When I first met Byse, I thought he was kind of cheeky, sticking his nose into pretty much every affair. He was the son of our district Bible worker and had come from the national university in the far south to live with his family and finish his thesis in Natitingou.

I quickly realized that he used his curiosity and vigor to build God’s kingdom. He actively participated in every church program and encouraged other young people in our church to get involved. When I started a Bible study group for young people on Sabbath afternoons, he was all in. And when I was sick or had to travel, I could count on him to lead the study. After several months, he decided it was time for others to take over, and every Sabbath after the study, he appointed someone else to lead the next time.
When his parents were transferred to another district, he chose to stay. He started working as a mototaxi driver to make a living, finish his thesis and have enough time to be involved in church activities. He was elected director of Sabbath School and personal ministries but did not limit himself to those responsibilities. He was always eager to help whenever and wherever necessary, and he had a heart for evangelism and a strong desire to work for the Lord. When he was absent on Sabbaths, things did not go as smoothly. When he learned that I meet with the local evangelists of our team every Monday for Bible study, prayer and discussion, he asked if he could attend and became a regular participant.

Byse is still working on finishing his thesis, but he already knows he does not want to work in the field of his studies. He wants to work for the Lord. The nosy, pushy young man has become a close and reliable friend to us, and we are exploring different options for how to use his talents to advance God’s kingdom.

• Twitter