Pray for Guinea

July 23, 2013

Last week ethnic violence erupted in southeast Guinea, West Africa. More than 50 people reportedly were killed and structures were burned, including several national Alliance churches.

The latest violence began on Monday (July 15) in the village of Koule before spreading to nearby N’Zerekore, about 350 miles southeast of the capital, Conakry.

“At this point there are still a lot of unknowns,” an Alliance worker in Guinea wrote. “Those in the affected area say that the number of dead and wounded is a lot higher than is being reported. Mass graves and bodies dumped into rivers have made it hard to ascertain what actually happened.”

Hope Medical Center Assisting

Several pastors who lost their churches also had their homes burned, including a former district superintendent. His son, who had just returned from studying at West Africa Alliance Theological Seminary (Côte d’Ivoire) to be married, lost all of his possessions in the fire. Five members of a Guinean Alliance family also were killed.

Hope Medical Center, a Christian clinic started by Compassion and Mercy Associates (CAMA), is located about six miles from N’Zerekore. “As the roads are opening up so people can travel, we anticipate getting quite a few patients, since the city hospital has limited space,” a CAMA worker reported. “Sadly, it sounds like some clinic staff had relatives who were caught in mobs and killed.”

Alliance national church leaders are working with other Christian leaders to formulate a biblical response to the situation so that the Church “can shine forth the love of Jesus.”

In addition, Alliance workers on the ground are assessing the situation to determine what steps are needed to respond to the needs.