Surviving three stab wounds to the head, dealing with addictions, and facing the weight of his own choices, Édison Ferreira de Araújo’s life had been marked by pain, struggle, and isolation, he shares.

A resident of Paraopeba in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, Araújo was introduced to the message of the Seventh-day Adventist Church through an invitation to study the Bible at a neighbor’s house. The invitation came from theology student Filipe Monteiro and his wife, Dafne Monteiro. Araújo’s mother, Maria, opened her home for the meetings, where the studies took place in a simple setting with an open Bible and a few gathered hearts.

“I heard Christ’s call right away in the first study. It seemed like it was just for me. When the invitation to be baptized came, I didn’t think twice. I wanted this new life,” Araújo said.

The baptism took place during the launch of the Adventist Church’s Spring Baptism project at the Central Minas Gerais Conference (AMC), the Church’s administrative headquarters for the central region of the state. The ceremony was livestreamed and attended by representatives and pastors who committed to continuing the mission of sharing the gospel.

The launch also marked the beginning of a spiritual mobilization throughout the region. Each church identified people with whom they intend to study the Bible. The annual project, which inspires hundreds of baptisms and personal commitments, is expected to yield many more testimonies like Araújo’s in the months ahead.

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese news site. Join the ANN WhatsApp Channel for the latest Adventist news.