God is blessing me.

It was a wonderful coincidence that when I chose to visit a church today, it happened to be its 142nd anniversary. The White Rock Baptist Church is celebrating 142 years of a strong and relevant congregation here in the city of Durham. I spent three spiritual hours in this serene church, witnessing baptisms, sermons, and prayers. The church is truly beautiful, and the large organ above the dais is a major attraction. This was only the second time in my life that I visited a church, and it was the first time I spent a significantly long time there. My visit sparked my curiosity to learn more about Christianity and baptism. From what I gathered, baptism (from the Greek word meaning "immersing" or "performing ablutions") is a ritual act involving water, by which an individual is officially admitted as a full member of the Church. Traditionally, baptism has been seen as necessary for salvation. It is one of the seven sacraments of the Christian Church and is often referred to as the "first sacrament," the "door to the sacraments," and the "door to the Church." All sacraments were instituted for the spiritual benefit of the recipients. However, five of them—Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, the Eucharist, and Extreme Unction—primarily serve the individual in their personal spiritual journey. The other two sacraments, Orders and Matrimony, mainly impact a person as a social being, sanctifying them in their duties toward the Church and society. I am grateful to the Fulbright Commission for giving me this wonderful opportunity to participate in a teacher exchange program. It has allowed me to explore new places, meet diverse people, witness various events, and learn about different cultures. Looking back at my blog, I feel proud of the activities I undertook during these two months. This experience will surely contribute to my personal growth and maturity.