Guinea

Guinea, nearly the size of the state of Oregon, has known little of peace and prosperity in its recent history. Originally, it was part of many different ancient kingdoms beginning with the Ghana Empire. The most well-known empires that controlled this territory were the Mali Empire and the subsequent Songhai Empire, which ended in the late 1500’s. The French came in the late 1800’s including this territory as part of their French West Africa until 1958 when the country voted for independence from its European ties. Upon its freedom, the country formed official relationships with the Soviet Union, and attempted, for a time, to reflect these ideas in its government.

During the years after freedom, the country was controlled by a succession of totalitarian rulers, coups, and brutality. During one regime, over one percent of the population was slaughtered. Guinea not only had to contend with inner turmoil, it also had to struggle against the influence of the insurgence taking place in its surrounding countries, and for a time, it was nearly considered a failed state. In 2010, Guinea experienced its first democratic election, seeming to promise better days ahead. However, it only ushered in a series of elections, claims of fraud, and protests. In 2021, the government was overtaken in a coup d’état, the constitution suspended, and the military placed in control.

Nearly thirteen million souls find a home in this country. French is the official language, but different African languages are also widely spoken. Diamonds and gold ore are found here in abundance, and the country is the second in the world for its production of bauxite. Nevertheless, the economy and the people are suffering under decades of instability and cruelty. Only approximately thirty-percent are literate. Worse than these political and economic challenges, the people have long been in bondage to Islam. The religion was brought to the region in ancient times by Arab traders, and before colonization, the region had been under Muslim rule for a time. Today, nearly ninety-percent claim Islam as their faith, and, while a small minority claim Christianity, only a handful of these of these people have ever heard the Truth.

Missionaries in Guinea:

Missionaries in Africa (listed with BIMI account numbers)