The former Catholic nun Mersedita de Vera lived in a monastery for 10 years, but she learned about the true sense of her life from the Quran and decided to follow the way of submission to God.
"I have found tranquility of my mind and the meaning of life in Islam, – she says. It is not just my choice; it is the favor of Allah that He led me by the correct path. If God selected this way for people, I will follow only it, after all Islam is submission to God".
Mersedita took the veil in 1978, studied in Italy and Spain and visited a lot of countries with missionary activity. In 1985 she started to call to Christianity Muslim insurgents of Mindanao.
"Having appeared among Muslims who already at that time were labeled as terrorists, I have seen that they are no terrorists, but normal people. I have learned Islam and I understood that this is a religion of peace and mercy", the former nun tells.
On coming to Jolo Mersidita started to study the Quran to get acquainted with the religion of local residents, and surprisingly found in this Book the true sense of life.
"My returning in Islam became the best event of my life, - Mersedita is convinced, - I was a Christian and converted to Islam when I was 40 years old. I found monotheism and purity in Islamic faith".
In 1988 Mersedita decided to leave a monastery. She asked the permission of the prioress and told about the reason of her desire to leave.
But the decision of the nun to become a Muslim was not welcomed. The woman was seized her documents and sent to a psychiatric hospital. Former "sisters" decided that she was mad; they could not believe that the nun can convert to Islam.
Mersedita could run away, she restored her documents and left for Jolo to her Muslim friends.
Becoming a Muslim Mersedita studied the Arabic language and nowadays she teaches it at a high school. She works for free because she considers that Islamic knowledge should be accessible to all.
