Dear brethren in the faith of the Reform Movement, I greet you with 1 Thessalonians 5:23: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I am a former priest of the Roman Catholic Church, a religion I inherited as a child. The secret aspiration of my heart was to become a priest and take the orders; but this desire I kept in silence, because my father was not in favor of it. What he wanted was for me to become an entrepreneur. But one day, the opportunity came for me to fulfill my dream, because my cousin found a sponsorship that would enable me to attend the seminary. I studied in the seminary in Quito and started practicing the orders when I was 26 years old. I had one parish with 11 churches under me, and I did this work for five years. But then I retired for reasons based on my principles and what I had studied. For example, when the priests were together, they drank alcohol, and I was unhappy about that. In addition, the spirit of ambition, selfishness, and wickedness that was evident among them suffocated anyone who had the desire to serve God. The bishop that I respected died, and I decided to leave this religious service.
After that, I became acquainted with the brethren of the church of the Reform Movement during a public conference in the city of Ventana. I was interested to learn about this group, but I had many prejudices, thinking I would be only a “little brother,” despite the fact that I had served in an order. I also wondered what the people would say who had heard my sermons and witnessed the services I had performed in the churches and cemeteries. This was very difficult for me. The Palacios Vera brothers did everything they could. After more than one year of their working with me, along with Brother José Riera Baquierizo, it appeared that I was a lost case. But the Lord continued to be patient with me; and after two long years of struggle and Bible studies, I came to the decision that the only thing I could do was accept the Lord as it is written in His holy Scriptures.
In September 1994, I entered the baptismal waters along with my wife, Sister Marina Diaz Cortés. I had many spiritual battles, because the enemy of souls was not at peace with this loss. But my wife and I took the hand of the Lord Jesus and went forward. Since that time, my dear believers, we are fighting against the enemy.
At the present, I am a naturopath, and I serve the people who request my services. The most important thing is that I am cooperating in the Lord’s work in the South Field of the Ecuadorian Union as the leader of the health department. I also desire to be a help in the religious services wherever possible. I am grateful to be able to tell you how I found myself in God’s church. Very soon eight souls in the church under my care will be baptized, and I hope I will continue to be a tool in the Lord’s hand.
