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"Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."

Psalm 37:5

KANFORI'S LONG LIFE GIVES TIME TO HEAR GOSPEL

Kanafori survived a leopard attack.

September 29, 2008

by Christina Johnson

Not many people can say they survived a fight with a leopard. Not many people can say they survived a gunshot wound to the leg after surviving a fight with a leopard, but Kanfori, a Landuma man, certainly can.

In Guinea, the average life expectancy for men and women is less than 50 years. Kanfori was born in 1924 and has lived beyond the average. "According to his own testimony, he has lived here in our village longer than anyone else," James Sheffield wrote.

James finds it amazing that Kanfori is still alive, especially after an attack by a leopard when he was a young man. Kanfori and a few men from his village set a deadfall trap to catch a leopard. A leopard got caught in the trap they built, but even after shooting the animal, the men realized the leopard wasn't dead after they removed it from the trap.

"The leopard tried to tear out Kanfori's throat with his fangs while Kanfori struggled to hold him off," James wrote. "The friend who was holding the gun tried to get another shot … but couldn't shoot without hitting Kanfori."

While the struggle to keep the leopard off grew more exhausting, Kanfori begged his friend to shoot. The friend fired hit Kanfori in the leg. The leopard got away.

"Leopards are now extinct in this area, but Kanfori is still here. It seems safe to say that Kanfori outlived the leopard," James wrote. "The gunshot wound has not totally healed in perhaps as much as 60 years, and still Kanfori lives. Why has God preserved his life all this time?"

A few months ago, James was reminded of Luke 2:26, where it was revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit, that he would not die before he came to know Christ.

"I felt that the Spirit of the Lord was telling me, 'This man is not going to die before he hears about the Christ.' Since that time, I have been able to start a Bible study with Kanfori," James wrote.

James and Kanfori meet three times a week to study the Bible. James is preparing to start teaching Kanfori about the fall of man in Genesis. Please pray that Kanfori's curiosity and excitement for the Word of God will continue to grow. Also pray that James will have the wisdom and passion to continue the study with Kanfori.