JANUARY 2013 Issue 227 40p GOOD NEWS STORIES www.newlife.co.uk

NEW LIFE

DAD TELLS OF MIRACLE RECOVERY

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A SMALL group of dedicated volunteers at a Kent church has raised a whopping £140,000 for char-ity.

Eight members of West Malling Baptist Church have generated the cash for Christian development organisation Rope through a series of fundraising events and appeals during the last seven years.

Their efforts have so far helped disabled children in South Africa, low-income families in Pakistan, provided educational training for prostitutes in the Democratic Republic of Congo and assisted alcohol-ics in Bolivia.

The group’s co-ordinator John Gledhill, a retired police officer, said: “In 2012 we set out to raise £16,000 but we raised almost £50,000. We do what we can do and then God sends the money in.

surprise“Recently, an old lady from our church said she

had a gift for us and she gave £15,000 much to everyone’s surprise.”

The group has held quiz nights, sponsored fit-ness challenges and they visit other churches shar-ing about Rope.

John added: “We had a couple in the church who were celebrating their diamond wedding anniver-sary but they said that they didn’t want gifts but for money to go to Rope. In the end they raised £450.

“I’m retired from the police but still go in and run training courses. Someone gave me a pink bag and made me go into work with it. I got some stick but raised £60 so it was worth it!”

I saw son come back from dead

Tot ‘drowned’ in poolby Becky Barlow

A PREACHER believes his son was raised from the dead after drowning in a swimming pool.

Daniel Massieh’s one-year-old boy Joshua had fallen into the water at a friend’s house.

Paramedics tried to re-suscitate the toddler for 45 minutes but pronounced him dead at the scene.

Daniel told New Life that as he prayed over his son’s ● Continued on Page 3

Joshua Massieh who had died after a swimming pool

accident. Top, his dad Daniel

Church group raises £140k!

Some of the church volunteers who raised the cash

HOLLYWOOD LEGEND DENZEL READS HISBIBLE DAILYA HAPPY & PEACEFUL NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS, ADVERTISERS AND SUPPORTERS

I’M ROOTED IN MY FAITH, SAYS REGGAE REGGAE ENTREPRENEUR

SEE CENTRE PAGES

The ABC of how you can become a Christian...

Admit that you have done wrongThe Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Believe that Jesus died so that you can be forgiven, and ask God to forgive you“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16); “If we con-fess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us” (1 John 1:9).

Commit yourself to living God’s wayJesus said: “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).Log on to www.lookingforgod.com for more help.

B

C

A

WORKING TOGeTheR TO BRING you The GOOd NeWS

NEW LIFEwww.newlife.co.uk

FOR EVERY READERDAILY INSPIRATIONAL BOOKcall 0845 6040401 or log on to www.ucb.co.uk

FREE

tune in New Life works in partnership with UCB (United Christian Broadcasters) who are now broadcasting

nationally on dAB radio. For great Christian music, discussion, chat, regular news bulletins and lots of fun, UCB is great, contemporary radio for the whole family. Listen on

dAB radio across the UK or online at www.ucbmedia.co.uk

explore ChristiAnity We’re also working with Alpha, the course that allows people to explore the Christian faith in a relaxed setting over ten thought- provoking weekly sessions. The courses are free and are usually run in the evening, and include a meal or refreshments. To find a course near you, see www.alpha.org

Find A ChurCh We’re also working with Find a Church, who run a brilliant website listing the details of more than 42,000 UK Christian churches.

Simply tap in your postcode for help to find a great church in your area.

the BiBle MAtters The Gideons are well known for their work distributing Bibles to schools, hospitals, hotels etc. If you want Jesus to make himself real in your life, and don’t have a Bible, the Gideons will be happy to provide you with a Testament completely free of charge.

