But saying hello to America, and ultimately becoming a naturalized citizen, are moments he will always cherish.
“I always tell my children, ‘If there’s any country I can protect and that I love, it’s the United States because of what they did for me,’” Ntwayingabo said. “They gave me a place and a home where I can belong. Many immigrants who come to this country, they have the same experience as me. That’s how I see it.”
The Democratic Republic of Congo, a nation in Central Africa, has had ongoing conflict since the 1990s. The Trump administration issued a travel ban on the DRC and several other nations in June, saying the country is among nations that “pose a very high risk” to the U.S.
Before then, the U.S. State Department urged travelers not to visit the Congo due to armed conflict, crime, civil unrest, kidnapping and terrorism.
After living in Kenya as a refugee for four years, completing numerous interviews with immigration officials and having his fingerprints stamped, Ntwayingabo was authorized to move to the United States. It’s a day he looks back on with joy.
Ntwayingabo said he has seen many refugees who learn of their acceptance into the U.S. become overwhelmed and faint. He instead responded by jumping up and down in happiness.
But the journey to America was one he took alone, carrying nothing but a small bag packed with clothes and other items. A photo album carrying all of his pictures from his life in Africa was lost at an airport.
And Ntwayingabo only knew one person in the entire country, a cousin, when he was dropped off in Lexington, Ky.
Although he knew a little English, getting used to his new country was a learning experience. His first meal in the U.S. was milk and bread because he had never used a stove.
“These things, they were very new to me,” he said.
His first taste of “American” food was a greasy slice of pizza. He said he much prefers food with rice and beans.
Ntwayingabo lived with his relative in Sioux Falls, S.D., for several years before coming to Dayton in 2010. He first worked as a community engagement specialist at Welcome Dayton before becoming a full-time pastor at Penuel Church of the Nazarene, which is attended by many Dayton-area immigrants from African nations.
Ntwayingabo said in his role as a pastor, he speaks frequently about how American communities can be welcoming to immigrants.
“They are not here to rob people, they are not here to harm people. They are here for their safety,” he said.
While in Dayton, Ntwayingabo has worked with other immigrants to help them integrate into their communities.
Learning a culture has challenges in ways the Ntwayingabo could have never guessed. For instance, he said he had to adapt to the way Americans talk to one another.
“Anytime I wanted to ask someone something, I wanted to be close to them,” he said. “And that was kind of weird to people I was going to speak to. So they were running away from me, and it was weird, a little bit. So I had to adapt to the system in order for me to communicate. That was a big challenge.”
People entering the U.S. under the refugee status are offered a pathway to citizenship. The father of six received a Green Card after several years of being in the country, making him a lawful permanent resident.
After having his Green Card for five years, he became eligible to apply for naturalization — the process for a foreign-born resident to become a citizen.
It took weeks for Ntwayingabo to study for the U.S. citizenship test, which includes a pool of 100 questions related to history, government and other aspects of civics. For him, passing the test was the start of a new chapter: he was able to vote and first cast a ballot in the 2016 presidential election.
Ntwayingabo has never returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo, but he wishes he can someday.
“I’m praying for the good future of Congo,” the pastor said. “Then people can go back, can see our country again and see where we were born.”
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