EPISODE 01

CHICO

In this episode of 'The Backpack', we meet Australian Bahamian singer songwriter, Chico Johnson and hear his testimony of finding purpose.

For Chico, growing up on a tiny little island in the Bahamas was absolutely incredible. Harbour Island, three miles long, half a mile wide, everyone knew everyone. He was surrounded by the aqua Caribbean seas and life was filled with adventurous culture.  Much of his youth was spent in the church and experiencing the presence of God and knowing God is real was a feeling he remembers clearly.

It was his mother, his stepfather and eight children. A compact, crammed, tiny little house but it was joyous. They were a family that didn't have a lot but made do with what they had and most importantly, they stuck together. 

At the age of six things started to take a turn. After a catastrophic house fire, his family lost everything. Soon after Chico’s rock, his beautiful mother, fell incredibly unwell and passed away. 

Chico was fostered from house to house in the Bahamas before moving into a violent Ghetto in Florida with his brothers and one of his sisters. Overcoming poverty, depression and abuse Chicos continued fight for survival led to a heart of victory. The trenches that once stood as roadblocks in his life, led Chico to combine his passion with his pain to find his purpose. He soon discovered his gift was music, pursued it with everything he had and now lives a purpose driven life with his own beautiful family, teaching youth through music and film how they too can find their purpose.

EPISODE 02

BIANCA

Born with a very rare blood disease, Bianca used to be in constant need of blood transfusions until she was 35.

Her condition has had a tremendous impact on her, as not only has it complicated her everyday life, but it has also made her very prone to sickness.

The most critical moment for her health was when, after her ex-husband's passing, Bianca suddenly felt really sick. She was taken to the hospital and fell into a coma, from which she woke up two months later, having an amputated leg. But God didn’t leave her alone during that hardship. He instead showed her heaven.

Bianca's near-death experience taught her that God is good and real. In the Backpack, she tells us her story: ‘I’ve been to heaven and I’ve felt the love of God, and I was a brand new person after that. It was the greatest, most euphoric experience of my life.’

EPISODE 03

BILLY

Billy has an unconventional, faith-filled story to share.

God has saved Billy's life multiple times. He saved him from a dangerous tumour, then from a tragic accident, and last but not least, from his dangerous addiction to pornography.

Ever since, God has been using Billy's life in the most creative ways. Having a past in the biker scene, Billy is a perfect example of a vessel that God has used to reach even the most broken people, in the most unusual places.

Inspired by the intimate practice that sharing food had been for the Jews in the Bible, Billy became a cook. Since then, he has been able to reach people and open their hearts to Jesus through the deeply hospitable process of sharing food with them. He finds that there's something really intimate and powerful about sharing a table with someone.

As he tells us in this moving episode of 'The Backpack', "there's nothing that God can't redeem!"

EPISODE 04

NALINI

Throughout her life, Nalini has experienced the depths of God’s love and care.

‘God took me through hell and back to be able to come out the other side and tell people that His love is real.’ Growing up in Zimbabwe, Nalini always dreamt of introducing people to the love of Jesus through music. When she was 18, she moved to London to pursue her dream. After a few months she started having health problems. It turned out she was seven months pregnant. Nalini's dreams were shattered. ‘I felt like I was beyond redemption.’ But God was not done with her yet...

Years later, she and her family joined a church again. It was there that she found healing and restoration through the Holy Spirit, and she became the new worship leader. But the church leader soon turned out to be a manipulative man. That had a deep impact on Nalini. ‘It got to a point where I was actually suicidal.’ But God intervened again. ‘God literally, in his grace and mercy, plucked us out of that situation. Within seven months we had moved to Australia’.

When she was about to release an album, her son suddenly fell very ill. It was the beginning of months and months of hospital visits and insecurity. And when he was finally declared clear, things only got worse…