From Rastafarian to Christian preacher: one man's story of cutting off his dreadlocks and opening his heart to Jesus

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Making the decision to become a Christian can present many obstacles, not least if your family all share a different belief.

Overcoming such challenges was something that McKenhum Prendegast had to do when he chose to abandon the teachings of his Rastafarian upbringing for a Christian faith.

Prendegast, who was born and raised in Jamaica, told the Jamaica Gleaner: "I decided one day to tell my father I no longer wanted that [Rastafarian] life. Looking back into my past I realised going to church had already cemented my belief in Jesus and that it was just a matter of time for the decision to walk away."

The former Rastafarian had been to church during his younger years and it was there that he initially gained an understanding of Christianity.

His trust in Jesus surpassed that of his belief in the Rastafarian traditions and eventually he made the decision to cut off his dreadlocks - a spiritual custom in Rastafarianism.

"When I shared with him [my father] my decision to cut my hair there wasn't much words, but the ones that were spoken made it very clear how he felt about the decision.

"Inwardly I always trusted more in Jesus than I did in [Haile] Selassie and since Rastas used the Bible I was even more convinced it was OK to leave."

The 26-year-old has come a long way since he got baptised in June 2007 and is now studying at the Bethel Bible College.

Prendegast has travelled around the parishes in Jamaica to share the news of Jesus, and he hopes to one day travel the world to share with others that "Jesus saves, He keeps and He satisfies". However, even with his conversion to Christianity, Prendegast didn't initially think that he would become a preacher.

"It never dawned on me that God would use me to speak into people's lives. I believe He has called me at a time like this to share with people His love and miracles. It is my aim to preach to everyone I encounter using my life and the anointing God gives and to cause them to see him as Isaiah saw him 'high and lifted up'.

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