Rodrig [rohd-REEG] grew up in a family that seldom attended church. One day Rodrig learned that his father had taken a second wife. Mother was so angry that she moved away. She sent Rodrig and his sister to live with their uncle.

Rodrig missed a year of school because his mother couldn’t pay his school fees. In spite of this, he passed the year-end exam and was promoted to the next grade. His mother arranged for him to live with a family on the campus so he could study there.

Surprise Prayer

Rodrig knew nothing about Adventists, and the first time he attended Sabbath School someone asked him to pray. The only prayer he knew was the Lord’s Prayer, so he recited it. He was relieved when no one laughed at him.

Rodrig wanted to learn how to pray before he was asked to pray again! He watched others as they prayed, and he asked the people he was staying with to help him learn how to pray. They were happy to help him. They invited him to worship with them every evening, and soon Rodrig was learning a lot about Jesus.

Rodrig began praying. First he prayed for his family—his parents and his sisters. As he saw God answering his prayers, his confidence in God grew.

Lots to Learn

One day Rodrig realized that the family he lived with didn’t eat pork. He asked them why, and the father opened his Bible and showed Rodrig verses that talk about clean and unclean meats. Rodrig read the verses, and his host explained what they meant. Rodrig understood that some foods are not good to eat.

During holidays Rodrig went to his mother’s house. While there she cooked pork, and Rodrig felt funny about eating it. Mother asked Rodrig why he wouldn’t eat the food she had prepared, so Rodrig showed her in the Bible that pork was unclean.

Rodrig had been at the Adventist school for two years when his mother died. Rodrig felt bad that he no longer could share his faith with her. He felt alone, but in his heart he knew that he wasn’t really alone. He has a family who cares for him and treats him as one of their own children. He has classmates and teachers who love God and form a family around the children at the school. Rodrig has given his heart to Jesus.

When Rodrig goes to see his father and sisters on school holidays, he talks to them about what he’s learned about God while at school. “I teach my sisters some of the songs I have learned in school,” he says. “I’m just now getting closer to my father. I would like to share with him what I’m learning, but I’m not sure he will listen yet. Pleasle pray that my father and sisters and stepmother will give their hearts to Jesus.”