The small Lowcountry town of Varnville and the Eastern European country of Albania have little in common. What they do share, however, is Kjihad Sinai.
From left: Penny Robinson, Tommy Kelly, Kjihad “Clyde” Sinai, Shirley Robinson and Polly Knight.Sinai, known as “Clyde” to his South Carolina friends, is an exchange student who recently graduated from Wade Hampton High School in Varnville.
A year ago, Sinai said goodbye to his family and friends in Albania to complete his senior year in America. Through a providential “turning and twisting of events,” according to Tommy Kelly, pastor of Varnville First Baptist Church, Sinai ended up living with the family of church members Isaac “Penny” and Shirley Robinson, “devout Christians who believe in weekly church attendance.”
“Although Clyde only had a small historical knowledge of Jesus, God was beginning to make a dramatic impact upon his life,” said Kelly.
Andrea Blakeney, minister of children and youth, and the youth group welcomed Clyde into youth Bible study activities as well as enrolling him in the “More About Jesus” class, directed by Polly Knight and Shirley Robinson, that presents children and youth the plan of salvation as well as basic church doctrines. During a Wednesday night youth event, Sinai shared with the youth minister that he was ready to accept Christ as his Savior.
Just before Christmas, Sinai walked the aisle during the invitation hymn to make his decision public. On Christmas Eve, “the most sacred and holy night of the year,” said Kelly, “a young man from Albania shared with the world his newfound faith in Christ through baptism – and gave the Varnville First Baptist Church family a new sense of world missions.”
The following spring, Sinai began making plans to attend college and set up interviews with some Ivy League schools. Because he didn’t have a driver’s license, several of the church youth decided to spend their spring break “showing Clyde America.” While they visited prospective colleges, they also made stops in Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C. Sinai eventually accepted a scholarship to North Greenville University.
“Even though it has been a monumental year for Clyde for eternal and other purposes,” said Kelly, “it has been a growing year for Varnville First Baptist Church. Clyde has taught us a great deal about God’s purpose in our lives.
“When the Varnville First Baptist youth were asked what was the biggest change in their lives from the beginning of 2009 to the beginning of 2010, individuals gave many different answers. Some stated that they were in a new school. Others said that they had a driver’s license. When it was Clyde’s turn to say what was the biggest change in his life in the last year, he simply said, ‘Jesus.’ “