“What do you have to do to become an evangelist?”
This might not seem like such an unusual question to you, but to Hyacinthe, it was extraordinary, to say the least. In his many years as an evangelist, Hyacinthe had never heard anybody ask that question.
Charles began attending church after reading a book a church member had given him. At first, he looked a bit out of place in our little church because of his long hair. He had been a Rastafarian up to that point, but soon he cut his hair and left the Rasta ways behind him. For a year now, Charles has been faithfully attending church each Sabbath with his six-year-old boy, Jonathan. Charles is a loving and kind single father, something quite rare in this culture.
Charles used to work for a relative selling shoes at the market. At first, Charles would work on Sabbaths after attending Sabbath School and church. But soon he felt convicted to honor the fourth commandment, and he told his relative that he would not be working on Sabbaths anymore. That angered his relative, but when Charles said he also wanted to attend our lay-evangelism training every Monday, his relative had had enough, and Charles lost his job. Now he is looking for other ways to make ends meet and has begun to resell shirts he buys at the market. I offered to help him start a small business, and we are looking for the best way to do that.
Charles is so focused on learning more about the Bible and sharing what he learns with others that he gives little thought to his financial struggles. He was baptized along with two friends he had brought to Christ. He has two weekly studies with friends, and he studies with me each week to learn as much as he can about the Bible. He faithfully attends and participates in our lay-evangelism training, and he has begun to learn to sell books with a colporteur. He often asks deep and penetrating questions in Sabbath School and prayer meetings, questions that really get the rest of the church thinking.
Charles is truly a gem, and we thank the Lord for bringing him into our little church. He is one of several new members who are on fire and active in the church. Charles is an answer to a prayer I have been praying since we came to Benin—that God would raise up men and women who are committed to serving Him no matter what, and who will take the Gospel to many who have not yet heard it.
