The Sabadistas

Alfred Madinno


​My parents came from a pagan background. When I was young, however, they started studying the Bible with our Lutheran neighbors. Later, when our family moved, another denomination named Jesus is Alive continued studying the Bible with them. Both of my parents attended their Sunday services for a while.

When I entered primary school, the only book in our house was a New Testament Bible written in the Kalanguya language. To improve my reading ability, I read the book. I was impressed by the stories about Jesus.

It was around this time that I began to have nightmares of someone trying to strangle me. I was afraid to sleep on the second floor of our house because it seemed there were unseen creatures lurking around. After I learned to pray, though, I began to notice a pattern. I never had any nightmares when I prayed before sleeping. But the nightmares came back again when I forgot to pray.

I also found an old, torn Bible in our house, that contained both the Old and the New Testament. I was fascinated by the historical events that happened before the time of Christ. I have always loved reading about history.

During my college years, I sometimes attended the church services of different denominations. But during those years I also got into a lot of vices like alcohol and gambling. In spite of my vices, there were many times that I saw my prayers answered. These encounters with God served to remind me of His goodness despite my addictions.

Sometime around 2012, I found a copy of the Great Controversy in my boarding house. I had no idea who left it there but I read it hungrily. It seemed that the book made my previous reading of the Bible and history even clearer. As I read, I began to have questions about the true day of worship. During some of our drinking sessions, I tried to ask my church mates as well as my Catholic and Lutheran friends about the discoveries I was making, but I was not satisfied with their answers.

As I continued to read the Great Controversy, I learned about the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I had heard of them from my sister, who referred to them as, “Sabadista,” but I didn’t really know much about them.

Then in 2013, I had a conversation with a close friend. “It seems,” I said, “that according to the Bible, the day for worship is the seventh-day, or Saturday, not Sunday which was dedicated to the sun. It seems like the Seventh-day Adventists are correct in worshipping on the seventh-day Sabbath.”

Unexpectedly, she replied, “My eldest sister is with the Sabadistas. Why don’t we go to the house where she worships and find out what the true day of worship really is?”

So, the next Sabbath, we went to the PFM mission house in Tinoc. The missionaries at that time were Kuya Leo and Ate Merriam Gonzaga with their daughter, Gift. We started attending Bible studies with Kuya Leo, and I was amazed to find the historical fulfillment of Bible prophecies. I saw a completeness of truth during our Bible studies which resonated with me. That’s why in November of 2013, I decided, along with my friend, to be baptized.

I was converted because of God's faithfulness to His promises, His mercy, and His divine guidance. I long to be among those who will meet Jesus in the air on that coming day.
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To God be the glory always!

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