A Garden Grows in Guinea Bissau

The joy of gardening is that after some weeks of tending your young plants- watering, weeding and waiting you first see blooms and then the tiny fruits began to set on as the pedals fade and fall off. I have experienced this joy many times as I watch the developing church in Guinea Bissau. Let me give you an example:

Every Saturday evening here in Catel we have a singing. Children from the ages of 5- 15 gather at the church to have a good time singing gospel songs. It can get to be a bit rowdy, even chaotic with loud drumming and high volume singing. Groups of friends drift in and out of the gathering, side conversations are going on, and the young people having a generally fun, informal interaction.

In the past months three young men have spontaneously taken up leadership for the singings. Momadou and Alfredo have been members of the church for less than a year and are still young in their faith journey. Victor, a gifted singer and drummer, the third member of the team, is only 14 years old. He has yet to make a public profession of faith, but he is clearly on track towards Jesus. His eyes and face practically light up with joy as he leads in singing and drumming.

I, the gardener full of optimism and anticipation, sat on the sidelines, awed at the work of the Spirit in the lives of these young men standing behind the table in front of the meeting room. The singing opened with Alfredo offering a long prayer for the meeting. Alfredo is the only believer in a family deeply involved in witchcraft and drunkenness.

After about 20 minutes of singing Momadou gave a word of knowledge to the audience, appropriate for the age and faith level of his listeners. Momadou comes from a family of refugees several of whom are active in the church. Then Victor lead in teaching three of four new songs. With the singing of a couple more songs Afredo also offered a brief encouragement to allow the words of the songs to sink into the hearts of the singers and begin to change their lives as they learn to know more about Jesus.

The meeting ended with the leaders bowing their heads down on the table in front of them and all three praying aloud at the same time. Some in the audience also joined them praying aloud. And it was not a short prayer, it covered the waterfront.

The gardener also was praising God for this youthful but fruitful garden. 

BJF   Nov. 23, 2010

Development Commission Document

This document was written for the development commission of Guinea Bissau. We recently had interaction with these people and they desire to include us the scope of their development activities. We have experienced some  unrealistic expectations on the part of the village where we live.  Our relationship with the development commission should provide us with a basis for better understanding with some of our neighbors who expect us to deliver the world to them on a platter. This is also a good summary of the current activities of the Mission for those interested in our work. B. Forrester  Nov. 2010

Projects, Initiatives and Development Activities of

The Mennonite Mission/ MEHDA in

Ingore Perfecture, Region Cacheu, Guinea Bissau

The Mennonite Mission in Guinea Bissau had its beginning in the village of Catel in 2005 with the arrival of two Mennonite missionaries. They had been sent to Guinea Bissau by the Balanta diaspora of Gambia where a Mennonite Mission had been operating since 2002.

From the beginning we should note three important points regarding the philosophy of the Mission and its ONG- MEHDA because these are foundational to the way the Mission works in Guinea Bissau.

1.    We come in humility ready to learn from our African brothers & sisters. We do not come to do things for them because we are in anyway superior to them. We come to help and empower them to do their own development.

2.    We recognize that God has richly blessed the country of Guinea Bissau with good soil, good rainfall and other natural resources. He has placed these here for the benefit, health and enjoyment of the people who live here. Therefore it is not necessary to bring in great resources from the outside- the resources needed are already here.

3.    We believe that, like people all around the world, the Bissauns are created in the image of God with intelligence, creativity and the ability to care for themselves. We believe and teach that God has a way for us to live that will bring health and wholeness to ourselves and our communities as we care for His creation. We believe God is calling us to live at peace with each other and His good Creation.

Upon this foundation we are honored to be here with you, joining hands with you for a better future for the people of Guinea Bissau.

Agricultural Initiatives:

It is evident that the country of Guinea Bissau has been blessed with great potential for the production of a wide variety of tropical food and medicinal plants. There is no reason for hunger or poor nutrition in this country. Growing conditions and water resources allow for year around cropping.

The agricultural activities of the Mission include:

·       The establishment of tree plantings on Mission property. These include Molina (for wood production), oil palm trees and citrus fruit trees. The purpose of the plantings is to demonstrate the feasibility for tree crops and to provide income to sustain the Mission and the ONG in years to come.

·       We collaborate with international organizations that promote the introduction and sharing of tropical seeds, plants, trees and shrubs. These plants are especially beneficial because of their high nutritional value and medicinal applications.  We have made plantings of these at the mission center in Catel and we share them with villagers who wish to participate.  These organizations are also helping us with technologies to increase crop production.

·       We have attempted to promote community gardens but these have not be very successful because the village women find it difficult to work together for their common good and they take little ownership of the gardens.

·       We have started a poultry demonstration project that we hope will prove that poultry as a meat animal will be a feasible enterprise for the villagers.

Health and Well-being Initatives:

The mission maintains ministries in eight villages. In these villages most people do not have access to medical care and everyone lives under conditions that promote the spread of infectious diseases. We are concerned about the prevalence of disease and the scarcely available medical care. Therefore we are developing medical and wellness opportunities for the residents including:

·       Medicines for purchase to treat at least a dozen of the most prevalent diseases.

