I used every breath of my life in gambling and liquor and it consumed my soul

I reminisced how I came to know the truth: the man who shouted loudly on my small television set. The man who bravely exposed the truth even if it meant his life. The man who gave me the chance to know God and to have another chance to do things right.

By Ron Louie Villar

It never dawned on me that my life would change in an instant. Living a life deep in vice and squalor, I never imagined that a person such as me would someday be free from the heavy shackles of sin. I lived my life the way I wanted to. I used every breath of my life in gambling and liquor and it consumed my soul.

I started walking this downward path when I was still a child. As far as I can remember, it was when I was only eight years old, a time when I should be still playing games with my friends and attending school that I first gambled. I held cards instead of toys and played with adults instead of other kids. I was living in a vice-riddled world, at a time when I was still learning how to write.

As a child, I was so consumed in gambling that I felt happy. My mind grew in that environment and it heavily influenced me. At eleven, I first tasted alcohol and my list of vices grew. Unlike normal children where they would be learning good morals fromtheir schools and parents, I on the other hand learned the exact opposite.

A child should be molded right from the start, however I was corrupted, my mind was filled not with fun stories and warm memories, but with the cold sting of greed, the love of money and the thrill of sin. I became involved in gang fights and violent riots. I grew up consuming every vile thing the world has to offer and it inched me closer into an inescapable life of hopelessness and despair.

However, an unforgettable event changed my life forever. My descent to oblivion was halted and I was slowly led to a future filled with hope and that change happened because of love.

The event that ushered a turnaround in my life was when some of my friends invited me to watch a show on TV, which they constantly ridiculed and laughed at. My friends were laughing at this program though all I could see was a person preaching the words of God. Yet, that TV program and that man were instrumental for the change that would happen to me. If for my friends all they can see on that show was nonsense, for me it felt as he was something different. I later knew that he was Bro. Eli Soriano and the show was called “Ang Dating Daan,” and it was the turning point of my life.

After watching Bro. Eli for the first time, I became one of his avid fans. I became interested in his style of preaching, most especially his debates with other religious groups in the country. Though I was very impressed at Bro. Eli, I didn’t attend indoctrinations, yet I continued to remain an avid listener.

However my past life crept up on me again and I returned wildly into a vice-filled existence. I graduated college and landed a good income job and it financed my vices extensively. I was wild, spending my life in gambling, alcohol and women. It seemed that my downward spiral was gaining speed and I am slowly being drowned into a sea of sin.

Then suddenly, without warning, a thought came into my mind. If I were to die at that moment, where would I go? Would I be confident that I will live forever in heavenly bliss or spend eternity in the lake of fire?

I whole-heartedly believe that God touched me at that point. Suddenly I felt heavy, my shoulders weary of carrying all the vices, addiction and sin that I have done all of those years. I suddenly felt that I need to leave it behind and start a new life.

I was stuck at traffic then, when that thought began to course through my mind, but God helped me at the moment. I felt His hand guiding me to what I should do because at that point of confusion, I saw a large streamer and emblazoned on it was, Ang Dating Daan Mass Indoctrination, and it was that night at seven. Never did I felt surer in my decision than on that moment. I knew from deep within that what I was going to do is the right thing and I should not miss this opportunity.

I cancelled my entire schedule that day and quickly went to an Ang Dating Daan Coordinating center. There I attended my first indoctrination session and there at that point in time I knew that my life would now change.

The following morning, I felt I had to continue my indoctrination sessions no matter what. This led me to decide to resign my work to make way for these sessions. I talked to my boss and requested an immediate resignation, but it was first denied. He said that I should at least work for another thirty days to process my resignation. If this happened at another time, I feel that I would prefer my work over listening about God, but not today. My mind was fixed on changing my life and I believed that finishing my indoctrination sessions was the first step towards gaining freedom from my sins and having inner peace.

I didn’t go to work and didn’t heed my boss’ decision and I continued attending my sessions without fail. Every night I would arrive early at the Coordinating center, listen to another topic and come home refreshed and full of hope.

After completing these sessions, I became a candidate for baptism. I was asked whether I want to continue on to baptism and was asked to raise my hand in affirmation. He I am, at the point of my life where I am now given the chance to make it all right.

I lived a life far from the love of God, I’ve done things that are immoral and I lived a life full of evil desires. Yet, at that moment, God was giving me the chance to wipe it all clean, to again have a fresh slate where only His words would fill. I pondered at all the events that happened in my life: the regrets, the failures and the sins I have done. More so, I reminisced how I came to know the truth: the man who shouted loudly on my small television set. The man who bravely exposed the truth even if it meant his life. The man who gave me the chance to know God and to have another chance to do things right.

After everything that has happened, I raised my hand, and said yes, let me be counted at baptism. And my life changed ever since.  You won’t see the old Ron Villar now because I am not the same.