This testimony is from the Philippines and is about a young man named Jay Raquinel. Jay was an Asian boxer and part of the World Boxer Association. He was very good at the sport of boxing and won a number of title fights; wanting to be a champion in his career.
Due to Covid-19, lockdown restrictions shut down the boxing industry in the Philippines throughout 2020 and into 2021. Jay’s fighting career was put on hold and he was not able to work. As a result he felt depressed. He had spent years of hard work in training and preparation to get to the top of his sport. But he also felt depressed because he was unable to earn money to support his wife and two children.
During this time we were conducting an evangelism program in the area where he lived. One morning he was contacted by one of our Bible-workers who was promoting an evangelism program we were about to start and looking for Bible studies. Jay and his wife accepted the offer to study the Bible with our worker and to also attend the evangelism program. After several nights of attending the program Jay realized that his life was not hopeless and that God had a bigger plan for him than to be a champion boxer.
He was quickly filled with the hope of the Gospel and the love of Christ! He decided, along with his wife, to commit their lives to Jesus and be baptised into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As they continued to study towards their baptism a problem arose a week before they were to be baptised. Jay and his partner were living together and had produced two children, but they were not married. Their baptism was set for the coming Sabbath and they prayed together that the Lord would open a way for them to get married before the Sabbath, so the baptism could proceed.
They had no money and did not know where to start to organise a wedding at such short notice. But theLord opened the door with the local churches help and in just two days a wedding was planned and they were married!
Brother Jay now realizes that being a true champion is not to have worldly power, honor, wealth or fame. Being a true champion is to have Jesus Christ as the centre of his life and to have the victory that He can give us and the hope of eternal life.
Please continue to pray for Jay and his family as they continue their walk with the Lord.