LOG ON NOW: www.newlife.co.uk6 Issue 227NEW LIFENEW LIFE

Issue 227 7NEW LIFENEW LIFE

Life’s hot and spicy for Jamaican entrepreneur Levi Roots, whose famous Reggae Reggae sauce turned him into an overnight success. He talks to New Life about food, faith and the future

EVEN if you haven’t heard of Levi Roots, you probably have

heard of his ever-popular Reggae Reggae sauce.

The spicy barbecue relish was invented by the lively Jamaican, who lives with his family in Brixton, South London, and has become one of the nation’s favourite celebrity chefs af-ter gaining investment for his brand on BBC TV show Dragons’ Den.

Roots, 54, sold 4,000 bottles of Reggae Reggae Sauce at the Notting Hill Carnival in 2006. He later took his creation to a food trade show where he was advised by a BBC pro-ducer to audition for Dragons’ Den.

Following his TV appearance, Roots’ life changed forever.

He took the unusual step of sing-ing to the Den’s entrepreneurs before persuading Dragons Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh to invest £25,000 each in return for a 20 per cent stake each in his company.

Soon afterwards, supermarket chain Sainsbury’s announced they would be stocking the sauce in 600 of their stores and the product is now available in most British food shops.

AchievementsRoots claims the company is

worth a staggering £30 million and he recently went into partnership with KFC for the launch of their lim-ited edition Reggae Reggae burger.

The clever businessman, however, remains down to earth about his achievements.

“In my life I’ve met three very inspirational people who have really moved me,” Roots says.

“Bob Marley, who I played football with in Battersea Park. He was very good. He could have gone profes-sional. Nelson Mandela, who shaped my identity and inspired me spiritu-ally, and Peter Jones who, well, who found a celebrity in a sauce.”

Aside from those three inspira-tions, Roots also credits a higher power for his success. He is a com-mitted Christian who was happy to speak to New Life about his faith.

“Being from the Caribbean, I was sur-rounded by churches, so it is inevitable that I would have no choice but to be brought up in the faith,” he says.

“Without my faith I would not be where I am today. It has gotten me through some very rough times in my life.

“I tend to pray for others, for the wellbe-ing of mankind. And I pray for my friends and family.”

Roots was born Keith Valentine Graham in Content, Jamaica. The youngest of five, he lived with his grandparents

until he was 11, when his parents sent for him to join them in South London.

“When I arrived I was a bit shocked,” he remembers. “I had only met one white per-son in my life, and I couldn’t read or write. I excelled at climbing trees and making slingshots. My mum would take me to Tulse

Hill library, and I’d learn from Famous Five books,” he grins. “I couldn’t escape from being a ghetto kid.”

Roots joined the Coxsone Sound System as a teenager, writing songs in a Brixton squat, and travelling to dance halls with his records.

“I played in front of 50,000 people with James Brown. But life in Brixton back then was tense. The Sus laws (the stop-and-search law that permitted a police officer to act on suspicion) made sure of that.”

DRUGsAged 15 he was sent to Pentonville prison

for six months, charged with assault on a police officer. In 1986, police raided the youth club he ran, and he was sent down again for possession of drugs.

“Lying on my prison bed I did my think-ing. I left behind Keith Graham, and I be-came Levi Roots. I decided to do good.” This change of character was cemented in his

love for God. He regularly reads the Bible and sought the Scriptures before his famous appearance on Dragons’ Den.

“Psalm 23:1 says that the Lord is my shep-herd; I shall not want,” he smiles. “This is

the passage that I read over and over before I went on Dragons’ Den. I asked my mother to lend me the taxi fare to get to the BBC studios and she told me to go and read my Bible! I did just that and I have not wanted

since.” Roots admits he’s surprised that Reg-gae Reggae Sauce has boomed so much but he isn’t in the mood for slowing down.

When asked what his future plans are, he responds: “World domination! I’d like to grow the business internationally and retire to Jamaica.

“We have already launched the sauces in Jamaica and are looking at expanding to North America, Australia, Africa and Japan.

“I was always confident that it would be a success. I really believed that I had a unique product. I didn’t know it would be quite so successful though!”

