Dear Friends,

I sat on this idea for a whole week now and have decided that this is something that needs to be done.

I attend a Bible study for missionary women each week and every other week we set aside for prayer. Last week when we came together and started sharing I was struck by how many trials our field (including ALL missions working here) has been seeing these past weeks. Those of you who know Tim and I well know that we believe that we as Christians on this earth are engaged in warfare for the Kingdom of God. Therefore when persecutions come we often ask "What's going on in the realm we can not see??" Let me share just a bit of what workers in God's field in Guinea have experienced:

W     One family lost their home and all their belongings in a fire

W     One missionary lost her dad very quickly, and has a sister who is suffering with cancer

W     missionaries who are feeling discouraged in their language work and work in general

W     leaders that are stumbling and backsliding

W     A family who has a child suffering with a bone disease

W     A missionary who was forced to leave her home

W     Attacks on children of missionaries both here on the field and in the US: depression, eating disorders, discouragement, mysterious sicknesses

W     Machines breaking down, computers quitting or having trouble

W     the continued unrest in the country and the ever looming "strike threat."

These are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. All are things that have happened in Guinea within our various mission groups, and all are things I've heard just in the past month. Yesterday our electrician, Jonathan, a Liberian Christian man was on the road and had an accident. He was fine but due to his being a stranger here, was charged a lot of money even though it was not his fault. We no sooner finished praying for him and Tim left here to refill some gas bottles. I heard the screech of the car but didn't know he'd been hit until our guard came running in telling me that my husband had had an accident. Everyone was fine but we were on our knees immediately, knowing that in this corrupt country there are plenty ways of making someone pay even beyond what he should have to. As we were visiting with Jonathan last night when everything had calmed down a bit, he was adamant that Satan has been working extra hard to discourage God's workers. It reminded me again of all that had been happening and the need for extra prayer.

Here is my request. I am asking our supporters and missionaries from other missions to ask their supporters, to designate the rest of this month as a Prayer month for Guinea. I like this month especially because we're going through Lent and will go through Holy Week. During this time we remember what Jesus Christ did for us and that He has given us the task of taking that news all over the world. We believe that God wants to do something in Guinea. Whether Satan is rebelling against that or just throwing fits we don't know, but there is something going on. Will you please, during this month, hold up:

Ø     The country of Guinea and the political situation here

Ø     The missionaries of all missions working in Guinea, and their families

Ø     Leaders and Christian workers in Guinea who are striving to live in a Muslim country

Ø     The church in Guinea, and especially the Muslims with whom we work

We talk a lot about prayer and the importance of prayer but sometimes I don't think we explain just how vital it is to the work here. It's why we try to keep you up to date on what is happening and how you can pray. Being here without the backing of people at home in prayer would be like trying to get somewhere in a vehicle without putting in fuel. We could probably push the car a ways but we'd get tired and give up. It can get very discouraging day after day after day when you are facing these things or watching your coworkers suffer. I'm asking you to commit to concentrated and fervent praying for the rest of this month. When you attend your Lenten services will you remember these things in your prayers? Will you share these with your pastor and ask your congregations to pray? Will you pray as you travel to work and as you lay down to rest? It's SO easy in America to get so caught up in life that you can forget what is going on beyond your front door, let alone beyond the border. Will you tack up reminders in your home, on your mirrors and your computer screens? Lift these things up with us.  I want "GUINEA" to be on your hearts and lips with each waking moment!! And should the Lord waken you during the night, let this be His reason. This year, may Easter be even more of a celebration because the message of Easter is going out mightily throughout the world! You can't have missions without Easter!!

Thanks for your continued support. We are asking other missions in Guinea also to have their supporters praying for Guinea in March. With all of us praying it will be an "around the world" event, and we're excited to see how God works! And please, let us know how you are helping in this effort!!

Love in Christ,

Tim, Beth, Katie and Andrea in Guinea

Joel and Jonathan in the US

"In our lifetime, wouldn't it be sad if we spent more time washing dishes or swatting flies or mowing the yard or watching television than praying for world missions?"   -- Dave Davidson

January 10, 2008

Dear Praying Friends,

Well, the new year is starting off here much the way it did last year. We returned on Wednesday from an incredible Christmas on the island of Cyprus where we were able to spend the holidays with our whole family together. Got home that Wednesday night (to no luggage, of course!). On Friday morning, we found out that the night before, the President here had sacked the Minister of Communications, replacing him with one of his old cronies. The consensus of the people was that he was one person who was actually doing his job and there was outrage. There were riots in the streets and much rock throwing. Some were already calling for another strike. It was almost a year ago that we had the last strike that left over 100 people dead and shut down the country for weeks. Some threatened that if things didn't quiet by Monday it would start today, but the more official strike has been called for Thursday. The news reported today that many are asking people for patience, remembering what the strike did to them last year. Most expatriates ended up evacuating before it was over.  If you want to read more you can find info at: http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN723270.html.

