Ms S. A. Christopher, affectionately known as Sahsjah, was born on the 24th of December 1970 in the twin island Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis.
She was baptized in the Saint- Anne Anglican church.
At the tender age of 11, she migrated to the neighbouring island of St. Eustatius, where she was placed in the care of the van Putten- Houtman ‘s family who were Methodist.
In 1988 she was confirmed and received into the full membership of the Bethel Methodist Church on the island.
In 1991 she migrated to the island of Curacao to purse her studies in Nursing which she successfully completed in 2000 and remained on the island until 2003 in order to gain working experiences before migrating to The Hague in The Netherlands to specialize in her nursing career.
She holds bachelor degrees in the following areas:
Drugs counselling, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in addiction and Family therapy and works at a Psychiatric hospital for double diagnosis as a registered nurse specialize in psychiatry and addiction for the crisis team in the above mentioned areas.
Sahsjah is a single mother of two adult children, one son and one daughter.
Her journey towards becoming a preacher started at a very young age when she would attend any Pentecostal Sunday School, while residing on the twin island federation of St. Christopher and Nevis and taking part in different activities at their churches.
Every Sunday she listened to the preaching of Shambach and the biographical story programme Unshackled, which she dramatized in school and at youth groups. These 2 specific programes piqued her interest of becoming a preacher.
After moving to St. Eustatius, and attending The Methodist Church, her dream waned. At her tender age, she did not find the church lively enough and she only tugged along because it was a must.
From her point of view, there was no one there to be her mentor and no one whose life she wanted to mirror.
The desires started to return when she started music classes with the late Ann-Lee Knoblock, joined the Young Adults Group and The 1st St. Eustatius Girls ‘Brigade.
Somewhere along the process, she felt the “aha moment”. It was when The Methodist Church had open air revival services. She can remember Rev’d Livingston Malcolm conducting the services. She called him, “The small man with the big voice”. He was the one that sparked her motivation. She thought, “ if he’s so short and he can do it, I can do it too”.
While living on Curacao, she took part in various activities at the Barrett Memorial Methodist Church. She was an active member of the young adult praise and worship team and The Barett Youth MovementGroup.
Despite personal, emotional, medical and other setbacks, the grace of the Lord allowed her to make a comeback everytime.
In May 2017 during the tenure of Rev’d Dr. Keith B. Lewis, the then Superintendent Minister of the Holland Circuit, is when she was reinstated as a member in good standing.
On Sunday, December 29th 2019, she was taken by the hand and led to the back of the Rotterdam’s Methodist church by a lady with a bright pleasant smile, to find out afterwards it was her New Suprintendant minister The Rev’d Dr Joan Del-Sol- Meade, where she was told, “The Spirit told me that I need to speak to you as a potential candidate for leading worship and preaching in the church”. She stood in shock, then answered, “ I am appointed for the so many times, now I feel anointed, I won’t run anymore”.
There is where her journey begun.
As she travels this journey, paved with her personal motto: “Feed my faith and starve my fear”, may God keep shaping her and be her focus. Grant her the strength to stay firm in the Lord to do the work he has called her to do. Lord mold her and shape her into your image. Amen.