My wife persecuted me for my faith but now we’re together in it
I prayed to the Almighty God hoping that someday, my wife would also be called to the Church of God. I stood my ground and followed the doctrines. One of that was being good to my wife, loving her, and cherishing her as my own self. I was no longer smoking and I was a changed man.
By Thommy Dagoc
We were just the opposite poles: me and my wife in terms of religion. If she was quite hot for it, to me it did not mean anything. This explained the war we had for each of our beliefs.
I was born a Roman Catholic and I don’t recall hearing explanations about the word of God such as what we are hearing now from Bro. Eliseo Soriano. I first came upon Bro. Eli in February 2002.
One time I was tuning on my television set. I saw a TV program of ANG DATING DAAN in SBN Cebu and that was the first time I watched Bro. Eli on TV preaching the Word of God.
There was nobody convincing me to view this program but I had had a feeling very different. I felt happy while watching Bro. Eli discussing the Word of God. I never felt bored nor felt sleepy with the whole program.
I was soooooo, soooooo interested watching even if the program lasted to almost 2 am. But while I was watching Bro. Eli, I was still hooked on to my habit of smoking cigarettes.
My wife started getting mad at me after a couple of weeks watching the program. My time at night was focused on Bro. Eli. As my wife’s world started crumbling down due to my shift of attention, tension came between us.
From my new interest, I decided to visit a Church locale after I saw an invitation flagged on TV. It was about indoctrination and I wanted to go just to observe what indoctrination was.
I got so enlightened with the teachings but there was a time I had to miss one session. My wife was trying to hold me back. She did not want me to get affiliated with the Members Church of God International (MCGI). This is the registered name of the Church that Bro. Eli is Presiding Minister to. I and my wife went to the extent of fighting each other.
I had to undergo a second round of indoctrinations just to finish. My wife threatened that she will leave me with our two kids if I continued joining the Church of God.
However, I was not daunted with all that threat. I was never scared of what people said. By God’s help I successfully joined the Church of God. On May 4, 2002, I got baptized.
After my baptism I saw my wife getting wild. She got drunk and while I was sleeping she poured on me a glass of beer. She condemned me for joining the Church of God. She spoke bad words just to embarrass me to my friends and to my family. Our quarrels went on: she, defending her Catholic faith while I gripped on to the one I newly found.
I prayed to the Almighty God hoping that someday, my wife would also be called to the Church of God. I stood my ground and followed the doctrines. One of that was being good to my wife, loving her, and cherishing her as my own self. I was no longer smoking and I was a changed man.
I took her with me to Church gatherings although I knew that she was against my new-found faith. From there, she could observe more than what she could see in me or what I could tell her. I only guided her where she needed help, taking care to internalize the teachings that I have received and exemplify them in all my actions.
The teachings took effect on her as she listened to God’s words. Bro. Eli’s way of preaching was and is different from the Roman Catholic’s where we came from. I tried my best to be the good husband to her as taught by Bro. Eli to couples. On August 23, 2002, my wife also got baptized.
Amazingly, God had answered my prayer! After months of contention and tension, my wife also became a member in this Church of God. She didn’t just become a member. She went active and by God’s help and mercy, Vicenta C. Dagoc is currently our deaconess in our locale. We belong to the Locale of Danao, Cebu District II, Central Visayas Division.
Thanks be to God for all His unspeakable gift to us! A sensible preacher was sent to open our mind into God’s way!
