By Mark Joeverth Rafael Zamora

Manila, Jan 21, 2020: Religion is the world’s most powerful organization that divides humanity.

The majority of our family members practice the Islamic faith. For my parents, it was the only way to salvation.

My father was the most devout Muslim in our family. He always read the Qur’an and other Islamic books; prayed five times a day, and observed holy feasts. My parents believed that devotion to the mighty Allah would lead us to salvation.

But I have a different story. It was January 27, 2017, when my friend invited me to attend a Bible study held by the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ).

In my curiosity, I accepted her invitation and that was the best decision I have made in my life.

At that time, my mom and my brother lived in Singapore, and my dad worked in the Middle East. I was able to listen to the Bible studies without their hindrance.

Learning new things from the Bible

I wholeheartedly listened to the preaching of the minister and in my amazement, I immediately decided to become a Bible student. I took 25 lessons to finish the Bible discussions, which contains the biblical doctrines fundamental to the church.

After the studies, I became a candidate for baptism. I thought that converting to the Church was easy, but it was not. I attended worship services every Thursdays and Sundays, without my parents knowing.

It was my grandmother who knew first about my conversion to the Church. She told me not to continue what I was doing because people say it is a false religion.

I insisted to continue and practice my right to choose my religion. I secretly attended worship services just to be qualified for baptism.

As months went by, I received threats and messages about my conversion. Some of my friends and even my teachers told me not to do this. They say that I did not know what I was doing and this would just lead me to harm.

It was challenging for me to convert. But I know that it would happen for God prophesied that challenges were to come and I have to overcome those.

With the help of my brethren in faith, I was able to finish six months of waiting. I was baptized on July 29, 2017, and I celebrated not with my family, but with my church friends.

Seeking the only One True God

I found peace in the church, I found God, I found guidance, and the most important, and I found the way to salvation. But this was just the beginning of challenges that awaited me,

My dad came home and I did not know what his reaction would be to my conversion. I knew he would be mad if I admitted my conversion.

But he was not. He accepted my decision and respected me as if nothing had changed in our family. I burst into tears and thanked God for his love and for letting my father understand my situation.

I prayed to God and asked him to help me convince my father to join Christianity. I want him to experience the peace I have received.

After a year, my dad met a road accident that broke his leg.

He was brought to the hospital but we could not afford the surgery that cost around US$80,000. He was taken to healers but nothing happened. He was frustrated and depressed.

God’s answer to my prayer

I asked God, “Why did you let this happen? I had prayed for his conversion but why give him pain?”

Little did I know that this was God’s answer to my prayer.

One morning, my father, walking with crutches enduring the pain, sat beside me. He said that he could not find Allah anymore in his life. He hugged me crying and whispered, “Son, if you will go to your church next Thursday, please take me there.”

I was astounded with what I heard and I hugged him and thanked God for His mercy!

We came to the church and I saw the joy on his face. At that moment, I contacted a minister to hold a Bible study in our house. And again, I prayed to God that my father would be able to finish the Bible studies and be soon a candidate for baptism.

God answered my prayer with a surprise. My sister followed my father into the Church. I cried with joy.

What a blessing for us! My dad and my sister were baptized in the Grand Baptism held at the Philippine Arena, September 7, 2019.

At first, I was alone, then my dad came, and my sister joined. We are now together, worshiping the only one true God and hoping that we would be able to uphold our Christian life inside the Church of Christ.

Even my father is disabled; he never let his disability stop him from worshiping God.

Taking care of our divine election, we vow to remain faithful Christians, following God’s commandments as we complete the race that God has set before us.

(Mark Joeverth Rafael Zamora is a journalism student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Manila. His mother is an Indian and father a Filipino.)