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I am the youngest in the family of five. Both my parents are from the province of Batanes. I grew up in a family of devout Catholics. My father was authoritative, a disciplinarian and very religious. We always participate and oftentimes led the “padasal” and prayer for the dead in the compound where we lived. This influenced me to become religious as well. I regularly attended Sunday mass and in my high school days, I had my Wednesday novena after school at Immaculate Heart. I was in my third year in high school when I first heard the word “born again” when my classmate Alex told us about his spiritual birthday. Not knowing what he meant, I just smiled and soon forgot about it. It was after high school when Mon, my brother, encouraged me to read the Bible. I did but only for a while. When I was in 3rd year college, one of our professors, who always led the class in prayer before starting her lesson, invited us to attend a Bible study in the school chapel. Being religious and curious, I attended the gathering and found out many things about the group except how to be saved. It was a charismatic group called JIL or Jesus is Lord Fellowship. Once I attended their Life in the Spirit seminar and did not return for the other sessions. I also tried Corpus Christi but still I felt empty and was searching for something I did not know, until Ivy, my classmate, invited me to their church – Cornerstone Baptist Church at PhilAm Homes. After the service Cecille, a member of Cornerstone, explained to me about salvation, then she led me in prayer. Since then, I frequently attended the service and joined evangelistic nights. It was in one of this evangelistic night of June 1984, that I was greatly troubled by the thought of going to hell and so when I got home before going to bed I made sure that I accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. September 21, 1985, I decided to follow the Lord in water baptism. It marked the beginning of persecution in my Christian life and I stood my ground to prove to them that I did not make a mistake in my choice. I continued in the Lord and the time came when I could no longer deny God’s call to help in our Mission outreach in Villasis, Pangasinan. The decision was made in response to the invitation made by Pastor Jed B. Raquintan in the 2nd Missions Conference held in Cornerstone Baptist Church in Puzon Bldg. in E. Rodriguez Sr., QC. Pastor Jed gave me the opportunity to assist in the work. I went there every Friday afternoon after office work and returned to Manila every Sunday evening after their evening service. After a few years I was pulled-out from Pangasinan and a new assignment in Concepcion, Tarlac was entrusted to me. On June 16, 2007, I started the evangelization work at Concepcion. Edna Cabatit, the wife of our Deacon Alex together with their 2 kids, introduced me to her relatives. It was the first day of the children’s bible study. Later, Pastor Bebot Ragsac, who formerly handle the work came and introduced me to some of his Bible study groups. After that visit, I returned to those children and continued teaching them about God’s Word and His love for them. Since then more children have been added. The three groups of children’s Bible study are still on going. Their age ranges from 3 to 14 years old. Most of the older ones already profess to receive Christ as their Savior. In January 2008, I asked one mother if I could start a Bible study with her, and she agreed. I also asked her if I could invite another mother that I have met and so we visited and invited her. We then set the time and place to meet. Now, there are three mothers plus the addition of four young people. All of them profess to have received the Lord as their Savior. As God’s Word says in Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” |
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