I came to Aix-en-Provence from Guinea in West Africa in September 1992. My wife and three daughters (Cécile, Anne, Kaffa and Dorcas) came to join me in May 1993.

I came to the Faculté Jean Calvin because I wanted to get a better grasp of Reformed theology in all its diversity. From very early on I was excited to be exploring so many different areas of theology (soteriology, ethics, ecclesiology and practical theology etc.) and I enjoyed all the courses. The teaching was interesting and highly motivational, so boosted my enthusiasm for academic work. I made good progress though it was a real challenge for me to get through the academic program and I had to put in a lot of hard work.

What I was taught at the Faculté Jean Calvin equipped me to serve the Church in Guinea. Reformed education not only impacted my pastoral ministry but also enabled me to be useful to my country in various ways.

- National Reconciliation

Guinea has been through some very difficult times in recent history. From 2006 to 20O9 the whole country was in turmoil and we were even on the brink of civil war. During this time God used the Christian Council of Guinea, made up of the leaders of the three major churches (Catholic, Protestant and Anglican) to find a peace process, and indeed, lasting solutions were found. At that time, I was writing my doctoral thesis on Psalm 85 (Righteousness and peace kiss each other).

- Church planting in Conakry City

When I came back to Guinea in January 1997 the leaders of my church put me in charge of a local church in the capital with 150 members. Having defined my objectives and set up a plan of action I started working hard, putting into practice all the pastoral techniques I had learned at the Faculté Jean Calvin. Before long there were eight large churches in the Conakry area.

- Media (National Radio and Television)

I have both trained preachers to take the gospel to unreached peoples and set up a team of technicians to produce films to help people become aware of the issues that plague our society and to teach a biblical view of civic responsibilities.

- President of the EPEG (l􏰁’Eglise Protestante Evangélique de Guinée) In April 2006, during the most difficult period in our country, the National Council of the Evangelical Protestant Church of Guinea asked me to become its president. Lots of things have happened in the life of EPEG, lots of progress has been made but it hasn􏰁’t been all smooth sailing.

- Founding a school in the city of Conakry

On our return to Guinea in October 1997 we founded a school (nursery, elementary and secondary) in Enta Sud Fassa, Conakry. Since that time God has blessed us in so many ways. At present there are 1,725 students in the school. Soli Deo Gloria! For two years we tried to get the Guinean Secretary of State to visit the school and finally he came. He was surprised by what he saw and this is what he said: "I enrolled all my children in Emmaus school as soon as it opened because I knew that Christians provide a good education. I could have sent them anywhere, to a French school, for example, but something attracts me to this place, something that I find nowhere else..." Our response? "In God we will do mighty deeds".

Samuel Kamano

Phil Barackman