A Quebecois Teenager's Baptism & Testimony

Hadassah Paquin

 Église Évangélique Nouveau Départ 

(New Beginning Evangelical Church)

Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Quebec

I grew up in a Christian family, in Ste-Anne-Des-Monts in the Gaspésie area of Quebec, but that doesn't mean I was born a Christian! I stole, lied, and hid my brothers and sisters' toys to make them cry. I tried to convince myself that I was a "badass" because I didn't want to accept that I was a sensitive little girl who had nightmares about everything and who cried too easily. 

In 2018, at the Joie de Vivre (Joy of Living) Camp, during cabin devotion time, I asked how to know if you are saved. The assistant counsellor told me that the Bible says, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” I already believed that but I wasn't sure of my salvation. To make sure I was saved, I accepted Christ once again.

           In 2021, around the age of 11, I started praying to God more often (but like the people of Israel in the Bible only when something was wrong.) When I was 12, I became a great novel reader and video gamer and neglected my Bible.

           On December 6th, 2022, I asked God for forgiveness for neglecting him and I asked Him to free me from my addictions of reading novels and playing video games. He gave me the strength to stop and I didn't touch this game again nor a novel for a long time. God then gave me a thirst to read the Bible every day with very few exceptions. By July 25, I had read the entire Bible. 

           The winter of 2022-23, I suffered alot from solitude. All winter, when I was taking my dog for walks, I prayed to God to give me a friend. The Holy Spirit gave me the conviction to wait until the summer and that He would give me a good friend. As it happened, when I volunteered at the Villa du Carmel summer camp that summer, I found the friend God had promised me. It was like a clear proof for me that God was taking care of me and that He loved me.

On October 4th, while I was sculpting wood with a rotary tool, I had an accident and I was transferred to Quebec City where I had plastic surgery and again my friend came to pray with me. I was surprised by the number of Christians who prayed for my recovery when we had told only a very small number. Word about my accident went around all over the province. God's family is so big, and God's spirit unites us as if we all know each other!  

Think about it for a moment; I, a young girl without prestige, at the other end of the province of Quebec who writes these things to you as if I knew you all! On May 5th, 2024, at the age of 14, I publicly demonstrated my faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by being baptized. I encourage you to never forget how God came to seek you, even if your story may seem insignificant to you. You are important in God's eyes, never forget that!

(Now that you've read an old freezer-turned-baptismal tank story, see here for a bathtub-turned-baptismal tank story:)

West Toronto Chinese Bible Church

Toronto, ON

Pastor Mingpeng Gong

From the recliner to the bathtub.

Strange conversion story?

Perhaps.

But hear Brother Kevin’s story.

Anxiety and depression kept him bedridden.

Life seemed hopeless as he lay in his recliner day after day.

Then through a series of connections involving old school friends, 

Kevin was introduced to online church.

As he pursued spiritual health,

his physical health was slowly restored.

“Can I be baptized?”

Yes - but this couldn’t be the usual baptism.

So last Sunday, Pastor Ming-Peng and his wife came to his house

And his bathtub became the baptismal tank.