

“My mother heard about the good news of Jesus Christ and went to a Christian conference, where she heard that Jesus could forgive all our sins and had power over all sickness.”

“She placed her faith in the Lord Jesus and asked Jesus to heal my father. Amazingly my father was healed.

“Soon my father had also left his religion to follow Jesus, because, as Jesus said, He is the only way, truth and life, there is no other way to God the Father” (see John chapter 14, verse 6John chapter 14, verse 6).

As his mother began taking him along to church, David says his desperation and fears about the future gave way to peace.

“I began reading the Bible and I immediately found all the answers to my questions. God touched me through His word and teaching.

“God showed me that Jesus Christ alone is the way, the truth and the life. I realised the evil condition of my heart and life before God, as Romans chapter 3, verse 23Romans chapter 3, verse 23 says: “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

“Then, as I read Romans chapter 3, verse 23Romans chapter 3, verse 23, I discovered that ‘the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

A few chapters later, David discovered how to accept this free gift in chapter 10 of the same book.

“As Romans chapter 10, verses 9 and 10Romans chapter 10, verses 9 and 10, reveals to us how we might be saved; ‘…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and you believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness [through faith in Jesus], and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.’

It was obvious what he had to do. As David adds, “I confessed Jesus is Lord, the King of my life and the one who took the punishment for my sin, and I believed that God raised Him from the dead.”

When he did this David says he became a new person in Jesus Christ, forgiven of all his sin and assured of an eternal home with God.

“Since then God has renewed my mind, keeping me from temptations that would destroy my life,” David says.

“The Word of God says in Proverbs that the good fear of the Lord preserves us from temptation. The way to keep honouring the Lord is to remain in prayer and meditate on His Word every day.”

After serving his country of Mauritius in the police force, he then entered the military.

“I serve Mauritius as a soldier, but I also serve God, the Lord of hosts, and I am an assistant pastor in my local church.”

David is married to Stephany, with whom he says he has been blessed with two boys, Matthew, age 12, and Adriel, age 6.

“I have a happy marriage and my family and I are serving the Lord,” David says.

“Finally I would like to say, like King David in the 103rd Psalm, ‘Bless the Lord, oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name. I will never forget all His benefits for He forgives all my sins and has healed me.’”