Inspiring Convert Story-22
"I was once in darkness"
Yusuki Fukuzumi
Yokohama, Japan
DESCENDING from a Samurai
family that existed some twelve generations ago. I was born in
Yokohama, Japan on July 29, 1928. I am a civil
engineer by profession; I took my master's degree
in Civil Engineering at the Nippon University in Tokyo in 1954.
At present I am assigned at the nuclear power plant in Bataan,
Philippines. From birth, I was a Buddhist until I became a
member of the Iglesia ni Cristo, Church of Christ.
Though I have always believed in one God who is
the creator of things, I had never
before given much attention to
any formal religion. I did not even know how to
distinguish any religion before. I thought all religions
were the same.
It was the mother of my Filipina wife who
introduced me to the Iglesia ni Cristo for it is her religion.
She took me and my wife several times to the Iglesia ni Cristo house
of worship in Quiapo, Manila to attend
the worship service.
The first thing I noticed when we entered
the Iglesia ni Cristo house of worship in Quiapo was the
sitting arrangement separating the male from the female.
When the choir sang, I was deeply touched. Later, I also
noticed that the members were meditating on the sermon being
delivered by the minister. That morning moved me so deeply
that I felt as if God Himself was talking to me.
Then I was introduced to a Church of Christ
minister, Brother Israel Flores. It
was timely because I was then beginning to get exposed
to different religious creeds since, in my job, I have
been working with different men of different
religions.
So on our first meeting,
I asked Brother Flores many questions about religion all of which he
answered directly from the Holy Bible. In fact, even
before I could shoot a question he would read verses from the Bible
amazingly anticipating what was in my mind.
Before the evening was over, I committed myself to undergo Bible
Study on Doctrines with Brother Flores and I even promised to
attend the worship services on Thursdays and Sundays.
Before we parted, Brother Flores led a prayer, and while we were
praying I felt a strange sensation taking hold of
me which I could not explain.
During the period that I was undergoing Bible
Study on Doctrines, with God's help I was able to attend
all worship services during the subsequent Thursdays and
Sundays.
I was baptized on October 18, 1980 at the Iglesia
ni Cristo Central Office compound in Diliman, Quezon City.
My baptism confirmed my conversion from Buddhism to the true
Christian religion. I am thankful to God for
giving me this marvelous enlightenment.
I wish also to thank my mother-in-iaw, Mrs.
Paquita Alvero, for patiently bearing up with me during those
times of darkness in my life. I am also grateful for the
endurance and patience of Brother Israel Flores in preaching to me
the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In my prayers to God, I ask that all my loved ones
be called to this true faith someday. I'm very
glad to know the truth about the one living God, and to
be a member of the Church of Christ.
___________________
Source: January-February 1981, PASUGO, P.33