Part 5: Crashing a Baptism

By Andrew McChesney

The day of Junior’s baptism arrived. Five people, including Junior, were to be baptized at 4 p.m. at Alpha Seventh-day Adventist Community Church in Manaus, Brazil. “I won’t go,” Father said. “Drive me to the temple.”

On the way to church, Mother wondered out loud whether Father might still show up in his high priestly robes from the Candomblé temple. “I don’t care if Father comes in all his robes,” Junior said. “I’ll accept him.”

At the church, Pastor Ricardo announced that Junior would be baptized first and invited him to share his story as he stood near the baptismal pool. Junior told how he was bullied at school and his classmate Clifferson had invited him to a video gamers club that sang about Jesus and discussed the Bible. When Junior finished, he waded into the baptismal pool and turned around to look at the congregation. At that moment, Father, wearing his high priestly robes, entered the sanctuary. Mother burst into tears. “He’s here,” she said. “He said he wouldn’t come, but he’s here.”

Heads turned to look at the back of the hall. Mother prayed silently, and church members familiar with Father’s work also prayed. Others stared in amazement at Father’s flowing robes. Everyone treated him with respect.

A church deacon stood beside Father, greeting him. “Welcome, Eduardo!” sai

d the deacon, Roberto Fernandez. “We were waiting for you. Come!” He led Father to the baptismal pool, where Junior was waiting to be baptized.

A million thoughts filled Junior’s mind. “God planned everything,” he thought. “No one knew in advance that I would be baptized first, and Father arrived just as I entered the pool. God’s plans are perfect!”

Each of the five baptisms was supposed to take 10 minutes, but Junior’s lasted an hour. Several friends from the video gamers club stood up to praise God for Junior’s decision and to encourage him to be faithful. Pastor Ricardo asked the Pathfinders to sing, and everyone joined in.

As Junior came out of the water, the Pathfinders joyfully waved their yellow scarves. Junior, dripping wet, hugged Father. “Daddy, despite your religion, I love you very much,” he said. Looking at the audience, he added, “I thank you for being here. But most of all I thank my father for being here.”

Then Father addressed Junior. “Son, I accept your religion because many supernatural things have happened,” he said. “I have kept you away from my religion this whole time, and I didn’t want you to become involved in any religion. However, I accept your religion because I sense a supernatural energy right now. I only hope that my own path to Jesus isn’t painful.”

As the family got into the car afterward, Father said, “This is such a nice place, and the people are so nice.“ He was beaming with joy.

Your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help open eight churches in the South American Division, including four in Brazil, where Father (Eduardo Ferreira dos Santos) and his family live.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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Further Thought:

Read Ellen G. White, “The Test of Faith,” Pages 145-155 in Patriarchs and Prophets; “Praise Ye the Lord,” Pages 315-319 in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

“God has always tried His people in the furnace of affliction. It is in the heat of the furnace that the dross is separated from the true gold of the Christian character. Jesus watches the test; He knows what is needed to purify the precious metal, that it may reflect the radiance of His love. It is by close, testing trials that God disciplines His servants. He sees that some have powers which may be used in the advancement of His work, and He puts these persons upon trial; in His providence He brings them into positions that test their character … . He shows them their own weakness, and teaches them to lean upon Him … . Thus His object is attained. They are educated, trained, and disciplined, prepared to fulfill the grand purpose for which their powers were given them.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, Pages 129, 130.

“If in the providence of God we are called upon to endure trials, let us accept the cross and drink the bitter cup, remembering that it is a Father’s hand that holds it to our lips. Let us trust Him in the darkness as well as in the day. Can we not believe that He will give us everything that is for our good? … Even in the night of affliction how can we refuse to lift heart and voice in grateful praise, when we remember the love to us expressed by the cross of Calvary?” — Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 316.

Discussion Questions:

<–Thursday

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