Gabriel Marandi belonged to a non-Adventist church. Having friends and relatives who were not interested in God or any other religion, Gabriel started to neglect God and enjoy the pleasures of the world. He began to drink heavily. His family members counseled with him, but nothing helped. He fancied that eventually they would adjust to his ways.
Some years passed. His habits worsened. He and his family stopped going to church. Nobody from the church came to visit. Members in his family were getting sick, the fields did not yield enough grain, the cattle were dying one by one, and peace in the family was gone. There was chaos from morning till night.
Then Gabriel ran into an old friend who had been away for several years. They exchanged news, and Gabriel told him of the family problems.
“I think God is punishing me for straying away. I am a lost sheep, and maybe God will not accept me again. I am the main cause of the trouble, and the family blames me. I realize what a big mistake I have done. Can you help me?” he said to Raphel, his friend.
Raphel told Gabriel to be ready on Saturday.
“I will take you to my church, but don’t smoke, drink or eat tobacco on that day. Take a bath and wear clean clothes. I will be there to pick you up at 9 a.m.”
On Sabbath morning, Gabriel was ready. The two men went to church. Gabriel enjoyed the songs, the lesson study, the service and the warm fellowship he found there.
“I am so happy to find this church,” he told the Gospel Outreach worker there. “For years I went to another church and never felt this closeness. I will come next Sabbath.”
“I will visit your house and pray for your family members too,” the GO worker said.
True to his word, the GO worker and Raphel came to visit. Gabriel gathered his family for a prayer meeting. The GO worker talked about the Sabbath, the Ten Commandments and temperance.
“We are different Christians,” he said. “We live, eat and worship differently. If we mix with others, we are lost. We must focus on Jesus and start the day with prayer and reading the Bible.”
Gabriel began to change his lifestyle. He noticed that his family was more peaceful, his children were going to school, and everyone was healthier.
The GO worker continued to pray for the family. Gabriel now attends church with his family. They are taking Bible studies and preparing to be ready for Jesus.