In 1986 he baptized his cousin, who still lived in communist East Germany. He also spent several years preaching in Austria. In 1961 he returned to Germany to preach and later teach in a Bible school in Heidelberg. After several years of ministry, Reiner moved to the US where he completed his education and taught German at Abilene Christian University. Later he was able to teach and baptize his mom, Antoinette, and his siblings. While in Frankfurt, Reiner met his wife, who was also at the school. He was still eager to be baptized for the forgiveness of his sins, and the missionaries were happy to comply with his desire! When Reiner was released he tried again, this time crossing the border through a river, and succesfully making it to the school. Caught by Russian soldiers, he was jailed for a night. Since East Germany was still closed, Reiner tried to escape across the border. This was at the time when Reiner had been forced out of high school for his faith. The school contacted Reiner and invited him to come to the school. He remembered Reiner, and his convictions about baptism. Wanting to reach out, the missionary/teachers asked this young man if he knew anyone who might be interested in becoming a Christian. The Kallus family, from left to right: Lisa, Reiner, Stephan, Rosel, Nina and Martina. The boy's brother then began attending a Bible school in Frankfurt which was run by missionaries from a Church of Christ in the States. The boys eventually found out that their parents were alive and were reunited with them. The couple forgave him, and the young man managed to bring his physical brother to Munich as well. Only then did the young man tell the whole truth. After three years of staying with this Christian couple in Munich, they wanted to adopt him and told him that they would have to travel to his home town in Switzerland for the adoption. One of the GI's, a member of the US Church of Christ who was stationed in Munich, took the young man under his wing and brought him home with him. The young man did not know what to do and claimed he was an orphan from Switzerland, because he was afraid he would get harmed by the GI's if they knew he was German. As the boy tried to reach his home he was stopped by some GI's. One of the Nazis who was near the bombing wrongly told the young man that his family had been shot. Remember Reiner’s friends who chided him for his “strange ideas” on baptism? One of these friends had been attending the only Christian boarding school left in Nazi Germany. Because of this, he was considered an “enemy of progress” and was forced out of school. He spoke against atheism and stood for his faith in Jesus. Reiner was the only young man in his high school who refused to join the Communist Youth because of his faith. Meanwhile, World War II came to an end and the communists took over their part of Germany. He told Reiner, “I know that is what the Bible says, but it’s not what it means.” When the preacher discovered that Reiner desired to be baptized for the forgiveness of his sins, the preacher refused. Reiner found a Baptist preacher, sure that he would baptize him. His friends chided him for his convictions and his desire to be baptized. He had questions for the traveling preacher that were not answered, and became a bit disillusioned. He knew from what he read that he needed to be baptized for the forgiveness of his sins. ![]() He made a decision that he wanted to become a missionary.Īs he attended church with some friends, he asked why they were not doing what the Bible said in certain areas of life and doctrine. Reiner studied the scriptures and longed for a deeper walk with God. Antoinette’s faith left quite an impression on her fourteen-year-old son, Reiner. However, as World War II war broke out and bombs fell, many of those same men came to her, knelt before her and asked her to pray for them. Antoinette’s faith was known in her village, and the local Nazis made fun of her faith. ![]() Antoinette was told she would not have children, but inspired by Hannah’s prayer, she promised God that if she had children she would devote them to him. She lived in Nazi Germany, where God was not honored. Antoinette Kallus had a deep faith in her God.
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