·       Two men in our church have taken elementary medical training to operate a village ‘caisse de sante’

·       Starting in December, 2010 we will have a North American registered medical professional at the mission in Catel. We are working with our Mission sponsors to make that a permanent position.

·       Starting December, 2010 we are beginning a comprehensive program of wellness training that will be taken to every compound in the cooperating villages. It is a series of hundreds of well-being lessons on subjects of sanitation, disease prevention, nutrition, family life, money management, child-rearing, gender equality and dozens more topics relating to well-being. Trainers will be sent out from Catel who will go into the cooperating village to train local animators who in turn will teach the lesson in each household where they are welcomed.

Job Creation/ Business Initiatives:

·       As noted above, our goal is to utilize resources that are already available in the community to create income for those willing to work. The primary crop resource in Guinea Bissau is the vast cashew plantations. Most of the crop is purchased as raw nuts and shipped outside the country for processing, a system that leaves the growers and harvesters with almost nothing. Therefore we have started a cashew processing facility on the mission property that provides employment for several villagers. The cashews are partially processed and delivered to Ziguinchor where the processing and packaging is completed. The cashews are marketed locally and in Europe. The objective of the program is to keep a greater portion of the income from the cashews in the local community.

Other Initatives:

·       We are working with the Youth Association of Catel in a cooperative project to aid in the construction of a 4 classroom school facility in Catel village. We are providing the cement, brick press, roof, doors and windows. The Youth Association is providing the labor to make the bricks and build the building.

Church Development:

We are a Christian mission organization. Our sponsor is Eastern Mennonite Missions, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA.  In all of the villages where we have activities we are inviting people to make spiritual and life changing transformation that will help them realize the potential and plan God has for each of their lives. Our model is Jesus Christ and we invite people to become part of the Christian faith community.  As people respond in turning to God and leaving behind traditional religions they begin their journey of faith with Jesus; a community of faith emerges and a village church is created.

We are non-coercive in our missionary strategy. People are free to follow or not to follow Jesus. Those who chose not to become Christians are still welcomed to participate in all of our initiatives and programs.

I'm Encouraged: Reflections After Being Back in Guinea Bissau for Two Weeks

In the closing days of October, 2010 I returned to my post as Mission Director in Guinea Bissau. It was wonderful to be back but I was also very thankful for the great sabbatical I enjoyed over the previous 4.5 months. The highlight of my sabbatical was the trip I took from coast to coast on the Majesty 400 Yamaha scooter, plus two tacked-on loops by car; one up through Vermont, Ontario and New York State during the Fall color season and another south through Virginia.


Everywhere I travelled I visited scenes that were important at some point during my past 70 years. Visits to these communities reminded me of God's faithfulness in ordering and guiding the many paths that have made me who I am. I was able to visit many friends from the past and make new friends along the way. Everwhere I shared about the Lord's power in extending His Kingdom in Guinea Bissau. Everywhere people were happy to learn about the new believers and this forward movement of God's Kindom

Now its back to the routines of life in Catel: tropical farming, people needing medicine, people wanting to borrow the bike tire pump, boys needing their soccer ball pumped, meetings with the guys I disciple, helping to plan outreaches, meeting new people, making plans for the Catel school construction, wondering what this new itch is around my ankles and trying to explain to the 49th person why I didn't bring back anything for him from America.

On my return I have been encouraged by the way Andrew kept the mission programs moving. The rainy season months are not easy because many people find it difficult to come to church services and bible studies with all the agricultural activities when there is lots of moisture. I am also encouraged as I listen to the belivers teach and evangelize among their families, friends and in other villages. I am really impressed at their spiritual growth and how they are able to give such a clear testimony for Christ in this murkey animistic confusion. I am very impressed by their Christ-centeredness and the practicality of following Jesus in daily life. These guys are real Anabaptists. Jesus is first and forming the community of Christ is of utmost importance.

As I talk to other missionaries I pick up that some of them are discouraged and even fearful. Not so at Catel. The believers in Catel and surrounding villages are eager disciples of Jesus and they have experienced first hand deliverance and transformation that following Jesus brings. They are highly missional, always eager to share about Jesus.

For us, worship is important, so is learning to know the bible, but over and above this is the mandate to live the Christ-life daily in all relationships. This gives me great confidence and hope for the future of the church in this setting. I know that God has begun a great thing that He will bring to completion.

Beryl Forrester
November 8, 2010

This is the Google Earth photo of where I live in Catel, Guinea Bissau. The square roof building with the two smaller buildings in the center right is the Mennonite mission compound. The larger structure is the meeting place and it has 3 rooms where Andrew & I live.

Time for a little geography lesson. This is West Africa. At the top is Senegal, then Gambia and below that is Guinea Bissau. I was in Gambia 2000-05 and now since 2005 I have been in Guinea Bissau.

Top Ten FAQ's

My TopTen FAQ’s

As I make my way across the U.S. visiting folks I get asked some who, where, what and when sorts of questions. After being asked the same questions several places I started seeing a perceptible pattern and so began to formulate a repertoire of answers. I share some of these questions and answers with you.

