GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

William Augustus Brooks, 83, has spent the past 36 years serving as a deacon at the Santa Hill New Testament Church of God in Clarendon. However, he has spent most of his life serving God, having converted to Christianity 58 years ago, in 1954, at the age of 25.

"Before I got saved I was a very jovial youngster. I used to love everybody, I shared with everybody; and everyone used to look at me and said to me that they believe I could help them. I used to outline to them and showed them the right from the wrong; and so on. Everybody just looked up to me and had a lot of respect for me before I got saved," testified Deacon Brooks.

Brooks who served as a district constable with the Christiana police, said he was a stern constable who did not send anyone to jail, because he rather used the strategy of cautioning persons who appeared to be in breach of the law or were about to breach it.

"They mostly had me in the market in Christiana, but one thing I knew, I was very strict against smoking in the market. If any at all you were smoking in the market, you had to look out because I would have been coming after you. So it did not matter who those persons were in the market, once they were smoking and they heard I was coming, they would throw their cigars away," said Deacon Brooks.

Brooks' life as a Christian is said to be wonderful. He told Behind the Pulpit that there is no life better than one that is lived for Christ. He said, when one lives for the Lord, he or she becomes disciplined, gains respect and, in return, gives respect to others.

"As a Christian, people look up to you for a clean life; and I try my utmost best to walk before people as a light. Jesus says 'Ye are the light of the world'. As a Christian, one is not only a light but is also a city; because Jesus also says 'Ye are a city on a hill which cannot be hid', because your light keeps shining and others keep looking on you," said Brooks.

Deacon Brooks said the work he does as a deacon for God helps him to gain victory. He added that the years he has served in his current capacity have seen him visiting the Percy Junor Hospital where he offers prayer for the sick and health personnel.

"Doctors at the hospital gain and give respect, nurses there as well gain, and they give respect to me," said the church deacon.

He related an instance where he was riding a bicycle going to the town of Spalding in Clarendon to purchase an item. Brooks said, when he reached the hospital's gate, a nurse called him to say that there was a case which doctors had given up on, and asked him to go by the ward to see what he could do.

He reported that he obeyed the request of the nurse and went to the maternity ward. Brooks stated that, on reaching the doorway, the Spirit of God barred him with a hand, and told him the he could not enter the ward like that because women were there who would be exposed.

The church deacon noted that he obeyed the voice and called to a nurse, asking that she go and arrange that the women there would not be exposed to his eyes. After that was done, Brooks said he entered the ward.

"When I went into the ward, I saw the woman who was having the difficulty. She was lying down as if she was dead. Her eyes were just turning over and she was there gasping for breath. It happened that I just laid my hand on her head and was praying and, immediately, I felt some water from her head started wetting my hand," reported Brooks.

He said, when that started to happen, he started to use that same water to anoint the woman and she started to be set free. Brooks pointed out that he took a few steps from her bedside and was about to walk through the door of the ward; and just as he was about to step through the door the woman gave birth.

"When the nurse heard the baby make a sound, she cried out 'Jesus Christ is what you went in there and did with the woman?' Deacon Brooks said he turned to her and said she should not ask him any question but that she should go and consult God about, it because it was not him who did it, it was the Lord.

He stated that, after that, the nurse called him back into the ward. When Brooks went, he said the face of the baby was turned backwards with a sheet of blood like a towel wrapped around its neck. Brooks said he asked the nurse for a towel, which he used to remove the blood, cleaned off the baby and then told the nurse not to put that towel in the laundry, but to have it destroyed.

"I then asked God not to allow the baby to be deformed, and I asked God to fix him up. I then saw when the baby's head spun around like an axle and went into its rightful position. When I went back to the hospital a day later, I heard a doctor say to a nurse that he heard that a man visited the hospital and performed a miracle. I hid my face before I went to the doctor who called me and told me he heard that it was me. He then said to me 'God bless you', said Brooks who continues to visit the hospital to give assistance in prayer.

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