Police officer becomes ‘brave soldier
for Christ’
‘All that the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself’ (CEV)

CONGO (REPUBLIC) — Roméo Itoua is a police officer who, despite his misgivings, used to say nothing when his colleagues sometimes acted violently in the course of their duties. Occasionally, he even ignored his conscience to the extent that he, too, took part in acts of violence. One day he attended a military rally that was to change his life and make him a ‘brave soldier for Christ’, according to the Bible Society in Congo’s Distribution Secretary Christophe Ntsi-Omo, to whom he told his story.
Photo: Roméo Itoua is a police officer who admits that he was just a nominal Christian for many years before he attended a military rally at which he was deeply affected by a passage from Galatians. He now spreads God's Word among his fellow officers. Brazzaville, Congo. Photo: BS Congo (CON05DJ-2.JPG)
Roméo Itoua is a police officer who admits that he was just a nominal Christian for many years before he attended a military rally at which he was deeply affected by a passage from Galatians. He now spreads God's Word among his fellow officers. Brazzaville, Congo. Photo: BS Congo (CON05DJ-2.JPG)

“For many years I was just a nominal Christian. I was certainly far from being the ‘light for the whole world’ that Jesus called his followers to be in his Sermon on the Mount. I was often present when my colleagues committed acts of injustice or violence but I did not have the courage to speak out against them. I always regretted this later when I was alone. Sometimes I even took part in such acts.

Courage

“I did not find the courage and strength to really change until one day, during a military rally, the Lord prompted me to recall a passage in chapter five of Paul’s Letter to the Galatians: ‘All that the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself’ (Galatians 5:14 CEV).

“It was then that I realised that our bad practices were a clear sign of a lack of love for others. I decided to act by telling my colleagues the Good News, beginning with those with whom I worked most closely.

Power

“The power of God’s Word started to have an impact on the lives of several officers who, in due course, started asking me for a Bible. So we were overjoyed when the Bible Society gave us, free of charge, Portions entitled Soldiers Like That!, Living and Serving in a new Spirit and Reconciliation between the People and the Army. These Portions all emphasise the importance of justice, peace, love and reconciliation in guiding us towards a new life in Jesus Christ.” (WR 394/16 - 07.05) [1 photo]