A life transformed

Vinituh was a drunk. He did not believe in God. He lived to drink masato, a heavily fermented yucca drink. He thought life was only about his personal enjoyment and happiness was found in eating and drinking. Then one day his father came to know Jesus Christ. Vinituh told his dad he was crazy and had been tricked by the Christians because he did not even know how to read or write. For two years his dad evangelized him and prayed for him but Vinituh did not want anything to do with Christianity.

Then Vinituh got sick and had to go to live in another village for six months to receive treatment. He went to the witch doctor for healing but just got worse and worse. He almost died. During that time his first son was born and had a hole in his skull. Vinituh prayed to God and asked for God’s healing in his life and the life of his son. A month later they were both home and completely healed. Vinituh knew he was healed by the living God and he wanted to give his life to serve Him.

Vinituh wanted to go to church and learn more, but he was scared. All the people knew him and that he was a drunk. The nearest church was an hour walk away. The first Sunday back home Vinituh got dressed up in his finest clothes and started walking to church. Halfway there he chickened out and returned home. “What would the people say?” he thought. He was ashamed. The next week he tried again. He got dressed in his finest clothes and walked almost all the way to the church before giving up once more. Finally, the third week he had the nerve and made it to the church. The people welcomed him with open arms. He could not believe it. He felt a wind blow through his spirit, the Holy Spirit, and his life was changed forever.

The pastor said that the following week there was a week long conference in another village six hours away. Vinituh, full of joy, walked six hours through thick jungle to attend. He wanted to hear more about God. At the conference one pastor told him that he would be a leader in the church one day. The conference greatly strengthened his faith. A month later there was another conference and he again walked many hours through the jungle to attend.

Back in the village he and his father were the only believers and he felt a burden to share his faith with the other people. Every Sunday he walked to church in the other village but since it was too far away to attend Wednesday and Friday evening services he decided to use that time in his own village. Every Wednesday and Friday evening he would go house to house sharing his faith with the people of his village. As more people came to Christ, he began leading small services in the evenings. Eventually, every family in the village came to faith in Christ.

Vinituh continued attending the conferences and was chosen to go to Pucallpa for 4 months to be trained as a pastor. While he was gone, the Holy Spirit moved the people of his village to build a church. When he returned from Pucallpa he was a pastor with a church building. And he has been a pastor ever since.

Today, 20 years later, Vinituh continues to work tirelessly for the advancement of the gospel. He is also trained in health care by the government and visits those who are sick. He travels to distant villages to preach all while raising eight children. He is a man that serves the living God and an example of a life transformed.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17