And Roots’ advice to anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps and become a business high-flyer: “You need to

have a water-tight business plan. “It may change over time but you will al-

ways have it to refer to, to check that you’re on course. You have to believe in your idea or

no one else will. You also need to find a men-tor, someone who can steer you through the pitfalls associated with business; someone who has experience in a similar field.

“I am fortunate in that I have Peter Jones as my mentor. I have learned so much from working with him.

“If I didn’t have passion and self-belief, I wouldn’t have been able to overcome the problems that I faced along the way. All busi-nesses encounter difficulties and it’s your passion that will get you through.”

chURchAnd Roots is also quick to point his fans

in the direction of church.“The importance of attending church has

a lot to do with fellowship, which helps you to associate with the right people. As the Bible says, ‘Man should not live by bread alone.’”

Levi doesn’t – he lives by faith and has added some Reggae Reggae sauce too!

my life’s rooted in my faith

ENTREPRENEUR READ BIBLE PASSAGE BEFORE GOING INTO DRAGONS’ DEN

IN THE DEN... The Dragons Levi faced. Richard Farleigh, left, and Peter Jones, right, both invested £25,000 into Levi’s Reggae Reggae sauce business

MUSIC TO THEIR EARS... Levi famously sang as he entered the Dragons’ Den to

pitch for a £50,000 investment

DRAGON SLAYER... Levi Roots in his

kitchen. He originally sold Reggae Reggae

sauce, but his business has now developed into

a major brand with a range of food and other

products, right

The ABC of how you can become a Christian...

Admit that you have done wrongThe Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Believe that Jesus died so that you can be forgiven, and ask God to forgive you“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16); “If we con-fess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us” (1 John 1:9).

Commit yourself to living God’s wayJesus said: “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).Log on to www.lookingforgod.com for more help.

B

C

A

WORKING TOGeTheR TO BRING you The GOOd NeWS

NEW LIFEwww.newlife.co.uk

FOR EVERY READERDAILY INSPIRATIONAL BOOKcall 0845 6040401 or log on to www.ucb.co.uk

FREE

tune in New Life works in partnership with UCB (United Christian Broadcasters) who are now broadcasting

nationally on dAB radio. For great Christian music, discussion, chat, regular news bulletins and lots of fun, UCB is great, contemporary radio for the whole family. Listen on

dAB radio across the UK or online at www.ucbmedia.co.uk

explore ChristiAnity We’re also working with Alpha, the course that allows people to explore the Christian faith in a relaxed setting over ten thought- provoking weekly sessions. The courses are free and are usually run in the evening, and include a meal or refreshments. To find a course near you, see www.alpha.org

Find A ChurCh We’re also working with Find a Church, who run a brilliant website listing the details of more than 42,000 UK Christian churches.

Simply tap in your postcode for help to find a great church in your area.

the BiBle MAtters The Gideons are well known for their work distributing Bibles to schools, hospitals, hotels etc. If you want Jesus to make himself real in your life, and don’t have a Bible, the Gideons will be happy to provide you with a Testament completely free of charge.

LOG ON NOW: www.newlife.co.uk6 Issue 227NEW LIFENEW LIFE

Issue 227 7NEW LIFENEW LIFE

Life’s hot and spicy for Jamaican entrepreneur Levi Roots, whose famous Reggae Reggae sauce turned him into an overnight success. He talks to New Life about food, faith and the future

EVEN if you haven’t heard of Levi Roots, you probably have

heard of his ever-popular Reggae Reggae sauce.

The spicy barbecue relish was invented by the lively Jamaican, who lives with his family in Brixton, South London, and has become one of the nation’s favourite celebrity chefs af-ter gaining investment for his brand on BBC TV show Dragons’ Den.

Roots, 54, sold 4,000 bottles of Reggae Reggae Sauce at the Notting Hill Carnival in 2006. He later took his creation to a food trade show where he was advised by a BBC pro-ducer to audition for Dragons’ Den.

