October 12, 2009
Ed Deckard, a member of the Maryville, Tennessee congregation who teaches WEI Internet students, has just experience the thrill of his life. One of his students, D—- R—-, has just been baptized into Christ.
D—- has had a rugged life. In 2002, he was one of many students who took part in human rights demonstrations in Eastern Africa. He and the other students thought they had a right to vocalize their views, but government soldiers reacted violently. A few students died. Some were wounded. Others were arrested and suspended from school.
At the encouragement of his family, D—- fled to Kenya. He writes, “Even though God spared my life, I slept at the shade, drank from the rivers, and was bitten by desert insects in the refugee camp. Life in Kenya was horrible.
“Since the situation hadn’t changed at home, I decided to look for a better place for the sake of my future. Thank God, I am finally in South Africa and able to earn some money and study WEI English and Bible lessons. In short, I live in exile.”
When D—- made a decision to be baptized, Ed put him in touch with Brother Louis Gerber, a missionary in South Africa. Louis picked D—- up, took him to the church building, studied the Bible with him, and eventually baptized him into Christ.
Ed was ecstatic when he heard that D—- had been baptized. He wrote to Louis, “I am Ed Deckard, your brother in Christ who has been working with D—- through WEI. I have never had better news. I am overwhelmed with the idea of his salvation.”
Ed was not alone in rejoicing over D—-’s baptism. The smiles in the picture below tell the story.
Prior to his baptism, D—- said, “I am afraid to go to church with my addictions: two or three cigars a day, and alcohol.”
After his baptism, D—- said, “It was a wonderful experience. Since then, I didn’t smoke or drink. God has forgiven me my sin, broken the bondage, answered my prayer, and comforted me in my dreams. The Bible readings in WEI have helped me a lot.”
Ed Decker concludes, “The Lord has blessed me by allowing me to work with WEI. This work gives me a sense of making a difference.”
