Dear Friends,

I know it hasn't been long since you heard from us but wanted to get something out right away and have you praying for us and for Guinea. The economy here has been suffering for some time. From the time we left 3 years ago just until now the FG (Franc Guinéen) has dropped significantly in value. Prices have increased steadily but salaries have not kept up near as they should have in order for people to stay solvent. Many are suffering. With the increase just this week in fuel again the people have said, "Enough." An all city strike was called for beginning this past Monday. It was supposed to be a peaceful strike, everyone just agreeing not to go to work. The government employees were encouraging all workers to join them. Consequently, all businesses and transportation came to a grinding halt beginning on Monday. The streets are eerily quiet and markets are barely running. The strike was supposed to have lasted just one day but here it is Wednesday and things are still not anywhere near settled. Negotiations are going nowhere as the workers are demanding 4 times their pay. Rice is now up to 110,000 FG a sack (the FG is now at 4600/$1). For the people here this is significant and many just can't make it.

You may remember in my last letter I said that we had visitors here from the US and other African countries. Claude Houge (missionary in Kenya) and David Erber (missionary in Nigeria) arrived last Friday, the day we came home from our exciting trip to the Forest Region. Meetings were held and all went well. The first group was to leave on Monday, day one of the strike. Of course we had to wonder if flights would be going, but all was well and the group got out without incident. The other two were to leave on Tuesday morning. Tim headed out figuring that all would be calm again but soon realized that things had changed overnight (or was it just that Guinea didn't want to let these other two out without an exciting experience of their own??!!) Taking his usual route he was met with cars headed back toward him, all warning, "Don't go that way!" So they turned around and headed a different direction. Each route proved the same, with protesters causing trouble and sometimes burning cars in the distance. On about the third try they ran into some protesters in the street who were taking aim with rocks at vehicles passing by. Our car took a couple of good hits before Tim could get off the road (we have a nice big scrape along the hood as a remembrance) and try yet another direction. Just when he was about to turn around and come home he hit a safe route and was able to get to the airport. He reported, though, that all three of them were a bit skittish along the way. At one point one of the men yelled, "Rock!!" and it turned out to be just a potato rolling into the road from the market area. Tim said he ducked himself as a bird flew by. We were thankful that flights were once again going out and our guests were on their way. We prayed Tim home safely as well and have pretty much been holed up in the house since then. We heard today that things were worse in town as negotiations continue to go nowhere. A couple of mission wives invited me this afternoon to head to a grocery store whose owner had agreed to open up for a bit so we can restock on food supplies that are getting low. We are safe here, no problems in our immediate area, but work has come to a halt as well. We can't get to town to get money. I need to get a visa for Nigeria where I am supposed to attend a get together pertaining to our book keeping for Guinea and Togo and I can't get that either. Our vehicle is supposed to arrive in port later this week so I imagine it will have to sit if things aren't resolved.

All these things are trivial when compared to seeing people suffer because they can't make ends meet each month. It reminds me of the spiritual hunger we see so prevalently here as well. People strive to do well, follow the rules, all hoping and trusting that someday it will all "pay off" and their eternity will be in paradise. Tim continues to ride taxis in town here and share the Gospel with each driver and anyone else who is in the car. Interestingly enough one day someone said to him, "Don't you know that you are not supposed to talk to the driver?" (he's been doing this for years!) Undaunted, he continued his presentation to a passenger, knowing that all in the car could hear. Since then several people have told him to leave the driver alone. How Satan hates when God's Word is proclaimed!! Praise God, when we were in Kissidougou, here came one of his drivers that he had had a chance to share with earlier. He recognized Tim and came up and told him that since they had talked he started going to a church with one of his friends and he and his friend, a Maninka who has been a Christian for four years, have been talking a lot about Christianity. The Gospel can not be stopped. It will indeed never come back void but will accomplish all it is meant to accomplish. God is good!!

Please pray for Guinea and the people here. We have lived among rich and poor but the basic need for a Savior is always the same and is felt by one and all, no matter what is in the pocket. Pray that negotiations can work out for the good of all and that the situation here will remain stable. Pray that God will provide the daily needs of His people as they learn to seek Him. And pray that Satan will no longer have his hold on the people here, and that God's Word will continue to go out and produce bounties of fruit!

Love in Jesus!

Tim, Beth, Katie, and Andrea Heiney