Standing in front of his television set is Hugo Carranza and his partner staring at the screen, while their children watch in amazement and wonder if their parents are okay. Some laughter breaks out between them, and the scene continues. "Yes, I accept," they say after hearing the TV pastor say, "God's grace is for you—His grace that offers you forgiveness for your sins. He is calling you, and this may be your only chance. Do you accept?"
They had just learned about the sanctuary and the price of forgiveness of sins. "It caught my attention, and I learned that God's grace was there for me, and I could not miss that opportunity to accept it," says Hugo. Every biblical text that was mentioned in the program Biblia Fácil on TV Nuevo Tiempo, directed by Pastor Joel Flores, was compared by Hugo with the Bible he had at home. "And it was all very true," he continues. "The way of explaining it is so clear that I learned it quickly, and I understood that God had a plan for me, that I should not continue walking without Him."
Hugo requested his study guide and took ten courses, including Daniel, Revelation, and the Holy Spirit. Then Nuevo Tiempo led him to Pastor Abel Castillo, at that time the district leader in Los Olivos, a district in Lima, Peru. There, Hugo began to attend the Adventist church, where he reaffirmed the knowledge TV had already taught him.
Hugo began to keep the Sabbath with his company and married the mother of his children. Hours later, both newlyweds, accompanied by their son, they entered the baptismal waters.
Hugo never thought Christ would give true meaning to his life. Before, he believed if business went well, success was assured. Christ filled the void he had since that time when he entered "evangelical preaching" in the YouTube search engine and found Pastor Alejandro Bullón, then Pastor Joel Flores.
Currently, Hugo and his wife attend the Huandoy Adventist Church in Los Olivos, located in northern Lima. He serves as director of Personal Ministries, encouraging others to follow Jesus as he did. "Nuevo Tiempo found me at the best time," Hugo said.
The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Spanish-language news site.