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GEOGRAPHY

Area 245,857 sq.km on Africa's west coast; between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone.

There are also over 600,000 refugees from Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Capital Conakry 1,425,000. Urbanites 27%.

PEOPLES

About 40 ethnic groups.

Mande 46%. Largest: Malinke 2,050,000; Susu 905,500; Konyanke 150,000; Yalunka 92,000; Kuranko 62,400; Manya 44,000; Lele 27,500; Mandéni 25,000; Jakanke 22,000; Mikifore 11,000.

West Atlantic 43%. Fulbe(3) 2,810,000; Kissi 316,500; Wassulunke 76,000; Baga(5) 50,000; Landoma 16,000; Konyagui 10,500; Bassari 10,000.

Mande-Fu 11%. Kpelle 380,000; Toma 150,000; Kono 97,000; Mano 71,000.

Other 0.04%. European, Lebanese, etc.

Literacy 36%. Official language French. Major vernacular languages Fulbe, Malinke, Susu, Kissi, Guerze and Toma. All languages 30. Languages with Scriptures 1Bi 9NT 2por 7w.i.p.

ECONOMY

Potentially the richest state of former French West Africa with abundant land, fertile soil, water and minerals. Reduced to subsistence and destitution by the folly and corruption of successive regimes. The IMF is establishing some development and recovery plans. Unemployment 65%. HDI 0.398; 161^st/174. Public debt 78% of GNP. Income/person $560 (2% of USA).

POLITICS

French colony until independence in 1958. President Sékou Touré led the country into a disastrous flirtation with Marxism which virtually destroyed it. The repressive regime was swept away in a military coup in 1984. President Conté has metamorphosed from military coup leader to President of a multi-party democracy, though the validity of the election process was dubious. A new constitution was introduced in 1991.

RELIGION

The former government leaders espoused Marxist rhetoric and a pro-Islamic stance. Christians, especially Catholics, suffered considerably at the hands of the authorities. There is now religious liberty for Christian witness and missionary activity. In recent years, intolerance by Muslims has increased.

Missionaries from Guinea
P,I,A 27 in 3 agencies – 24 in Guinea.

Missionaries to Guinea
P,I,A 320 in 32 agencies from 19 countries. USA 153, Switzerland 35, Côte d'Ivoire 32, Canada 25.

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Answers to Prayer

1 Praise God for the major improvements in the country since 1984:

a) Political and economic liberalization, but pray for stability, political leaders who place national interests above their own, and wisdom regarding IMF development plans.

b) Complete religious freedom, a reaction to the Marxist-Muslim years of terror which has made Muslims more receptive to Christianity. The liberty is being progressively eroded, however, especially in major towns outside the forest region.

c) The presence of more than 20 evangelical missions and the intensification of evangelism to the unreached – out of 30 main people groups, only 10 have no church planting effort, and of these, only the Wassulunke and Manya are larger than 30,000. The increase in work among the Muslim peoples is particularly encouraging.

2 Mission awareness has grown in the last few years. There is a growing expectancy among believers for an abundant harvest, and increased activity toward this end. The Kissi and Toma are now sending Christian workers to other tribes; the first missionary training course for Guineans was held in 1998. Pray that this increase of missions vision may continue and spread to other tribes.

Challenges for Prayer

1 The Christian population is still a small minority, and concentrated in Conakry and the southeast forests. It is almost entirely Kissi, Kpelle and Toma in composition. The Evangelical Protestant Church (EPEG) – affiliated with the CMA, the AoG, and Shekinah churches have all more than doubled in the last decade. But outward growth has not been accompanied by revival. Pray that the Holy Spirit might transform individuals, families and tribes, making them models for a truly African Christian lifestyle.

2 Leadership training for pastors and laymen is a great need. Guinea has three Bible Schools, two run by the EPEG/CMA, and one by the AoG. Four leadership training schools for laymen have been set up for the Kissi, Toma, and Kpelle churches by the Evangelical Church in collaboration with the CMA and AME. PAOC continue with an ICI TEE programme, as the Evangelical Church/CMA begin one of their own. Despite all of this, there is still an overall lack of leaders in most areas, and further church growth intensifies this problem. Ask God to raise up more godly national leaders, who are in turn able to train others.

