Notes From Guinea - A Prayer Newsletter from the Oetting Family
Serving with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod World Mission
February 2006
Dear Friends,
It is said that there is no testimony without the test...
This past month our focus was on completing one of our last major responsibilities before leaving the service of the LCMS World Mission - facilitating a conference and strategy meeting between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guinea and the mission.
Last week, Tim Norton and I traveled to the forest region of Guinea for the three days of meetings. We did not realize until we reached a fueling station in the town of Gueckedou that we were in the middle of a "situation". Demonstrators were protesting that a local Kisi politician was not installed as the town's mayor as earlier promised. Youths were throwing stones. Tim and I took another route to avoid the conflict and arrived safely at our hotel. That evening the missionaries who were traveling from Conakry arrived at the hotel.
The following morning, crowds of demonstrators moved back and forth on the street outside the hotel. Many of the protestors were protecting themselves with juju, or magic, against bullets. Gunfire erupted in the city as the military and the police shot their weapons in the air to maintain order. Unfortunately, two people were killed that day and eight were wounded. News of the killing was a signal for us missionaries to leave the city. During a calmer moment in the action, we left the town center with a military escort. We waited several hours just outside of town to see if the church leaders could join us there. This was not possible and we drove on to Kissidougou, the next major city.
On day two, our co-worker, Dr Kristen Schmaltz, hosted us and we met at her home in calm Kissidougou. We discussed how to work with the emerging church of about 6,200 members. We also compiled a list of ministry opportunities for the next three years. Unfortunately, the church leaders were not able to join us.
By noon on the third day, three out of four of the church leaders made it to Kissidougou. The fourth leader was safe but still held back in Gueckedou. The president of the church, Elder Joseph Yassah, made a presentation and this was followed by reports from two other church leaders. These two leaders shared the church's three-year plans for training and outreach.
The little "adventure" that we experienced this past month reminds us that the mission work in Guinea has always been accompanied by some turbulence. Some of you will remember that it was through the testing of God's people in Sierra Leone and Liberia during the '90's that the mission work started in Guinea! The most recent testimony that we want to share with you is that God kept the conference participants and their families safe. We also can testify that the church has a vision to reach the lost in Guinea. Praise the Lord. We ask you to remember the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guinea in your prayers.
Personal news
We would like to thank those people who contacted us directly concerning last month's announcement of our imminent departure from the LCMS World Mission. We are grateful for your encouragement and prayers during our transition to life back in the States. We plan to return to the States at the end of June 2006. Once back in the States, our entire family will participate in a one-week program for people who have been deeply involved in cross-cultural ministry. The program will focus on debriefing and renewal. We are learning that for some missionaries, the return "home" has been a harder transition to make than their initial transition to another culture. We ask you to continue to stand by us in prayer to help us with our re-entry into life in the States. We want to be ready for the next direction that our Father is preparing for us.
We praise God for his steadfast love. It is available to anyone who calls on Him (Ps 86:5).
Your fellow co-workers in Christ,
Jon, Sharon, Rachael, Joel and Anna Oetting
La Mission Evangélique Luthérienne en Guinée
001 B.P. 438
Conakry
Guinea