A little ten year old boy played with his sister as the adults of his village attended to their chores. What happened that day would separate them forever – sending the young boy thousands of miles away from everything and everyone he had ever known. Kidnapped into slavery, Oladuah was forced to work for others. His life was no longer his own. Oladuah had lost everything. His country, his family, his freedom and even his name.

But although he was given other names by people who saw it as their right to own him, the ten year old boy eventually grew up and obtained his freedom. He claimed back his name in order to write his own memoir as part of the fight against slavery.

Oladuah Equiano may have been a child who lost everything, even his name – but he came to know the joy of forgiveness in Christ, and the true freedom that comes with trusting in Jesus’ name.