Leo's Legacy, Part 2

“God, I don’t want to be rich. I want whatever You want to give me. Please help me reach people for You.”

Editor’s note:

Last week we met Bienvevu, who had just learned that he’d have to choose between obeying God and keeping his well-paying job. This week he shares how God led him to the perfect work opportunity to help the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Gabon.

I’m starting all over again! I thought as I quit the best-paying job I’d ever had. I wasn’t sorry that I’d chosen to obey God rather than keep my job, but now I had no way to support my mom. She depended on me to help her since my father had passed away.

“Lord,” I prayed, “I need a job again. Please help me find one that allows me to serve You.”

A Strange Dream

One night after praying, I had a strange dream. I was standing in church, and a man was talking to me. I asked him whether he was a member, and he said No. He continued talking, but I was so busy thinking about my problems, I didn’t hear a word he was saying.

When the man finished speaking, he stood up to leave. It was then that I remembered the story in the Bible about the angel who visited Jacob. Jacob had refused to let the angel go until the angel blessed him. What if this man is an angel? I wondered, grasping the man by the foot. “Please, don’t leave me,” I cried.

“What do you want?” the man asked. I looked over his shoulder and saw a large pile of money and expensive houses, cars, and clothes. “I want to be rich,” I replied.

The man looked at me sadly. “I have something to give you, but you’re not ready to receive it.”

“What will you give me?” I asked, but I never heard the answer because I woke up from my dream.

I immediately knelt to pray. “God, I don’t want to be rich. I want whatever You want to give me. I’m so thankful that you inspired our Adventist neighbor to reach out to my family, and now I want to reach out to others. Please help me reach people for You.”

New Opportunities

Soon after my fervent prayer, I began training in multimedia technology, such as videography, photography, and infographics. I realized that these skills could help our church promote the gospel, and yet no one was doing this work. “By your grace, God,” I prayed, “this is how I will help build Your church.”

I purchased a camera and started photographing church events and weddings. With the money I earned from the weddings, I purchased several more cameras and hired people to work for me.

I’ve created videos of our church programs and choir performances that have been aired on local television. I praise God that I’ve been able to help put a face on our church that people are beginning to recognize. My goal is for us to eventually have an Adventist channel of our own.

I’m very grateful that God inspired that Adventist man to reach out to my family. Now I want to reach out to others. I want everyone in Gabon to know that Jesus loves them and died for them and is coming soon to take them home.

Our Mission

One powerful way our church members are reaching the Gabonese people for Christ is through our mission schools. We have only one primary school and one secondary school in our country, and the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter will help us build another secondary school so that we can more than double our impact. This new school will enable us to reach hundreds more non-Christian students, involve our youth in wholistic ministry to the community, and build a strong Adventist presence in Gabon for the future. Please give generously this quarter and pray that God’s Spirit will work mightily upon the hearts of the Gabonese people.