When Camille was 5, her grandmother became an Adventist and carried her to church on her back. Camille loved church! She told her parents what she had seen and learned that day in church and always invited them to come to church with her and Grandmother.
Camille* [cah-MEEL] lives in northeastern Congo. [Locate the Congo on a map.] When Camille was little, she became very sick. The sickness left her unable to walk.
When Camille was 5, her grandmother became an Adventist and carried her to church on her back. Camille loved church! She told her parents what she had seen and learned that day in church and always invited them to come to church with her and Grandmother.
One day Mother went to church with Camille and her grandmother. She has continued to attend church with them since then. And before long, Camille’s brothers and sisters joined them. But Father wasn’t interested in church.
Camille prayed that her father would join the family at church. She asked the pastor to visit her father and talk to him about Jesus. And, of course, every week she invited him to join the family in church. Then one Sabbath her father went to church with the family.
Camille’s Prayer
Camille listened carefully to the Bible stories the teacher told during Sabbath School. She especially loved the stories in which Jesus healed the sick and blessed the children. When the teacher told the story of how Jesus raised a little girl who had died, Camille’s breath caught in her throat.
More than anything she wanted to walk. If Jesus can make a dead girl come to life, surely He can help me walk, she thought. Camille asked the pastor to pray for her to be able to walk. Camille’s mother and grandmother and brothers and sisters prayed for this miracle with her.
One day her sister held out her hands to Camille, and Camille stumbled to her. The girls laughed and cried together. Camille’s sister helped her balance as she practiced walking. And soon Camille could walk alone. God had answered her prayers.
Camille told her mother, “See how good God has been to us? Now I can walk! We must trust Him for everything.” Camille’s mother smiled through tears. That day Mother gave her life to Jesus.
Have Faith!
Although the family was poor, Camille often urged her parents to bring their tithes and offerings to church. The parents did, and little by little their circumstances improved. Father stopped drinking and smoking, and the family had more money for food and clothes. Today the entire family worships God together.
“I thank God for all He’s done for our family. He’s brought us to Jesus, given us money for food and a home and an offering. All that we have has come from Jesus by prayer.”
Boys and girls, we may not be sick, as Camille was; and we may not be poor, as her family was. But we may take every trouble to Jesus in prayer. He wants everyone to know that He loves them. Our mission offerings help others learn about Jesus.
*not her real name
