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Robreno Robert: We go in, we sit down. They prayed in Latin that none of us understood, especially the kids.
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Robreno Robert: My name is Roberto Robreno. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Because of the political situation in Puerto Rico, which is where my parents are from—they moved here around 1947 right after World War II. I knew definitely there was a God because my mom always in the morning, the first thing she did was pray. We go in, we sit down. They prayed in Latinc that none of us understood, especially the kids. When I saw my parents weren’t going, and my sisters weren’t going to church. I just thought, “Well, I don’t have to go.” I would just go, say for Christmas Eve, Easter, but other than that, I did not attend mass at all. It just didn’t make sense. I mean, I would hear that we have God. And then there’s His Son, Jesus. And then there’s the Holy Spirit. And all of a sudden, they were one. And it didn’t make sense to me, even as a child that, you know there’s only one God.
I’m Not Missing Anything
Interviewer: Did you find any need to try other churches at all?
Roberto Robreno: Sister Doris, what is a member, her mother owned the building in which my mather was renting an apartment from. So I’ve see her and her family for years. And it seemed that every Sunday and in the midweek they were always running to attend Church. “Where are you guys going?” was my question or “Coming from?” “Oh we just came from Church,” or “We’re going to Church.”
One Saturday Morning
I just knew that they went to church a lot, but that was my first inkling of the existence of the Iglesia Ni Cristo [Church Of Christ]. They didn’t seem to miss worship service. They were goo people, Kind people. I felt like, one Saturday morning–sunny day. I’m walking out of my apartment, but I felt like i had to go to Church. And I told Sister Doris that feeling that came over me. And she immediately said, “Oh, why don’t you cometo my Church and attend my Church, Iglesia Ni Cristo?” I looked at here like, “I don’t think so. My Catholic church is two or three blocks away from me. And I came back. After I was like, “This is not for me. What’s going on? I didn’t feel something.” So I went back to Sister Doris and told her. And then she finally said, “Well, why don’t you just go with me and my mom to a worship service at the Iglesia Ni Cristo? You’re going to, I think, you’ll enjoy it more than what you experienced.”
It All Made Sense
Roberto Robreno: To tell you the truth. When I was attending the Bible studies to become a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, I was just in there taking everything and all the information in. The verses, I didn’t know them by chapter and verse, but the concepts were with me. I went wholeheartedly. I was so happy. And not just because somebody [said], “Well I think this.” No. That’s what’s in the Bible. This is what we go by and that’s it. That’s our foundation. And so I went in and I believed everything as well as my knowledge of history. I mean, where the Church began. When they read those verses–the Philippines was, that’s it. There’s no other place. And what I know about history, especially with respect to Christianity. I mean, the Philippines pretty much is the only country that were Christians. Whereas other religions had different beliefs. Totally, way different from the Church Of Christ or the Iglesia Ni Cristo.
When I heard the lesson of Brother Felix Manalo being the messenger in these last days. It made sense to me because of the doctrines that were told to me, as well as the history that I had studied. It all made sense. The timing, the place, all of it fell into place for me.
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Bro. Roberto was baptized in the Iglesia Ni Crist in 1992
It’s A Complete 180
Between well, as a young adult and even into adulthood, I was not living a righteous life and I had vices. And being a member and seeing the examples that would be for me. I automatically went into the mode of not doing these things. Renewing my life. And again it’s a complete 180 switch and turn around. I’ve seen some stuff that you know, I wouldn’t want to tell the young people because it would scare them to tell you the truth. What I experienced in life as a young person. It was crazy. It was wild like the world is now. And I would very much like to do what I can in my capacity as a member and as an elder to help them overcome these things.
Give Something Back
We wanted to build our first home. We were thinking about the young people, where do they go to play volleyball, basketball practice or whatever? And so when we had the opportunity to implement that in our home, we did. It was just that we wanted to give something back. You know my wife, she actually was a Division One college basketball player.
I wanted to do something so that we can offer not just the young people, but even the adults. We have a great time when we get together and laughing. Nobody gets upset if they lose or whatever. It’s always a fun time. So that’s a blessing from God.
A Wonderful Feeling
The love of the brotherhood is so special and so needed by us. Because a lot of times we suffer and we say, “Alright, we’ll give it to God.” But that love, the brotherhood is so important. For example, what I do on Sundays in the morning, if I’m in the foyer, I’ll stand by the door. I’ll open the door for brethren. They have a smile on their face. I give them a smile back. You can feel it, you can see it in people’s eyes. And you know, that’s a great way to start the morning.
It’s such a wonderful feeling to be part of the growth of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. Since 1992 I’ve been participating with my wife and trying to do our very best to do so in a way that we will make God happy. And by being a good officer and kind and caring for the brethren. And to see what we’ve been able to do to help because of God’s blessings.
What Made Me Stay?
Interviewer: You’re now 32 years in the Church Brother Rob. What has made you stay?
Roberto Robreno: What has made me stay in the Church for these years is one, that I know there’s a God and I know what He’s doing in my life. I know that yes, I have illnesses, I have you know, physical conditions, but it doesn’t stop me. And I know that this is part of my gaining my way to be with God and His Son.
Joy From Pleasing God
If not for God and I being a member of this Church, the Iglesia Ni Cristo, I wouldn’t be here. I most certainly would have been dead or in jail. And again, trying to be a good person and no a violent person. All those things that were around my environment could have easily just taken me away.
What brings me peace is to know that I am living a life that God is please with. That He is happy. I get and receive so much joy from pleasing God
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