FINDING A NEW FAMILY.
After almost one year of moving to a new place, a voice inside me was telling me to find a Church nearby. I have not attended any Church gathering anymore or worship with our fellow Christians.
I searched online the Churches, any Christian sect and their addresses.
And I saw one Christian sect that is more truer to what was written in the Holy Scriptures.
So the following day, as early as 7am, I just rode a tricycle and went there.
I passed by the first Big Church at the front of the road, and it's a NO for me.
I did not choose to enter into it.
I continued walking until I arrived at a smaller Church.
It was still closed, no one arrived yet. I guessed I was too early.
So I searched for a place to standby as I waited for it to open, and I saw a store nearby with a simple bench to sit on.
After a few moments, a red car arrived, and a man went out with his wife.
And slowly, a few people came around as well and they entered one by one inside the Church. So, I decided to stand up and slowly walked towards them as well.
As I entered the gate, I saw old people at first, one of them was a gray-haired woman, short hair. She immediately smiled at me, greeted me and gave me a firm shake hand. Other old women greeted me as well and shake hands with me. Next, I told them, straightforwardly, in a polite manner, that I was new in there and totally a non-member of their group.
The elders just smiled and welcomed me as a VISITOR in their Church.
It's a coincidence that it's the first weekend of April 2024; they have a gathering- other branches were there (quarterly).
Before that day, I had that prophetic dream where I entered a place, and saw a man wearing a white long sleeve and he gave me a white gown like the DOCTOR's. And as I woke up, I said to myself that it was a sign, a go signal for me to proceed to my plan.
And as I entered the Church, I saw a young man wearing a white long sleeve - it was similar to the dream I had the night before it happened. Their normal gesture is to shake hands and greet you with a smile.
They welcomed me and acknowledged my presence to everyone.
Around lunchtime, they invited me for lunch and it was impolite to decline so I joined with them, giving me a plate and spoon, and just ate with them in their potluck lunch.
They discussed to me everything, and let me observe their practices before making any decisions. They wanted me to attend their fellowships first for many weeks, and making me sure if I really want to join or not, it's not force, it's voluntary.
As I sat there, listening to their sharings, with a few members, I heard the male voice, the LORD telling me this, "FROM NOW ON, JOIN HERE..."
...and I heard the same voice telling me, "...if you want you could invite your friends as well."
I was already decided to join in no matter, however, the group wanted me to attend first a few sessions before doing the BAPTISM.
Inside me was telling, 'there's no shortcut for everything'.
So I waited, after one month, I was baptised May 2024.
by A. Patino