Following his TV appearance, Roots’ life changed forever.

He took the unusual step of sing-ing to the Den’s entrepreneurs before persuading Dragons Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh to invest £25,000 each in return for a 20 per cent stake each in his company.

Soon afterwards, supermarket chain Sainsbury’s announced they would be stocking the sauce in 600 of their stores and the product is now available in most British food shops.

AchievementsRoots claims the company is

worth a staggering £30 million and he recently went into partnership with KFC for the launch of their lim-ited edition Reggae Reggae burger.

The clever businessman, however, remains down to earth about his achievements.

“In my life I’ve met three very inspirational people who have really moved me,” Roots says.

“Bob Marley, who I played football with in Battersea Park. He was very good. He could have gone profes-sional. Nelson Mandela, who shaped my identity and inspired me spiritu-ally, and Peter Jones who, well, who found a celebrity in a sauce.”

Aside from those three inspira-tions, Roots also credits a higher power for his success. He is a com-mitted Christian who was happy to speak to New Life about his faith.

“Being from the Caribbean, I was sur-rounded by churches, so it is inevitable that I would have no choice but to be brought up in the faith,” he says.

“Without my faith I would not be where I am today. It has gotten me through some very rough times in my life.

“I tend to pray for others, for the wellbe-ing of mankind. And I pray for my friends and family.”

Roots was born Keith Valentine Graham in Content, Jamaica. The youngest of five, he lived with his grandparents

until he was 11, when his parents sent for him to join them in South London.

“When I arrived I was a bit shocked,” he remembers. “I had only met one white per-son in my life, and I couldn’t read or write. I excelled at climbing trees and making slingshots. My mum would take me to Tulse

Hill library, and I’d learn from Famous Five books,” he grins. “I couldn’t escape from being a ghetto kid.”

Roots joined the Coxsone Sound System as a teenager, writing songs in a Brixton squat, and travelling to dance halls with his records.

“I played in front of 50,000 people with James Brown. But life in Brixton back then was tense. The Sus laws (the stop-and-search law that permitted a police officer to act on suspicion) made sure of that.”

DRUGsAged 15 he was sent to Pentonville prison

for six months, charged with assault on a police officer. In 1986, police raided the youth club he ran, and he was sent down again for possession of drugs.

“Lying on my prison bed I did my think-ing. I left behind Keith Graham, and I be-came Levi Roots. I decided to do good.” This change of character was cemented in his

love for God. He regularly reads the Bible and sought the Scriptures before his famous appearance on Dragons’ Den.

“Psalm 23:1 says that the Lord is my shep-herd; I shall not want,” he smiles. “This is

the passage that I read over and over before I went on Dragons’ Den. I asked my mother to lend me the taxi fare to get to the BBC studios and she told me to go and read my Bible! I did just that and I have not wanted

since.” Roots admits he’s surprised that Reg-gae Reggae Sauce has boomed so much but he isn’t in the mood for slowing down.

When asked what his future plans are, he responds: “World domination! I’d like to grow the business internationally and retire to Jamaica.

“We have already launched the sauces in Jamaica and are looking at expanding to North America, Australia, Africa and Japan.

“I was always confident that it would be a success. I really believed that I had a unique product. I didn’t know it would be quite so successful though!”

And Roots’ advice to anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps and become a business high-flyer: “You need to

have a water-tight business plan. “It may change over time but you will al-

ways have it to refer to, to check that you’re on course. You have to believe in your idea or

no one else will. You also need to find a men-tor, someone who can steer you through the pitfalls associated with business; someone who has experience in a similar field.

“I am fortunate in that I have Peter Jones as my mentor. I have learned so much from working with him.

“If I didn’t have passion and self-belief, I wouldn’t have been able to overcome the problems that I faced along the way. All busi-nesses encounter difficulties and it’s your passion that will get you through.”

chURchAnd Roots is also quick to point his fans

in the direction of church.“The importance of attending church has

a lot to do with fellowship, which helps you to associate with the right people. As the Bible says, ‘Man should not live by bread alone.’”

