December 14, 2024, was a joyful day for the congregation in Hasselt. On that day, three young people from the same family entrusted their lives to Christ through baptism. Yaela (11), Yaron (14), and Yared (16) Maduro chose to be baptized in order to grow further in their faith. Their mother had prepared them for this special day over a year and a half.
Coming from the congregation in Eindhoven (Netherlands), many members of that church had traveled to Hasselt to attend the ceremony, which was led by Thirza Van den Broek, pastor of the Antwerp congregation. Yaela, Yaron, and Yared were immersed in the baptismal water by Thirza in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As they rose from the water, the congregation exuberantly sang, “Sing Hallelujah to the Lord.”
Afterward, elder and former scout leader Danny Handoko from the Eindhoven congregation, together with Thirza and the elders of the Hasselt congregation, pronounced blessings over the baptized youth, who were warmly welcomed by the congregation.
On that day the children, their parents, their grandmother, and the congregations of Eindhoven and Hasselt experienced a piece of heaven on earth. The festive event concluded with a delicious and extensive reception, further strengthening the bond between Eindhoven and Hasselt.
Gemma De Beule