C&MA Church in Guinea is Burned – Persecution Grows in West African Countries

In addition to the pandemic that everyone is experiencing, Guinea and other West African countries have faced persecution. The Protestant Evangelical C&MA Church of Dorata (N’zérékoré), reputed to be one of the largest in Guinea, was destroyed by fire the evening of March 22, 2020, following political and ethnic clashes.

The Republic of Guinea (also known as Guinea-Conakry) is a west-coastal country in West Africa and is bordered by Senegal, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ivory Coast. With about 12.5 million people, Guinea became a French colony in 1891 and achieved independence in 1958. The main religion is Islam (85%), with about 8% Christian and 7% followers of traditional African religions.

Although the Guinean Secretariat of Religious Affairs has promoted better relations among religious denominations and a lessening of interethnic tensions, conflicts with religious and ethnic connotations still exists. For example, there were three days of ethno-religious fighting in the city of N’zérékoré in July 2013. Fighting between ethnic Kpelle, who are Christian or animist, and ethnic Konianke, who are Muslims and close to the larger Malinke ethnic group, left at least 54 dead. The violence ended after the Guinean military imposed a curfew, and the president made a televised appeal for calm.

The Protestant Evangelical Christian and Missionary Alliance Church of Dorata (N’zérékoré) was burned down on March 22, 2020. The church had already been burned in 2013 and rebuilt in 2014 by its own faithful people. On that occasion, many of the Alliance family also lost their homes. The church now has about 600 members and is already more than 30 years old. There are currently no injuries, and no deaths, but the situation is deteriorating in this city which is predominantly Christian.

Prayer Requests:

• That God in His providence strengthens the brothers and sisters of the national church;
• That He leads His children in wisdom and grants them self-control;
• That the answers of the Church are inspired by the Holy Spirit;
• That God draws the attention of public authorities to take responsibility for such injustices;
• That the Lord may bring peace in Jesus Christ in this region and throughout the country.