GoodWORD Partnership

Ministry Update from Conakry, Guinea, West Africa:

During the recent Evangelism Training Conference (April 5-7) team member Kurt Swanson continued our partnership with Prison Fellowship Guinea director Joel Laramou (see earlier post about prison ministry in several towns) and Evangelist and Musician Dhavant from Congo (Brazzaville) to minister to inmates at the main prison in Conakry.

Having obtained official permission for the visit from the authorities they loaded up a car with 900 loaves of bread, and cheese to go with them, and another car of packages of clothing. The prison is “home” to about 1800 inmates housed in very crowded conditions at several locations within the prison property and fed a very meager diet.

The team was able minister to the prisoners’ bodies and souls as they gave them food and clothing, and Dhavant sang and shared the Gospel to five different groups, including in the prison chapel, the only place photos were allowed to be taken.

The next day Kurt and Joel shared their experience with the conference participants as an example of the practical application of the material shared and discussed in the conference. In Guinea, as in many countries, prisoners are failed by the justice system and many without family or advocates outside the prison system are forgotten in their loneliness and deprivation. Prison Fellowship and other ministries seek to serve the forgotten and facilitate freedom of their bodies and souls.

Update from Guinea, West Africa

PRISON MINISTRY
During the week of March 21 GoodWORD team member Kurt Swanson (a former missionary to Guinea 1994-2001) traveled with his friend Joel Laramo, the president of Prison Fellowship Guinea, about 400 miles and many hours across the country on very poor roads to minister to about 1,500 prisoners in the towns of Dubreka, Coyah, Kindia, Mamou, Dabola and Kankan. They received permission from the government to visit the prisons although the warden of each facility determined the conditions of each visit. In one prison all the inmates were brought out of their cells under guard for the ministry of sharing the Gospel and giving each prisoner a gift of protein rich food, clothing, and basic medicine. In other facilities prisoners remained in their cells but received the gifts either directly from the team or by way of the guards as the team watched.

In Kankan Kurt was especially encouraged to be able to visit a church pastored by a former prison inmate whom Kurt had befriended during his time as a missionary to Guinea.

Prison conditions are very severe with inmates spending little or no time outside of overcrowded cells. No matter what the reason for being incarcerated or the length of sentence prisoners have little hope of being released without advocacy from outside by families and others. GoodWORD Partnership and Prison Fellowship seek to provide the hope of Jesus Christ through word and action. The ministry to prisoners and the recent trip will be highlighted in the conference of church leaders this week to encourage churches to support this vital ministry. A further visit is planned for Wednesday to the main prison in Conakry which has about 1800 inmates.

Due to the severe conditions of the roads and cost of travel Prison Fellowship has limited opportunities to visit prisons in the towns outside the capital, Conakry so GoodWORD Partnership was delighted to be able to help facilitate and be part of this trip.

"I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’" (Matt 25:36)

Greetings from Conakry, the capital of the west African country of Guinea where for next week Roy will be leading a ministry team facilitated by GoodWORD with our partners from four other African countries. The center point of the week’s ministry will be a three day evangelism training conference for church leaders next week April 5,6,7 at a local church. Other ministry will be held in prisons, with children, and at a rural medical clinic.

Our partner in Guinea is Pastor Daniel and his wife Edwidge who operate a rural Christian school of about 200 K-12 students largely from non-Christian families, as well as a medical and maternity clinic. Edwidge is a trained midwife.

Guinea is a country of about 12 million people, over 95% of whom are not Christian. It is a former French colony and thus French speaking. It contains large quantities of iron ore and almost half of the world’s know supply of bauxite, the ore that gives us aluminum.

Our partners have come from three other French-speaking countries (Rwanda, Congo-Brazzaville, and Côte d’Ivoire) and also Ghana to participate in teaching and outreach.

For Roy personally this is a return to the continent of his early life - born and raised in Zambia to British missionaries. Our team would value your prayers for effective ministry, good health, and safety as they drive the roads and fly the skies!

After years of delay caused by epidemics and political unrest GWP is on the ground in Guinea, West Africa with several ministry events. Guinea is a French-speaking country of about twelve million with enormous natural resources. Christians make up about 5% of the population.
Our colleague and a former missionary to Guinea, Kurt, is there now visiting prisons in partnership with Prison Fellowship, Guinea. Food, clothing, toiletries, and basic medicines are being provided to prisoners in addition to spiritual nourishment. Pictured is ministry of food and clothing in Dabola Prison and Kurt with the warden at Mamou Prison.
Next week (April 5-7) GWP will facilitate a conference for 200+ church leaders in the capital Conakry and later an outreach to children and a medical outreach outside of Conakry. We appreciate your prayers for this ministry and will keep you informed of progress as we are able.