3 Guinea is one of the least evangelized countries in Black Africa. Despite the increase in missionary activity, most peoples are still a pioneer challenge, mostly Muslims with strong animistic elements. The three dominant peoples are all strongly Muslim. The believers from these groups are often unable to break free of their Muslim contexts to live openly as Christians. Pray for their courage and boldness. While the numbers of converts from these groups has grown to a steady trickle, much prayer is required before a major breakthrough is seen. Pray especially for these:

a) Malinke. SIM have them as their primary focus in Guinea; radio ministry in the past has provided a solid foundation for evangelism. CMA and the EPEG also have an outreach to the Malinke. The first Malinke Church with a Malinke pastor has been planted, and other groups meet in villages.

b) Fulbe or Futa Jalon, who are strongly Muslim and known as the custodians of Islam throughout West Africa. Many groups are recognizing their great spiritual need and strategic role in the region. Through the work of CRWM, CMA, Calvary Ministries, WEC, SBC, AoG and the Swiss AME/Mission Philafricaine, there are a small but growing number of believers. It is hard for new believers to break free from the societal and spiritual bonds of Islam. Radio broadcasts, Bible portions, and mission workers all help to reach the Fulbe. In recent years, three Fulbe churches with 100 believers have been planted.

c) Susu. Apart from the eight rather nominal Anglican congregations on offshore islands and in Conakry, there are a few believers through the witness of CMA, Calvary Ministries, WEC, Open Bible Standard Mission, the Nigerian Shekinah Mission and the IMB-SBC. The CMA has established a Susu church in Conakry, and the city is targeted for a cell church movement. There are also Susu believers in the southern interior. Three new Susu churches have been planted in recent years with over 100 believers, but the breakthrough has yet to come.

4 Young peoples' ministry is vital in Guinea, since 50% of the population is 16 or younger. CCC, IFES, and YWAM all have ministry in the country. Christian student groups operate all three universities, several colleges, and are expanding into several high schools. Calvary Ministries runs a youth centre in Conakry and WEC plans to open one there. Pray for the Spirit to draw these younger Guineans to Christ.

5 There are still 18 peoples without missionaries. They comprise about 5% of the population. Their smaller numbers often means they are the last to be evangelized.

a) The Muslim Wassulunke (76,000), of Fulbe origin. Living in eastern Guinea, they are closed to outside influence. Pray that God might open their society and hearts to the gospel. There is one tiny church with a missionary pastor among them.

b) The Manya live amongst the more Christianized Toma, but they have generally been neglected in outreach. A GRN team has made cassettes for their language – these will be primary tools for reaching them. A Toma pastor has been sent to reach them.

c) The Mandéni, Tukulor, Jakanke, Fulacunda, and several Baga subgroups have hardly any believers and no missionaries. NTM has sent a missionary family to the Jakanke; these and several other groups need specific outreach. Pray for Christians from related groups to share Jesus with them.

d) The more than 600,000 refugees from civil strife in Liberia and Sierra Leone. They are proving to be responsive to the gospel and missionary work (EPEG/CMA), but a holistic approach is obviously vital to these destitute people. Their integration into already existing churches in their areas is also a challenge.

6 Missions. For years the only Protestant missionaries were CMA (1919-1952). In 1967 all Catholic and most Protestant missionaries were expelled. Only 11 CMA missionaries were permitted to remain. Since 1981, EPEG/CMA have welcomed new evangelical agencies. Most work in close cooperation as members of the Association des Eglises et Missions Evangéliques en Guinée. Pray for close fellowship between missions and also with the national churches. Pray also for courage, stamina and great faith for the growing missionary force in a land of rugged living conditions and poor communications, and also for more new missionary pioneers to be called. Pray that the Lord may call more missionaries, in particular to the Muslim groups in the country. Also pray that Guinean believers may catch the vision of evangelizing the unreached in their own nation. Major missions are NTM (60), CMA (34), AME (21), PBT (20), SIM (20), CRWM (13), IMB-SBC (12), AoG (11), Calvary Ministries and WEC (9), MERN (8), and YWAM (7).

7 Help ministries:

a) Cassette ministry is important in this multi-lingual land. GRI has made recordings in 21 languages, but several old recordings must be redone. This was being done by a Sierra Leone team and is continuing under a Guinean committee.

b) Literature is a challenge. There are three Christian bookstores, but literacy training is needed to make use of both Christian literature and the Bible. The reading room concept has been fruitfully implemented by the CMA, IMB-SBC, MERN, SIM, Calvary Ministries and WEC as a neutral location where both converts and seekers can come to study, learn and fellowship.

c) Bible translation is going to be one of the major missionary tasks for years to come. Nine languages have New Testaments, including Fulbe, Susu, Kissi, Kpelle and Toma. Eleven other languages may need translation teams. Translation or revision work is in progress in eleven languages.

d) The JESUS film also has great potential in evangelizing Guinea. Perhaps half of the country has seen the film, as it has been translated into 10 languages, and is in production for six more. Pray for a lasting impact through this film.

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