Guinea, a former French colony which was further devastated by a corrupt Marxist regime until 1984, is now struggling to find stability. Despite its natural resources, its people are living in poverty. Because Christian witness was severely opposed by the Marxist government, and because of a strong Muslim majority, Guinea is one of the least evangelised countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Officially, Guinea now enjoys religious liberty.

SIM missionaries are concentrating their efforts among the Muslim Maninka in northern Guinea, centred in the city of Kankan. The Maninka are the second largest people group in Guinea. They have long been known as traders, and many of them trace their roots to other countries from which their ancestors migrated along trade routes. They live in round thatched-roof huts made of mud and sun-dried bricks, clustered in fenced-in compounds. They work primarily as farmers, miners, or merchants. The society is patriarchal, and men commonly have more than one wife. Each village is ruled by a chief, and there is a clear hierarchy ranking from nobility to commoners. It is said that to be Maninka is to be Muslim. Although very religious, most know little about their religion.

Hot climate and distance from the conveniences found in the capital city make life a challenge, on top of the opposition-both covert and overt-from dominant religious leaders. Fears of reprisal and rejection hold Muslims back from public commitments to Christ. Relationships are the key to evangelism in this culture, which requires some mastery of the Maninka language. Some of the ministry tools in use are a health training program in villages, a reading room in downtown Kankan, and evangelistic cassette teaching tapes. The church provides radio broadcasts over the local government station. SIM missionaries are also partnering with Pioneer Bible Translators to produce the Bible in Maninka and to develop a literacy program. The threat of AIDS motivates the missionaries to engage in ministries of preventive education and, more importantly, of calling the people to life changes based on commitment to Christ.

The Maninka Church in Kankan, though small, has a trained Maninka pastor. Guinea has one Bible School.

Please pray for:

1. Endurance and joyful faith for missionaries serving in rigorous circumstances.
   
2. Spiritual breakthroughs among strongly Muslim people groups.
   
3. Whole families to come to Christ.
   
4. The evangelistic cassettes to touch hearts.
   
5. New churches to have a biblical missions vision right from the start.
   
6. More missionaries to serve among the Maninka.
   
7. Opportunities to preach the gospel via radio.
   
8. Effective use of the Jesus film, that viewers will come to faith in Jesus.