1. How did you get here?

This question comes once I have presented myself at my host family’s door. Looking around they don’t see a vehicle so, naturally they have good reason to wonder how I arrived. Then pointing to the shinny blue scooter I say, “On that”. While their eyes are saying, ‘You’ve got to be out of your mind’ their mouth is saying, “You mean, you came all the way from Pennsylvania on that?” “Uh-hu, it’s a great way to see the country”. Some things like traversing the country (to and fro) on a scooter are just not all that easy to understand.

2. Guinea what? & Where’s that?

I’m from Guinea Bissau, I say. It’s in West Africa. I’m still drawing a blank so I add that Guinea Bissau is a small country just south of Senegal. In a country where the candidate for the second highest office in the land referred to Africa as a ‘country’ I shouldn’t be surprised that few Americans have ever heard of Guinea Bissau. Thankfully, most people have enough curiosity that they will pull down an atlas and find where in the world this place is.

3. What did you do there?

(Note the past tense. Most folks, when they see an old geezer like me have a problem visualizing someone this old still seriously occupied). I am a missionary, I say. They say- You mean, you’re going back? Yes, I can’t imagine not going back.

4. What sort of work do you do as a missionary?

Answer: I teach people about Jesus and invite them to become His disciples. (Really, I assumed that’s essentially what missionaries are supposed to be doing.)

5. How much long do you plan on staying over there?

Answer: Forever.

6. Is it safe to be over there?

Answer: I don’t feel unsafe or threatened. It is true there is great social and political unrest in many parts of Africa including where I live. It is not unusual in our village to hear cannon fire as the Senegalese army attempts to root out bandit cells hiding in forest encampments ten to fifteen miles from where I live. The highway I travel at least once a week to get to Ziguinchor occasionally is the scene of bandit attacks against travelers. Violent interchanges between people who dislike each other are not uncommon in our villages. In spite of the violence, life goes on. Violence seems to be accepted as a normal feature of life. For me, violence and danger don’t somehow relieve me of the commitment/obligation to be there with the gospel of peace. In fact, it makes it all the more compelling that I should be there. When Africans begin to experience transformation by Christ one of the first evidences is their readiness to abandon the need to return evil for evil and adopt a willingness to forgive their enemies. When I see this transformation happening in the lives of people coming to faith in Christ it only reinforces my desire to be there despite risks to my personal safety.

7. Is AIDS prevalent in your area?

Answer: Probably but it’s a bit difficult to know just how prevalent. I and members of our church have had occasion to minister to people obviously dying of AIDS. But since there is immediate burial and no autopsies there really is no way of having accurate statistics. My guess is that the rate is much higher than in North America but not as prevalent as in southern Africa. Someday the rate of incidence will likely be much higher given the few inhibitions about promiscuity.

8. Is the church there growing?

Yes, but not as rapidly as in some parts of Africa. I believe that is because we are only at the beginning of growth. The door is wide open for evangelism and nearly everyone under 30 is searching for something far better than the brokenness and sadness of their parents. There are several reasons why the beginning is slow-

• Most people know nothing of Jesus, they don’t know that Messiah is even an option. That’s where we pick up with them on their faith journey.
• Most people are illiterate. The bible is in their language but they have never read it nor heard it.
• Most people need to work 7/7 just to survive. There is no space for Sabbath or learning anything, including the bible.
• The country is a stronghold of Satanism, witchcraft & domination by ancestral spirits.



9. What do you eat over there? Answer: (in order of frequency)
• Peanut butter & jam on bread
• Macaroni
• Oatmeal
• Cabbage, carrots & potatoes

10. Do you get reverse culture shock when you come back to North America?

Answer: Yes. I enjoy visiting here and I appreciate all my family and friends who are interested in the work in Africa. It is good to see all of you and I enjoy your hospitality and support. Our time together reaffirms our partnership of the gospel in West Africa. But my home (and my heart) is in Africa. Its where God wants me to be and its where I want to be as long as I have the health and energy to make some sort of meaningful contribution to the extension of His Kingdom in that part of the world.

Each time I come back to visit I feel more and more like a foreigner here. As all of us know, life is constantly changing and when one is essentially off the scene the gaps keep getting wider and the pieces less connected.

Plus, the unanswered, unanswerable questions keep getting more and more complex. It’s just too difficult trying to come up with the rationale for how Christians (including most Mennonites) are becoming more and more distant from the poor of the world. For me, it’s easier and more comfortable to be with and walk with the poor than trying to devise a rationale for not being with them.

If I stay at this long enough I am going to come up with the 10 most FAQ’s I would like to ask North American Christians.

BJF
July, 2010

Mennonite Church Guinea Bissau is part of a Mennonite mission presence in West Africa since 2000. The mission began first in Gambia and by 2005 the good news was being carried to Guinea Bissau by new believers from Gambia. Most of the work focuses on the Balanta people but other people groups are also part of the emerging church. The mission is sponsored by Eastern Mennonite Missions and seeks to establish an Anabaptist circle of churches in those two countries plus in the intervening territory of Senegal. Welcome to our blog page and thanks for your interest in learning more about bringing Christ to a part of Africa where the church is weak or non-existent.