I is for Ice Cold Baptism

 Sunday night after evening service one of my roommates comes running into our room to tell me that there is a baptism going on outside. I walked outside to the courtyard between our house and the main house to a huge gathering of people. They were all singing and dancing together obviously excited for whomever was about to be baptized. Ever since we arrived there has been a large silver tub sitting on the grass by the showers, now we all knew what purpose it served. Men carried barrels of ice-cold water from the showers to pour in the shower. In the pitch black night I could make out Mr. Roy Merritt (founder of Eric’s House, the place for boys from 5-20), a younger man donning a black robe, and the young man about to be baptized. Mr. Merritt hushed the crowd so that the young man could step into the tub. The man wearing the black robe loudly said “I bless you in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit”, dunked the young man back once, and the crowd cheered. It was beautiful to see so many come to witness this young man’s baptism and a wonderful Sunday surprise.