'When I asked God if he was Allah, I heard a voice reply "I am Jesus Christ"'

Ruqayyah Valencia-Dacosta struggled with anxiety and depression leading to a suicide attempt. But an encounter with the love of God took her from Islam to Christianity

I was raised in a Muslim family in Birmingham. Both my parents had been Christians but converted to Islam before I was born. I went to Islamic schools within a large Caribbean Muslim community. However, my teen years were rebellious. I hung out with the wrong crowd, causing conflict with my mum.

I became depressed and, at the age of 18, attempted suicide. I was just about to take the tablets when I heard a voice saying: “There is so much more to your life, you cannot do this. You are destined to help people beyond what you can even imagine.” That stuck with me. I realised that I had a purpose.