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A Missionary Born in a Mission Field
December 6 2009 / ShareHim in Rwanda A, May. 23 - Jun. 7 '08 #396by Roland Brutus
Personal Testimony of Roland Oliver Brutus.
During Sabbath School, my pastor often told stories of American missionary doctors who went to Africa and carried with them the gospel of Jesus Christ. As he spoke, I often daydreamed of going to Africa and telling others about Christ. Yet my dreams were often shattered by the fact that Africa was simply to far from my hometown of Montemorelos, Mexico.
For my dad, Mexico, where he serves as a missionary doctor, is a mission field. Born in Haiti and educated in the U.S, he strongly believed in Christian education, so after specializing in pathology, he went to Mexico to teach in Montemorlos University’s Medical School. My case was different. I was born after my dad arrived in Mexico, so Mexico was home to me. I was not a missionary myself, or at least I didn’t feel like it. I was the son of a missionary.
In February 2008, God in his providence saw fit to give me the privilege of becoming a missionary by inviting me, along with other Southwestern students, to preach and evangelistic series in East Rwanda. Since I had long wanted to go on a mission trip to Africa, I accepted the invitation without hesitation, and soon after I found myself in a flight to Rwanda.
The first day I showed up to the tent where I was going to be preaching, the audience of about 350 people stared at me for about 15 minutes. They were intrigued by the “American international evangelist” who was going to teach them about God and impressed by the color of my skin. From that moment on they called me “muzungu” which in their language means white person. I tried to explain to them that my skin color is brown, and therefore I could not be classified as a muzungu. Since I am lighter than them, however, they still considered me a muzungu. “If you’re not black, you are white,” they said.
My audience enjoyed hearing what I had to say and I enjoyed teaching them about the truths of God’s word. They were especially blessed by the messages about forgiveness, the prophecies of Daniel two, and by the messages about the second coming of Christ.
At the end of the evangelistic series 69 people were baptized, and many others signed up for Bible studies.
I am thankful to God for giving me the dual privilege of telling others about Him and seeing them be transformed by his regenerating Spirit. Now I can say I am a missionary.
For my dad, Mexico, where he serves as a missionary doctor, is a mission field. Born in Haiti and educated in the U.S, he strongly believed in Christian education, so after specializing in pathology, he went to Mexico to teach in Montemorlos University’s Medical School. My case was different. I was born after my dad arrived in Mexico, so Mexico was home to me. I was not a missionary myself, or at least I didn’t feel like it. I was the son of a missionary.
In February 2008, God in his providence saw fit to give me the privilege of becoming a missionary by inviting me, along with other Southwestern students, to preach and evangelistic series in East Rwanda. Since I had long wanted to go on a mission trip to Africa, I accepted the invitation without hesitation, and soon after I found myself in a flight to Rwanda.
The first day I showed up to the tent where I was going to be preaching, the audience of about 350 people stared at me for about 15 minutes. They were intrigued by the “American international evangelist” who was going to teach them about God and impressed by the color of my skin. From that moment on they called me “muzungu” which in their language means white person. I tried to explain to them that my skin color is brown, and therefore I could not be classified as a muzungu. Since I am lighter than them, however, they still considered me a muzungu. “If you’re not black, you are white,” they said.
My audience enjoyed hearing what I had to say and I enjoyed teaching them about the truths of God’s word. They were especially blessed by the messages about forgiveness, the prophecies of Daniel two, and by the messages about the second coming of Christ.
At the end of the evangelistic series 69 people were baptized, and many others signed up for Bible studies.
I am thankful to God for giving me the dual privilege of telling others about Him and seeing them be transformed by his regenerating Spirit. Now I can say I am a missionary.