Guinea: Day #4 – Mamou & Tinka

So today we drove to two places, the first was Mamou, in the interior and then we ended up at Tinka a place where the C&MA has what you might call, ummm, rustic cabins.
Our day started off early with about a 5-6 hour drive.  Having spent some time driving on Jamaican roads I sort of knew what to expect.  Pot holes, everywhere.  I’m not talking small pot holes either, at some points these were gaping holes that ran across the entire length of the road.  Primarily, it meant slow driving and lots of swerving.
You really had to be strategic about where you sat in the van because depending on where you were it was either reallly swervy, really bumpy or really warm.  If I had to choose one of the three, it would be really warm, because the other two both lead to motion sickness.
I managed to survive the drive up without throwing up on anyone and as we entered Mamou there was a collective sigh of relief from everyone, driving like that is not fun.  At one point, we even had a close encounter with another vehicle.This wasn’t just an ordinary almost hit either.  The other guy was literally careening toward us, outside of his lane, without changing course.  It got so close that honestly, there wasn’t really any way that both vehicles would make it out without bumping into each other.  I pretty much braced for impact when at the last second it was like our cars just separated.  As if there was some kind of invisible road median that kept us apart.  As we reflected on this little experience later on we were all convinced that it must have been God protecting us because there was no way we should have survived that collision, let alone miss it entirely.
When we arrived in Mamou, we met with the local C&MA pastor there and the national missions coordinator for the entire national church.  We ate a great meal called “Ris Gras” which loosely translated means “Fat Rice” or “Greasy Rice” depending on who you ask.
While we were there eating, the national missions coordinator shared a bit about their vision for reaching into the different people groups in Guinea at one point as well he was asked to share his story about how he became a follower of “Iisah”.
It’s at that point I got a little dust in my eye.  Actually, in all honesty, they were tears.  I realized at that point what it is that is so powerful about these people all sharing, it’s the power of Christ to transform lives through sometimes simple and sometimes miraculous ways.
I was overwhelmed with the power of their testimony and the incredible faith and example they are of dedication to Christ.  It was incredibly moving, to the point of dust in my eyes.  I think it’s really reminding me that even at home we need to share people’s stories.  Usually that happens with baptism, and I’ll be honest, sometimes I get dust in my eyes there too but maybe even more frequently than that.  We should be having people share their stories as often as possible.
When I came here and was told that somewhere around 90% of the population was muslim I was convinced that I was walking into a situation where the church would be in shambles, held together by a few faithful international workers, stretched beyond themselves.
What I found was a vibrant local church, organized, with problems all its own, don’t get me wrong, but way more involved than I anticipated.  It has been a huge encouragement to hear their stories and see their incredible passion for those far from Christ.
After lunch we went to visit the church in Mamou, it was a short walk from the restaurant (owned by the Lebanese) and we got to say hi to some goats along the way.  When we arrived we found a great building (that used to be a jail) complete with a school.  Pastor Lucien told us all about the history of the church and the school.  The capacity of the school is somewhere around 400 but currently they have 684 students enrolled.  They have so many because the Christian school in Mamou offers the best education around.
Even the local Imam sends his kids to this school.  Talk about a witness for Christ!  All the children who attend the school hear the stories from the Bible and receive moral education and build relationships that the church hopes will lead to future decisions for Christ.
It’s a tough place, as I said the Imam sends his kids to this school but this isn’t just any ordinary Imam.  Mamou is the Islamic centre of Guinea.  The major mosque is just 300m away and it is from here that all the muslims of Guinea take their cues from.  And the head honcho sends his kids to the Christian school.  God is so good!
It’s an incredible opportunity but with many challenges.  There’s just not enough space on this site for the school and the church to operate, both are over capacity and there is a need for a new property for an expanded school and a purpose built church building.
We arrived after school had been let out for the day so I didn’t get the chance to interact with anyone local.  I am starting to get a little antsy, I wouldn’t mind having some time to hang out with some local Guineans, no pressure, just talking and hanging out.
Don’t get me wrong, formal meetings are good too and hearing stories is awesome but it’s different when you’re sitting there sipping a Fanta and just chillin’ you know?
Well, after Mamou we continued to drive for another hour or so up to Tinka.  Up here in the interior the weather is hotter but dryer and that is way better.  The humidity is gonzo and that means that you last longer without furious amounts of sweat.
Our rustic cabin overlooks the valley and is an incredible view.
Well, tomorrow it’s off to Timbi where we’ll hang with the Dueck’s and visit the site of the Familia tower.