Drissa Camara, a farmer who resides in Bally, is husband to a single wife and father to five children. One evening, he made my heart leap with joy as he recounted his testimony. It was like a soothing balm since my first two students abandoned our Bible studies because locals had negative views of Christianity, leaving me disheartened when thinking about the pain, time, efforts and resources we had put into leading them into the Kingdom.

Pulling me into his garden, Drissa spoke with such intense pleasure he sounded like someone who had just won a lottery. “George, I want you to talk to me about the Bible. Since you started visiting us, I have noticed positive changes in my life.”

Feeling the need to temper his enthusiasm, I quietly asked, “What changes have you noticed in your present life?”

Drissa replied, “Firstly, thanks to our talks, I am no longer the prey of the innumerable worries of this world that embarrassed me before. I am at ease now. Secondly, two years ago, I had nine bags of onions, thirteen bags last year, and fifteen bags this year. My profits this year are higher than those of the past two years. Thirdly, every time I am troubled, if I pray, I immediately feel at ease with joy, a good mood in my soul that you cannot imagine.”

Hallelujah! I thought to myself.

Since then, Drissa has always attended our Bible studies and he is preparing to be baptized.

One day, Drissa said, “Others give good testimonies about you. But they are afraid to say it openly. They say Christians are God-fearing and righteous, but everyone is afraid to associate with you because of your religion. I am committing to studying the Bible until I understand about Jesus.”

A few months later, Drissa had a dream that impacted him greatly. The next time I joined him in his garden for our Bible study, he looked worried as he approached me with unusual haste and began to narrate his dream.

“After our last meeting the other night, I dreamt that a white man I did not recognize came to tell me that someone had sent him to call me. When I asked the person’s name, he immediately took me in his arms, and we started to climb higher into the sky until we passed the atmospheric layer. I was terrified. Again, I asked who had sent him to call me and where we were going, but he did not answer; we only continued climbing higher. Suddenly, I woke up. Since then, I have been overcome with fear.”

I reassured him that there was no reason to worry and encouraged him to pray for clarification of his dream. When he said he did not know how to pray, I told him to pray in Jesus’ name and ask God the meaning of his dream.

One evening, Drissa spoke to me about his eldest son. “You know, my son has dropped out of school. So I would like him to go to your house and stay with you. I believe that whatever you decide for him will be good. I do not have any problem with him becoming a Christian.”

I asked Drissa that he give our family some time to pray over the situation, and we are still discussing how that would work. “What does your family think about your new faith?” I asked.

Drissa replied, “Everything I share with my wife, she accepts without a problem.” I thank God very much for leading us to Drissa and his family. I did not know that God would grant me such an opportunity.

At the moment, our families have an excellent relationship, and we visit each other often, enjoying each other’s fellowship.

We too often underestimate the power of prayer, a touch, a kind word, a listening ear, or the smallest act of caring, which can potentially change lives. Please take a moment and pray right now for Drissa and his family and that the people of Bally will give their lives to Jesus.

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