Sister Teresa de Jesus Barreras is currently the oldest member in the Canadian Field. She was born in El Salvador on September 28, 1919. Yes, that is correct, she recently celebrated her 99th birthday.
Sister Teresa lives in her own home in London, Canada. She has some of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren living close by. She manages well on her own and actively helps out in the local church. She is active in cleaning up after Sabbath lunch and even takes part in some local missionary endeavours.
The question was asked her, “How did you meet the Lord?”
“While I was in a personal spiritual search, there was a man I knew who had been in prison and he told us that, while there, a man was visiting him and talked to him about God. His teachings were very different to everything we knew. My friend said that this man belongs to the Reform Church that is close to here. We lived there but did not know about this church. One day we were looking for the church with my son Jorge. We found the church; it was a small church and they were giving natural treatments there. So I started going to church.”
Sister Teresa was baptized 44 years ago at the age of 55 by a General Conference President who came from Germany. She does not remember his name. He had come for a Conference in El Salvador.
When asked “How did you come to Canada?” This was her answer: “Canada opened an office in “El Salvador”. My son heard they were looking for people willing to travel to Canada. They told him there were several processes. My son provided all the information they were requesting. We came to London, Ontario.”
After coming to Canada, she tells of how she came in touch with the Reform church in Canada. “There was no Reform church here in London. Only an Adventist church. I was looking for a church so I found an Adventist church and started going there. There I met Sister Shartery who also belonged to the Reform Church. We then started congregating at home. When a couple of people started congregating with us, Sister Shartery asked for a worker. This is how the work of the Reform started here. Until this day we are looking for ways to tell people that God loves us.”
Sister Teresa shared the following personal experience with the Lord. “I had a big disease. The nurses were telling me this was close to Cancer. God healed me through clay, food and natural medicine. Water, sun and clay. It took me one year to recover. I was like a tree without leaves. After the treatment I was like a tree that begins to revive when you water it. This was my biggest experience with the Lord, a healing experience. Since that moment I haven’t been sick.”
Let us pray for Sister Teresa as she has now begun her 100th year of life. She is a blessing and encouragement in her local church and a wonderful example of a godly woman who loves and serves the Lord will all her heart.