The Road to Damascus

The Road to Damascus

I would like to thank Jesus for His mercy, and dying on the cross for me. My first Road to Damascus begins in a little town of Manila, called Quiapo. In my third year in high school, I became good friends with a young man name Joseph, who invited me to a Bible Study in the campus. It was there I first heard about Jesus Christ and how He would be coming back soon. Our Bible Study teacher, Pastor Nomer Trinidad told me much about the Gospel, about end time events and the Tribulation, and about Hell. God planted it in my heart to believe what he said, and it scared me.

After a year, my friend, Joseph graduated from high school leaving me responsible to gather the other students in the campus for Bible Study. I began to think that it was very difficult for me to do such responsibility, so I also stopped attending Bible Study. That’s the time I became so exposed to temptations, I could do nothing against it. I was easily tempted and carried away by evil influences. I became an easy prey for the Devil. I found myself a member of a notorious gang in our town. I learned to smoke, at first cigarettes then later on marijuana.

The Road to Damascus 2

Road to Damascus

One day I was arrested for concealing deadly weapons. A month and a half later I was arrested again for robbery highway with added charges of attempting to elude and resist the police. I spent eight months in the city jail and fourteen months in Sampaguita Penal Colony. In the prison, I’ve seen how God has protected me and saved me from troubles but I just ignored those. I knew that He led me to that point where I did not have anyone to lean on, no friends, no family, no one but Him.

The day after I got out, I went back to the bars and got drunk, but I also poured my heart out to God, asking “Why did this happen? My life was a mess. One morning the Lord made me remember the church where I was baptized and decided to go there on Sunday.