Bishop Jean Marie Benoit Balla leaves a memorable print in Bafia

The bishop who died suddenly was very close to the faithful of the Catholic Church in the chief town of Bafia. Sources say the late Bishop was a good father and a supporter. This earned him the affectionate nickname of "Papa Benoit". Faithfull christians attest he would organize annual celebration in honor of the sick from different communities of the diocese. He also worked on the construction a reception center for underprivileged and a festival hall that allows the return of funds for the development of the diocese.

For others, the cures obtained after the attentions of Bishop Jean Marie Balla remain the proof that he was really a man of God.

 "I was disabled; I had a problem in the hips that has kept me down for years. It was impossible for me to move because the pain was unbearable. Yet when Papa Benoit heard my problem, he came to see me right here in my living room. He prayed for me and gave me prayers to recite. When I began to do all that he told me to do, the pain began to diminish little by little. Today I can walk a bit, I can go to the shop all by myself and also to church, which I couldn’t do before now” says a Christian in tears.

According to reports the late Bishop was a father to all the Christians in the diocese. “Every time someone had a problem he would help. Thanks to him, many of my family members who had stopped going to church have started going. Even in the neighborhood, his way of behaving with the people and the confidence they had in him brought many members back to church. Many people were not interested but Papa Benoit changed things, "says another Christian.