“Wawa (Dad), pray for me.” This request from my friend Dick was not unusual. People often come to me asking for prayer after moral lapses or when they are facing strong temptation.

Baptized only a month ago, Dick is one of our newest church members. But I have known him a long time. He used to garden on the land that is now our mission property. Ten years ago he helped us level the ground for our house. I’ll never forget the day a deadly snake slithered through our work area, and Dick dispatched it with a well-aimed shovel chop. Dick then made a fire, cooked the snake and ate it. Some might call him a bush man. He is a man of very modest means and has never been married. But most people like Dick. He has an easygoing way about him.

A few weeks ago, Dick showed up at church with a handful of fresh-cut rice still on the stalks. He was so excited about his first rice crop and how plentiful it was. He had brought his first cuttings as an offering. But now he was earnestly asking for prayer.

“Wawa, I need your prayers because God is working on the hearts of my family members. They are coming to me asking about the truth. I need God’s help to give them the correct answers. I tell them Jesus is coming soon and they need to stop fighting each other. So, please pray for me.”

Dick has become exuberant about Jesus lately. Previously shy and quiet, now he speaks boldly of God’s love. I assured Dick that I would be praying for him. He has been attending our Bible classes faithfully and participates in our sunrise prayer meetings at the church. Please join me in praying for Dick and all the other Gogodala people that they will understand the truths of the Bible and apply them to their lives.

• Twitter