From Captive To Academic: William Twayigize
A Story of God’s Faithfulness….
Dr. William Twayigize was born into a small village situated between northern Rwanda, western Uganda, and the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This area is surrounded by dormant volcanoes and is home to many natural resources.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) contains many of the richest minerals in the world - one of them is called Coltan. This substance is used to power circuit boards, smartphones, and gaming consoles that are utilized world-wide. These minerals are found within the villages that are home to the native people groups of the DRC. These villages and people groups have become subject to what has been called the "Congo Massacres" - some of the worst acts against humanity in Africa’s history.
As a boy, William hoped to grow up to be a medical doctor and help pregnant women safely deliver their babies. Life was peaceful until one night that would alter William's trajectory forever. Rwandan and Congolese rebels came in the middle of the night after his youth soccer team had just finished their final match for the quarter. William awoke to the screams of his fellow villagers being slaughtered. He was one of the few who survived that night; his journey as a refugee had just begun.
After four years of raging war in Rwanda, the rebel soldiers came in the night with one purpose: to remove all those who stood in between them and the wealth that the land provided. As a young boy, William fled into the forest and eventually made it to the refugee camps where he stayed for two years until they invaded again. This invasion pushed thousands of refugees into the Volcanic Forest of Nyiragongo where many were burned alive from exposure to the active volcanoes. It was during this time that William was separated from his parents and siblings. According to the UN Human Rights Mapping Report, more than 8 million refugees lost their lives during this time.
After fleeing roughly 6,000 miles on foot, William crossed into the Congo Republic. Upon his arrival the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees loaded all refugees on a plane destined to take them to safety. Unbeknownst to William, the plane was a deception and took the refugees to a torture chamber where they would spend the next few months fighting for their lives. William was 17.
As the days blended together, William and his counterparts struggled to survive due to severe starvation and torture inflicted upon them by their captors. William had lost everything except for his Bible, which he had snuck into the chamber with him. William used his bible to start a prayer group from his cell. It was in this group that William was able to lead more than 67 captives to faith. Unfortunately 90% of these captives lost their lives in that torture chamber due to beating and starvation. William recalls spending a week with the dead bodies of his friends as they waiting to be collected.
One day a grenade was tossed into William’s cell. Eighteen of his cellmates were killed instantly, and he sustained injuries severe enough to render him comatose. The bodies, including William's, were thrown into a mortuary to await collection. When the Red Cross came they noticed William had a faint pulse and rushed him to a clinic in hopes of saving his life. Several months later, William had recovered due to God's mercy and the help of others.
After his ordeal, William later came to find himself living on the streets of Nairobi. He became a "street boy" and spent his time rummaging and begging for food. One day a missionary passed by William and stopped. After conversing with William briefly he stated, “I don’t think you should be on this street. You seem like a very smart kid. I am rushing to the airport, but I will be back in two weeks and I hope to see you again.”
When the missionary returned, he proceeded to rescue William from the streets and helped to support him in attending university. After William began his schooling, though, the missionary was no longer able to support him. How would he continue his studies and avoid returning to the streets? Well, God had a plan and provided once again. William came to know a man named Tom Englund. Tom saw William’s potential and provided the necessary funding for William to graduate.
Today William teaches in San Diego and is using the story of his life to impact others. William’s story is a perfect example of how God can take the most terrible situations and use them ultimately for our good. It is also a testimony of how one random act of kindness can change someone’s life forever.
