During the two weeks of the campaign conducted by from July 20 to August 04 2012 in Bukavu, D. R. of Congo. 647 people accepted Jesus and 229 of them decided to seal their faith by the baptism. There were many exciting stories during the campaign we will share only just one of these stories here. It concerns a young 14 year old man named Bienfait Kitambila.
Bienfait is from a Roman Catholic family. His father is an alcoholic and his mother is a manufacturer and seller of alcoholic beverages. The young Bienfait was invited to attend an Adventist meeting by Furaha Mwenge, one of the Bible Workers. When he came for the first time, he was very shocked by a health talk’s topic about alcohol. After the meetings of that first day, Bienfait decided not to drink alcohol like his father. He also committed to attend all the meetings to the end of the campaign.
By the second week, Bienfait decided to be baptized because had accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He had learned through the many Bible presentations during the campaign of Jesus’ great love of people and the sacrifice he made for all sinners. He had been told that he was to young and needed more time for study before being baptized. But he insisted on being baptized. They told him to inform his parents about his decision; he replied that it was not necessary because he knew in advance that his parents would not agree with him to leave the Catholic Church. He said that instead of asking for permission from his parents, he preferred to inform them that he was already baptized as a Seventh-day Adventist Member. Finally he was baptized as he requested. He was baptized by the second week, the same day, he was chased away from home around 10:00 p.m. by his Father.
He went to knock to the Bible Worker’s door, when Furaha Mwenge opened the door, she realized that it was naked young man looking for refuge and that naked teenager was Bienfait. He had no right to take his clothes with him, claimed his parents because they had been bought by Roman Catholics with money from the alcoholic business. They had kicked him out, without proper clothing and he had no place to go, except to his new faithful Church family.
Bienfait stayed four (4) days at the Bible workers home and he thought that his parents would welcome him back home after being gone for these four (4) days. Unfortunately, he was beaten seriously, he escaped again and run away back to the Bible worker’s home. The next day, Furaha Mwenge went to see Bienfait’s father to negotiate with him on Bienfait’s behalf.
The father said that Adventists have nothing to share with Catholics, since the young man decided to become an Adventist he is no longer a member of his family argued the Father. Either he will agree to be re-baptized by the priest into the Roman Catholic Church and then come back home; or he will remain a Seventh-day Adventist and stay away of his family.
The young man said “I knew this will happen when I decided to be baptized, I am a Seventh-day Adventist and I accept the consequences.” Since then, Bienfait has continued staying with the Bible worker. That is the fulfillment of Matthew 10:34-39. Let’s also consider the other side of this prediction of Jesus in Mark 10:29-30.
This young man needs to attend the school as he is at form 6 primary school. He needs money ($ 70 USD) for the proper school Uniforms, books, shoes and clothes. He also needs ($ 20 USD) for school fees each quarter to complete his primary school education and then to start a new journey of schooling.
His most import request is that you may pray the Holy Spirit to strengthen his faith and to touch his father’s heart so that he may see them in heaven. God Bless You for your help.
Bienfait
Bienfait and Furaha Mwenge, the Bantu Hope Bible worker smiling in spite of being persecuted.
