Rita, Joab, Natalia, Caroline, Nadine, Layane, and Valda, right after their baptism.

The 14th of September, 2011 is a very special date for me. I was in my room praying to God because I realized that if I didn’t have Him in my life, I would have nothing. And so I asked The Lord Jesus to come into my life. He did! And He changed everything. Today I can say that I am happy because I have The Lord Jesus as my Savior. Today I am making a big commitment to Him, by being baptized.

I was saved when I repented of all my sins and all the awful things I had done and accepted Jesus as my Savior. Before Him, I didn’t have a heart, I had a stone in the place of my heart. When Jesus entered my life everything changed. Today I am made new in Christ Jesus.

I was seven years old when I accepted Jesus as my Savior. I remember being so afraid that The Lord would return and my parents would go to heaven and I would be left behind. I was sitting in Gospel meeting, when the preacher read a verse that grabbed my attention:

Jesus said, “It is finished!”(John 19:30 NASB)

These were the last words of The Lord Jesus on the cross. I realized, right then, that everything was done for me and I accepted Him as my Savior. I’m so thankful to God that He saved me from Satan’s grasp 11 years ago!

When I was 16, I was in my house at night, looking for a book. I found a card that had the verse Romans 10:9 on it.

“If you confess with your mouth The Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

I already knew that verse, but when I was reading the card, it seemed like The Lord Jesus was speaking personally to me. (Go Natalia, confess with your mouth what your heart believes.) So in that moment I accepted Jesus as The Lord and Savior of my life and from that moment my life was changed. Thank You God for giving Your Son to die for my sins. Thank You God for letting me obey and testify this today.

Three years ago my mom was pregnant and the pregnancy was high risk. Every day I asked God for all to go well. On the 12 of December 2011, my sister was born, healthy and strong, against all odds. I thanked God and put my life in His hands. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior that very day and cried many tears. From that very day, my whole life has changed. God has blessed me so much and reminds me of His care for me. Every time I look at my sister, I remember the day that I was born into the family of God. Today and forward I will never be without Him.

Two years ago, I accepted Jesus, as the Savior of my life, because I believed that He died on the cross for me, and carried all my sin. Because of Him, I am accepted by God. Today the Holy Spirit within me assures me of my salvation. My baptism is a testimony of my obedience to God and a testimony to my family that I am a new person in Christ.

I gave my life to Jesus and I know that He is my Savior. He died on the cross and paid for my sins. In this baptism, I am testifying of the new life that I have in Christ Jesus.

This past Sunday night, Joab, Layane, Nadine, Natalia, Rita and Valda and Caroline asked to be baptized.

Yesterday, I picked up the girls in Aningas, and they were abuzz with excitement, saying they want to be baptized this Saturday.

They don’t want to wait to be baptized; they feel they are being disobedient to God, every day they wait.

Mark was concerned that the village know and be invited, so we thought that we’d spend Friday in the village, going door to door, inviting everyone to come and witness. Rick and Mark are going to see if the river in Aningas will do, if not there is a lake, right down the dirt road. Joab and the girls and Valda will write their testimonies so that they can be read. Eliel will come and give a word and Mark will baptize them.

We are going to make a huge pot of rice and another of feijoada and farofa, and we’ll get some soda to have a celebration, after the baptism.

I’m so excited I can hardly write. I’m so thankful Rick and Noreen are here to be with us, for Caroline’s sake, for the girls who feel such a huge connection with all of you at home, and because it feels like a little piece of home is here, to rejoice with us.

For every sentence I write, ten more are crowding in my mind. God is good and these precious lives are proof of His Goodness and Grace. Wish you were here.

The saying is sure and worthy of confidence: If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him. (2 Timothy 2:11 AMP)