Good afternoon, Bishop!

My name is Fabio Kawakami. I have been living in Japan for 10 years. I would like to share my experience with Jesus and the Church.

Bishop, I learned how to drink and smoke at age of 17, and I was enslaved by these two disgraceful vices during seven years. When I was 21 years old, I met my wife. We moved in together right away, but we encountered great difficulties because of me and my addictions. But at that time, we thought it wasn’t that serious. So I drank a lot, and every day the situation got worse.

When I turned 23, my son Luke was born. I thought that from that moment my life would turn around in regards to the addictions, but I was wrong. I started drinking a lot more. I made my wife and children – I have two now – pass through embarrassment, shame and sometimes even stir up fights inside our own house.

Often, different assistants came to my house and invited me to attend a meeting at the Universal Church. Evangelists constantly knocked on my door. But I had a worldly opinion: I believed that Bishop Macedo was a thief and everyone that went to the Universal Church was also a thief. I spoke ill of the Church a lot, called them thieves and many other things. I said all these things even when my life was completely ruined.

I wouldn’t even pay attention to what the assistants said, but rain or shine, hot or cold, they were always there extending a hand, and I always rejected.

And through all this, my situation got worse. I started working more and, the little time I had at home with my family, I was drunk and simply ignored my wife, which caused many fights and arguments.

Until one day, she took the kids and said: “Either you choose us or the alcohol”. I became enraged and tried to jump from the seventh floor. When I was about to fall, she pulled my shorts and hugged me tightly. At that moment, I saw what was happening in my life and that I needed help. The next day, an assistant came to talk to me again and I decided to ask for help.

I went to the Universal Church, which I had criticized so much. The assistants and the pastor welcomed me with open arms, and before them, the LORD JESUS CHRIST HAD HIS HANDS EXTENDED OUT TO ME!!

Before long I was free from the addictions, free from the evil spirits, and today I am being prepared to be an assistant.

This is so strong because, where I live, there are many, many religions and dozens and dozens of churches, but the ones who persevered for my soul, besides Jesus, were exactly the ones that I called thieves!!!

They were the only ones that knocked on my door and persevered for my family and me. So I ask: why is it that other denominations do not come for me? I believe that God uses His true servants here on earth, and I thank Him every day for having rescued me and saving my family, and for giving us one more family, the Universal Church family.

God proved to me that the world is upside down, because right seems wrong, and wrong seems right. And I’ll say more: if the bishop and the Church were really thieves, would God bless them so much? And do thieves have authority to cast out demons and be spiritual authorities established by God? Do thieves go to hospitals, prisons, asylums and from house to house to talk about Jesus to people who know nothing about Him?

People are not aware, but they are being robbed by the real thief: the devil. They are losing their souls and running away from the One who can save them: the Lord Jesus.

So, I tell everyone: before labeling a servant of God as a thief, take a closer look, because when a servant of God is called a thief, this offense undoubtedly goes directly to the Lord Jesus, because He is the One who chooses every true servant!

God bless you.

Fabio Kawakami