By Bobby Davis
Eva Borja-Land says she remembered having serious questions about church, even at a young age. “I was born in the Bicol Region of Luzon Island in the Philippines,” she says, “and I was the fifth of eight children.
“My parents raised us in the Roman Catholic church,” she continues, “but honestly, I couldn’t understand a single word the priest was saying, since mass was spoken in Latin. And then there was my first—and last—confession, a mandatory rule at my school. I confessed my sins once, but never again! Why should I tell my sins to a priest? I wondered. Why not just pray to God directly?”
By the time Eva was in high school, she had stopped attending church, and as she studied to become an optometrist, her life became busy, and she never went back.
Busy Life
Eva married her high school sweetheart and eventually they moved to the United States. “We settled in New York and had three children, “ she says. “Then I realized I wanted them to be grounded in some sort of faith, so I began taking them to the Catholic religious education classes each week. But I still had those nagging questions!”
Life went on normally, and Eva says she led a busy life—until her husband died seven years ago. Adjusting to her loss was not easy, but one day she discovered a small New Testament Bible in her basement.
“I read it on the subway on my way to work,” she says, “and I really liked Jesus’ counsel. But when I reached Revelation, I put it down because I couldn’t understand it. Then, about five years ago, I began recalling the stories my father used to tell from the Old Testament, and it made me want to read those books, too, so I got a Bible and started right away.
“I read the Bible from cover to cover in six months,” she says, “and then I began searching through my Verizon Fios cable lineup for religious TV channels. I really liked Joel Olsteen, and he kept saying that I needed to find a Bible-based church to join. So I thought, I wonder where I might find one of those?
“One day, while I was flipping through the channels, I found 3ABN. I kept watching, and the first thing I noticed was that they were talking about the Sabbath. Suddenly I thought, Wait a minute! The Bible talks about the Sabbath in both the Old and New Testament! It all made sense to me—and so did their explanations about the book of Revelation. So every time I was in the kitchen, or downstairs in the basement, 3ABN was on.
“My kids noticed and mentioned that I didn’t watch news anymore. I just wanted to know the truth, and every day I’d come home excited about watching 3ABN again. I watched all sorts of programs that would give a number to call for their free offers, but I never seemed to have a pen and paper handy. I remember especially wanting the Amazing Facts Bible study guides.”
The Sabbath
Soon Eva was convicted on the Sabbath, but she wondered how she should observe it. “I knew that the Jews kept the Sabbath holy, but they didn’t believe in Christ,” she says. “And since I had no idea who else might observe it, I finally asked a Christian friend of mine if she knew of any Christian religions that observed the Sabbath.
“ ‘Yeah,’ she said, ‘the Seventh-day Adventists worship on Saturday.’ So I searched for an Adventist church in the Yellow Pages, and I found several close by. One was a Korean church and the other was Filipino, but since I didn’t their worship schedule wasn’t posted, I kept looking until I found one that did. The following Sabbath morning I set out to go to church.
“I remember the day well,” Eva says. “The church was only 15 minutes away, but since there was a lot of snow on the ground, I left a little early—about an hour and a half early!” she adds with a smile. I just didn’t want to be late, but then I got lost and drove around and around for a while. I finally found the street, but just as I was about to get out of the car, something inside me said, Don’t go in! However, I’d troubled myself to leave the house early, and I’d gotten lost and had trouble finding the church, so I told myself, Of course you’re going in!”
Church
Eva sat in the very last pew, and soon the Sabbath School superintendent approached and asked if she was visiting. “I told her it was my first time in a Seventh-day Adventist church, and that I wanted to observe God’s holy day. The lady was very nice to me, and invited me to have lunch with her family, which I enjoyed. But when I told them I wanted to be baptized right away, they sort of looked at each other and said, ‘Well, let’s talk to the pastor and arrange for Bible studies first.’”
Eva had learned a lot from watching 3ABN, so when the she was given the Amazing Facts Bible study guides, she exclaimed, “Oh, I already know this!”
“They were surprised,” she says, “but the next Sabbath they gave me some advanced study guides, and I was so excited, I wanted to complete them all right away! However, they suggested we slow down and take our time, so I respected their decision, and eight months later I was baptized. In a way it was great, because I had a chance to tell all my family about it. They all supported me, although at first they wondered what this was all about.”
During her baptism, the pastor asked Eva what her favorite hymn was, and she answered, “Amazing Grace.” But as the congregation began singing, something broke inside of her. “I started crying, and soon everybody was crying!” she says. “I couldn’t understand why they were crying, but mine were tears of joy!”
Today, Eva is a member of the Bayanihan Filipino Seventh-day Adventist Church in Long Island City, New York. “I fell in love with that church family and transferred my membership there,” she says, “but I stay in touch with my friends who gave me my first Bible studies. I have three grown children, and my oldest son comes to church with me now and loves it.”
Eva is involved in her church, and loves to tell the children’s story. She also takes part in the service from the platform when asked.
“Her eyes sparkle with enthusiasm when she talks about her Lord, the true God she adores and worships,” says Pastor James Wong. “She endlessly inspires everybody around her, and whether she’s at home, at work, or at our church, her excitement is contagious. I often hear her say, ‘No one can stop me from talking about my God!’ ”
Happiness
Eva says it took time to adjust to the loss of her husband. “After I was baptized, my children kept saying, ‘Mom, you should think about marriage again.’ So I prayed and asked the Lord for someone who would enhance my faith. ‘I want a man who loves You,’ I’d pray, ‘because if he does, he’ll love me and my children, too.’ Then it wasn’t long before someone from church mentioned Adventist Singles ministry, and that’s where I met my new husband, Jeremiah Land, who lost his wife three years ago.
“Jeremiah’s first letter was all about God, so we started talking. When I found out that he’d been praying for somebody who was joyful and easy going, I realized that he was praying for someone like me! I’d tell him, ‘Jeremiah, God gave you to me, and He gave me to you, so God is our bridge!’ We were married this past September 7, and Pastor Wong officiated at our marriage!” she adds with a smile.
Pastor Wong agrees. “Jeremiah is a strong Christian and very supportive,” he says. “They not only enjoy studying together, but are drawn closer to each other every passing day.”
Changes
How has Eva’s life changed after joining the church? “Well, I’ve become more patient in my attitude and character,” she says. “I used to get angry so fast, but nothing bothers me now. I’ve become much more compassionate, too, and I love to help people.
“But perhaps the most profound change is that I’ve learned that obedience to God’s commandments isn’t for Him, it’s for us! Obeying Him is easy to do because I love Him; and when we love someone, we want to do things that please them.
“My brothers and sisters and I are very close, and although they don’t go to church, they want to know what I know. Two of my sisters even drove from Connecticut to attend church with me, and another sister is thinking of moving to New York. She tells me that when she does, she’ll definitely come to church with me.
“I feel no hardships,” Eva concludes. “And if I did, I could care less. I only care about what God thinks of me!”
Bayanihan Seventh-day Adventist Church
If you’re in the area, why not stop in and worship with Eva and her church family? The Bayanihan Seventh-day Adventist Church holds services in English, and is located at 39-49 29th Street in Long Island City, New York. They’d love to meet you!