Levi doesn’t – he lives by faith and has added some Reggae Reggae sauce too!

my life’s rooted in my faith

ENTREPRENEUR READ BIBLE PASSAGE BEFORE GOING INTO DRAGONS’ DEN

IN THE DEN... The Dragons Levi faced. Richard Farleigh, left, and Peter Jones, right, both invested £25,000 into Levi’s Reggae Reggae sauce business

MUSIC TO THEIR EARS... Levi famously sang as he entered the Dragons’ Den to

pitch for a £50,000 investment

DRAGON SLAYER... Levi Roots in his

kitchen. He originally sold Reggae Reggae

sauce, but his business has now developed into

a major brand with a range of food and other

products, right

Published by New Life Publishing Company, PO Box 777, Nottingham NG11 6ZZ. Tel 0115 824 0777. Printed by Yorkshire Web, Barnsley. Tel 01226 734410. New Life Newspaper is printed on 100% recycled paper.

LocaL contact detaiLs:

TOFFEES’ STOPPER SPEAKS OF HIS FAITH

KEEPER TIM IS IN SAFE HANDS

Published by New Life Publishing Company, PO Box 777, Nottingham NG11 6ZZ. Tel 0115 824 0777. Printed by Yorkshire Web, Barnsley. Tel 01226 734410. New Life Newspaper is printed on 100% recycled paper.

LocaL contact detaiLs:

SPURS forward Jermaine Defoe appears to be having his prayers answered as his renais-sance at the London club continues.

The 30-year-old has had no trouble find-ing the net this season and silenced his critics who thought the striker would leave White Hart Lane in the summer.

But his return to goal-scoring could well be the result of praying for help in raising his game, as Defoe, a Christian, gets on his knees every day.

faithHe said recently: “I pray every day, in the

mornings and before I go to bed. I think it’s important to pray, and not just when things are going bad.

“When things are going bad, it’s easy to pray and ask God to help you out, but it’s also important to pray when things are going well and show your appreciation.

“I think my faith is important. Being young, sometimes it’s difficult, but I’ve got a good family behind me as well.”

ONE of the Premiership League’s top goalkeepers is also a Christian who unashamedly admits that: “Knowing Jesus Christ is everything.”

Everton stopper Tim Howard, who has made more than 200 ap-pearances for the Toffees and has won 83 caps for the USA, revealed how he had made his decision to become a follower of Jesus.

He said: “I have a personal relationship with Jesus and, like any relationship, you have to work

on it every day. I came to a point in my life where I could no longer sit on the fence, talk about know-ing God or pretend I knew God. I wanted to live for him. I asked him into my heart.”

Tim has Tourette’s syndrome and can be prone to uncontrolled verbal outbursts and physical spasms.

PEaCEBut he explained it was his

grandmother’s faith that provided the youngster with a sense of peace, eventually leading him to Christ.

Speaking to sports ministry Athletes in Action, Howard said:

“I did not experience peace. But even though my life often seemed chaotic, I knew I could count on at least one person to provide calm and stability – my grandmother.

“Nana’s sense of peace was so powerful because it came from her faith in the Lord. Through her, God revealed his love for me as well. It wasn’t long before I was following in her footsteps. I wanted the same kind of faith and peace she had, and that is exactly what God gave me.”

Tim, 33, said he is ‘living the dream’ of being a professional soccer player. He added: “God has blessed me with the gift of ● Continued on Page 11

GRAN’S STRONG BELIEFS AND PEACE LED EVERTON MAN TO CHRISTIANITYby Matthew Murray

SEE PAGE

11

I FEEL BLESSED... Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard

YOUNG STAR... Raheem Sterling

Rugby giant’s joy with new club

Never on a Sunday for me

PRAYING... Jermaine

Defoe prays every day

SPORTNEW LIFE Resolution that’s

worth making!Former footy star offers advice

Defoe’s prayers being answered