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REACHING THE WORLD

BY SCOTT GRISWOLD

“You smell funny,” the boys said to the new kid. Antoine laughed, too. He had just arrived from Tanzania and didn’t understand they were making fun of him. During his twelve years in a refugee camp, Antoine had gotten some schooling but only in French. Eventually, he threw himself into school and learned English in four months. At home, however, the stress associated with raising six children on a small income took its toll on Antoine’s parents, and they eventually separated.

When Antoine entered high school, he made a new friend who dressed in fancy clothes. “I want to be rich like you,” Antoine said. “What do I need to do?” All he had to do, he was told, was join their gang and be brave enough to fight; they’d teach everything else. Without his family knowing, Antoine’s training began. The gang taught him how to hotwire and steal a car, then how to sell drugs. “You’ll be good at it,” they promised. “You’re friendly.”

One day, he and his best friend were selling drugs when another gang drove by and began shooting at them. Bullets riddled his friend. Antoine ran to call the police, but it was too late. At the funeral, his friend’s mother took Antoine’s hands and earnestly said, “God saved you for a purpose. Jesus loves you a lot.” Antoine was shaken.

At the urging of a friend, Antoine hesitantly shared his story in church. His mother began crying, and hadn’t known he was in a gang. God saved her son for a special reason. A Seventh-day Adventist pastor visiting the area heard about Antoine’s experience and encouraged him to go to the missionary training program at Reach the World Next Door (RWND) in Houston.

Antoine called RWND and was surprised at being interviewed on the phone. “Tell me why you want to come to our training program,” the interviewer asked. Antoine shared his testimony and his desire for a better life. Antoine also said that he was working in a casino, which was a step toward a better life after selling drugs. The interviewer pressed on. “I really think you would benefit from selling Christian books. It would help you grow spiritually and use your skills productively.” Antoine wasn’t sure he would like it but he took the step of faith. At first, he hated it and would stay back and play on his phone but the group surrounded him with love, and his attitude began to change. Since being baptized and coming to RWND in 2017, Antoine has knocked on many doors, torn out drywall and insulation from hurricane-battered houses, and studied his Bible deeply.

Because of his background, Antoine has a special interest in meeting people from Rwanda who speak his native Kinyarwanda language. One day, another student led him to a family who couldn’t speak English. The lady was hesitant to open the door until Antoine began speaking their common language. As they visited, they realized that she was also Seventh-day Adventist and that she had almost no furniture in the house. So, Antoine worked with the missionary team at RWND to gather a rice cooker, toaster, iron, plates, and two sets of bunk beds for her and her family. Antoine says, “What’s really changed is my outlook. I used to hate everything because of my situation. Now, God has taken what was intended for my harm and used it for good, just like the Bible promises.”