Maybe it was because she was Muslim or still smoking, or maybe it was because she had two children and she wasn’t married, but the pastor did not want to baptize Fatiha Bernazza.

She was in Martinique at the time and finally convinced him to baptize her. The day after her baptism, she headed to Guadeloupe.

“Look where I am now 10 years later,” the bright animated woman said in the halting English she learned from grammar school. “I’m really active in my church.”

Originally from Algeria, now living in Toulouse, France, 44-year-old Bernazza, who told her story to ANN, was a delegate at the Seventh-day Adventist church’s business meetings in St. Louis. “I think if someone wants to be baptized with their heart, don’t stop them. We don’t know what the spirit does.”

Bernazza found the church while she was in Martinique. She was looking for a nanny for her children and asked a woman who was Adventist. The woman initially refused, but came back several days later to Bernazza and agreed to watch the children.

“She said, ‘I talked to Jesus and that’s why I’ve decided to take your children.’” Bernazza said.

At the time Bernazza was searching. “I was searching for real spirituality,” she said. “I had gone with every church, every one, from Catholic to Apostalic. I came to the Adventist Church because of the Sabbath. I believe it is the truth. I asked every church why they didn’t keep the Sabbath. They said it was only for the Jews. But the Bible said in the 10 commandments the Sabbath is for humanity. I stay because the Sabbath recognizes Jesus Christ.”

The babysitter gave Bernazza literature every time she picked up the children. She read them all.

But it was in a series of evangelism meetings “where I saw and understand who Jesus is,” she said. “I saw the face of Jesus and heard testimonies.”

“I’m Arabic. I was Muslim—I was not a child of Adventists,” she said. “With the life I had I was dying. I had a bad life and had done many bad things, but with Jesus, he saved me.”

When she left Martinique she headed to Guadeloupe. There she met Claudy Gob, who led mission work on the island. She ended up working with Gob in the ghettos of Guadeloupe for three years.

“We worked with those who did drugs, the prostitutes and the children in the ghetto,” she said.

She worked especially with children doing artwork, giving Bible lessons and giving out clothes.

The experience left a permanent impression on her. When she left Guadeloupe and headed to France, she continued to work with young people. She is one of those who started a church just for them—today there are about 70 young people attending that church in Toulouse. Many young people don’t want to go to the big church, she said, but it is important for them to stay in the church.

“We have to be patient with new converts, especially young people,” she said. “If we are not we will lose them. We can’t judge people because they have bad habits. I had many problems and Jesus helped me and I have changed.”

She explained that this is also because of the kindness of the people in her church. “They took my hands and prayed with me many times. They don’t judge me.”

“I’m the only one in the family that is Adventist,” she said. “My stepfather didn’t want to talk to me when I converted. To him it’s an abomination for me to become a Christian. It was only when my mom died in 2001 that we reconciled.”

Bernazza not only has a passion for young people—she has a passion for Muslims. She works with a group in France that focuses on evangelizing in the Arab world.

The group, Union Trans-Mediterraneine des Associations Adventists del 7 djou,” attempts to use the Internet, radio and television to reach Muslims.

This is her first time at the church’s quinquennial business meetings. “I’m sure Jesus [has] something for me to do here. I have something to say—I’m not on holiday. It is every Christian’s duty to take the compassion of Jesus to the world.”