It was six o'clock in the evening .. It was already night, when a girl unknown to me knocked on the door of my house persistently to open it. I accepted her and asked what she would like.
"Father, I want you to read me a prayer." Her face was upset, she spoke abruptly. She did not tell me many things, she just asked me to pray for her.
We went to church and I read her a prayer. She left speechless without giving me further information about her life, nor sharing the reason she wanted me to read her a prayer.
After three days, she came again. She asked me to pray for her again. We entered the church, I read her a prayer and, when I finished, she asked me:
"Father, are you afraid of me?"
"No," I replied. Her face was calmer than before. She left again speechless with her head bowed.
Three days passed and she came back late at night. When I read her a prayer, I begged her not to come so late. She looked at me and I saw her eyes full of tears.
"Father, I want you to read me a prayer." Her face was upset, she spoke abruptly. She did not tell me many things, she just asked me to pray for her.
We went to church and I read her a prayer. She left speechless without giving me further information about her life, nor sharing the reason she wanted me to read her a prayer.
After three days, she came again. She asked me to pray for her again. We entered the church, I read her a prayer and, when I finished, she asked me:
"Father, are you afraid of me?"
"No," I replied. Her face was calmer than before. She left again speechless with her head bowed.
Three days passed and she came back late at night. When I read her a prayer, I begged her not to come so late. She looked at me and I saw her eyes full of tears.
She said to me: "Father, I am a prostitute, this is my job.
I do not move around during the day, because everyone knows who I am and I am ashamed to move around.
That's why I came and came again at night. I come to you because I feel good when I enter the church.
I want to tell you that the first time I came I felt an inexplicable force inside me and that night I did not sin.
I have no connection with the Church, nor am I Orthodox."
Since then she left and I never saw her again. Sometimes I would ask the guard if he saw this girl circulating in our city and he would answer in the negative.
I do not move around during the day, because everyone knows who I am and I am ashamed to move around.
That's why I came and came again at night. I come to you because I feel good when I enter the church.
I want to tell you that the first time I came I felt an inexplicable force inside me and that night I did not sin.
I have no connection with the Church, nor am I Orthodox."
Since then she left and I never saw her again. Sometimes I would ask the guard if he saw this girl circulating in our city and he would answer in the negative.
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| Fr. Chariton Musungayi |
Six months passed and one afternoon she came again, supported by a friend. She smiled when she saw me. I recognized her immediately.
I brought her and laid her on a bench we had in the church. As her friend explained to me, she asked for her help and said:
"I want you to take me to the Orthodox Church, where many bells ring. Today I want you to take me, not tomorrow!"
I looked at her and she said, "Your prayer, Father, your prayer." I immediately thought and asked her: "Do you want me to baptize you, to become a Christian?"
I brought her and laid her on a bench we had in the church. As her friend explained to me, she asked for her help and said:
"I want you to take me to the Orthodox Church, where many bells ring. Today I want you to take me, not tomorrow!"
I looked at her and she said, "Your prayer, Father, your prayer." I immediately thought and asked her: "Do you want me to baptize you, to become a Christian?"
She replied, "Yes, Father, you will give me much joy if you baptize me. God will help me."
I started preparing for the baptism. I gave her a tunic and she wore it.
After reading the Catechetical Discourse, I baptized her "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" and gave her the name Georgia. I also put a Cross on her and then I took out the Holy Communion we have in Artophorion and communed her.
Her face was calm and happy.
"Father," she said, "thank you very much. I glorify God for this hour, in which God found me worthy to be baptized.
The doctors got tired of my illness and told me to go home.
I ask God to forgive me for everything I did in my life.
Please, Father, I want to take this tunic with me so that they can wear it when I die. I do not want anything else!"
I admired hearing these words and gave her the tunic. Her friend thanked me, took Georgia and they left.
As they were leaving, I saw the time.
It was 6:30 in the evening.
Two hours passed and they came to inform me that Georgia the prostitute was asleep.
God called her to the Kingdom of Heaven!
Our God is just, he prepared it in a way that our mind cannot comprehend.
People insulted her, everyone considered her rubbish.
But not her Creator.
We buried her with the baptismal robe and her Cross. How beautiful our Georgia was!
Another is the justice of God and another of men. God does not want to lose a single soul as long as they recognize Him as Savior and Redeemer.
The event of the baptism and death of Georgia was narrated to us in a letter by Fr. Chariton Musungayi from Goma, Eastern Congo.
I started preparing for the baptism. I gave her a tunic and she wore it.
After reading the Catechetical Discourse, I baptized her "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" and gave her the name Georgia. I also put a Cross on her and then I took out the Holy Communion we have in Artophorion and communed her.
Her face was calm and happy.
"Father," she said, "thank you very much. I glorify God for this hour, in which God found me worthy to be baptized.
The doctors got tired of my illness and told me to go home.
I ask God to forgive me for everything I did in my life.
Please, Father, I want to take this tunic with me so that they can wear it when I die. I do not want anything else!"
I admired hearing these words and gave her the tunic. Her friend thanked me, took Georgia and they left.
As they were leaving, I saw the time.
It was 6:30 in the evening.
Two hours passed and they came to inform me that Georgia the prostitute was asleep.
God called her to the Kingdom of Heaven!
Our God is just, he prepared it in a way that our mind cannot comprehend.
People insulted her, everyone considered her rubbish.
But not her Creator.
We buried her with the baptismal robe and her Cross. How beautiful our Georgia was!
Another is the justice of God and another of men. God does not want to lose a single soul as long as they recognize Him as Savior and Redeemer.
The event of the baptism and death of Georgia was narrated to us in a letter by Fr. Chariton Musungayi from Goma, Eastern Congo.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.