Ordained Deacon Journey
Ordained Deacon Journey
Read this man’s testimony of how God has been directing his life. There were many challenges on his ordained deacon journey, but God was and is faithful! “God has blessed me and kept me.”
Beginnings
I was born in 1961 as Azriel Seil in Munich, Germany to Holocaust survivors who were living in rural Poland near Krakow. My birth parents were Orthodox Jews living in a communist country where many like them were persecuted. Since she was afraid that things would get worse, my mother fled to the west. She made it to the Jewish women’s hospital just outside of Munich and gave birth to me. Although I have a birth certificate from the hospital with my parents’ names on it, the hospital, which still exists, has no record of my birth. I have found out that this was a common practice for some Orthodox Jews who were trying to save their children and give them a chance at life. It was a kind of secret underground railroad.
My mother traveled alone to West Germany with the help of others and after giving birth to me returned to my father in Poland. Through DNA testing I was able to determine exactly where they originated. The Orthodox Jewish community usually marries from within, and their DNA is specific to a small group within a particular area. I looked for them and any other family members for many years now. My conclusion is that most likely they were taken away never to be heard from again. I love them for what they did for me.
Adoption and Struggle
I was taken immediately the day I was born by my adoptive parents who knew about the system and had placed themselves on the list to adopt a child. My new mother was German and fifty percent Jew. The Nazis sterilized her and her two sisters during the war, and none of them had children of their own. After the war, she met my new father, who was an American army sergeant. They married after only knowing each other for two weeks. Neither spoke the other’s language when they first met, but their marriage lasted over forty-eight years until my dad went to be with the Lord.
My new parents renamed me Anthony Sanchez, and we moved to Texas in the USA. I found out about being adopted when I was thirteen. This was devastating to me and for the next twenty years I lived a self-destructive life and could not bond with anyone. I felt discarded by my birth parents and disconnected from everyone. At this time, I was immature and did not understand the circumstances of my existence.
Conversion and Happiness
I married a wonderful woman in 1999 who changed everything for me. I was able to bond with her and felt real love for the first time. We became somewhat successful and prospered. At this time, I recognized that Jesus worked a miracle inside me. He was transforming me, and I began to love Him with all my heart. I studied His word and found happiness through Him. He spoke to me, and I talked to Him.
Then, three years ago, my wife lost her battle with cancer and went to be with Him. Once again, there was devastation and heartbreak. The conversations I had with God were intense, and He heard me. He did not allow me to self-destruct and drift back to the world. His message of something coming and of hope brought new inspiration and faith to me. Then, He blessed me with Jenny, and we married in 2017. Jenny coming into my life was a shock. I thought I would remain alone and there would be no one else in my lifetime. She is a gift from God, and I look forward to every day with her. Between us, we have six children.
Future and Ordination
God called me many years ago. Since then, I have been working on drawing closer and closer to Him on my ordained deacon journey. I believe He is working on something that I will be a part of, and I should continue to prepare myself to best serve Him. After starting classes at Christian Leaders Institute, I felt called to ordination. I want to receive ordination as a Deacon Minister with the Christian Leaders Alliance. on this ordained deacon journey, I made a full commitment to His will on earth. My desire and call are to spread the Gospel and work in any capacity He desires.
Author: Henry Reyenga
Henry Reyenga is president of Christian Leaders Institute and Christian Leaders Alliance.