http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN723270.html.%A0 

Looonnnggg sigh. We're asking you again to pray for peace in Guinea. If you read the above article you'll see a paragraph that talks about Conakry residents stocking up on food. Yup, that's us again. Since we have until Thursday we're praying that things can be worked out and that folks can go about their lives. Earlier reports stated that many have been happy with some of the improvements that have been made in the country. Roads are being repaired, water is more regular and we now have electricity from 6 pm to 7:30 am TWO nights, then from midnight to 7:30 AM one night, rotating on that schedule. And it's been fairly reliable. So improvements are being made, but slowly. This change of Ministers is seen as a reneging on the agreement made last year.

This also concerns us as we have a planned trip to the Forest Region coming up on the 12th. I was going to go with Tim this time to help the church learn to use their new computer and hopefully set up their satellite modem so they can be in email contact. We'll have to see how travel is in the country by that time. On top of that, missionaries from Sierra Leone, Delano and Linda Meyer, are in the Forest Region now doing seminars on agriculture for the church. With the Nortons out of the country right now, our single missionary, Andrea Herman is up in Siguiri by herself. We'll probably recommend that she leave if things don't quiet down by Wednesday.

God is always in control. We know that He loves His people here. We're so thankful that through everything the doors remain open for the Gospel to go out, even within this predominantly Muslim society. Thanks for your prayers. We'll keep you updated!

From the front lines once again....

Tim and Beth Heiney

Katie and Andrea

Dear Friends,                 Jan 12

Thank you all so much for your prayers. Talks have gone on these past days and an agreement was finally reached last night, so the potential strike has been called off! I don't believe anything was really resolved but I know most people know that the country could not handle another strike at this time. So the strike has actually been postponed until March 15 when progress will be reevaluated. We're so thrilled that it was able to end this way, and pray that things continue to be calm and that all can work toward a good resolution in the future! For more info you can check out: http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN023840.html

 A couple of points that we need to clear up as some questions have been asked...

1. Some have asked about our missionaries in Kenya. We have had word from them that they are all fine. The real trouble that you read about is in Nairobi and our people are a ways outside of that city. We do ask you to pray that there can be resolution of those problems as well, and especially keep our missionaries in your prayers.

2. Our Bamako decision! No, nothing has been decided as yet. We still had a few questions after our visit. We are going to have an All-Africa retreat in March at which time we will talk things over with our Area Facilitator and Regional Director. Hopefully at that time we can come up with some kind of decision. Thank you for your prayers, and please continue to pray that God will guide us.

So we are off to the Forest Region on Saturday. As I awoke this morning I realized that through all this turmoil we heard not one gunshot...very refreshing! We knew when we heard the sound of cars on the road that things must have gone well. We praise God for the good news, and that His work can continue uninterrupted!

Have a blessed day!

Tim, Beth, Katie, and Andrea Heiney

"God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him" -- Hudson Taylor

From Andrea Hermann January 2008

Happy New Year!

I pray you had a blessed Christmas.  Please accept my apologies for taking so long in sending out a newsletter.  I kept waiting "just a little longer" to add in new details of the exciting month of December, but it is long overdue, and things keep changing, so I wanted to get this out before it's REALLY old news.

Speaking of news, please keep Guinea in your prayers.  There has once again been unrest in the capital, Conakry, and in a few other cities around town, due to a breached agreement between the President, Prime Minister and Labor Unions that ended the last strike (during which we had to leave the country).  Siguiri has so far remained quiet.  Please pray that continues.

The Nortons, my colleagues in Siguiri left for Mali hours before we heard the news of the unrest, so I'll be here solo until Wednesday, though there is one other missionary in town. 

There is the potential for another strike, starting as soon as Monday the 7th, or as late as Thursday the 10th.  Please join me in praying that the matter can be resolved without another strike.  The people of Guinea suffer dreadfully during the strikes.  Food becomes difficult or nearly impossible to buy, and often at jacked up prices, if it is available at all.  Violence and looting are possible, all which negatively affect the population and the country as a whole.

Your prayers for peace in Guinea, and wisdom for me would be very much appreciated.  If you would like some uplifting news, please read the attached newsletter, because 2007 ended very well.  Thank you, as always, for your prayers and support.

God's peace,               Andrea

"I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light."    John Keith Falconer

Guinea Prayers, March 2008

Prayer Requests from the Heiney family

�� For Tim as he travels to the Forest Region.

�� For the church after new elections to the council, and for the men that will be serving. Pray

that they will serve faithfully and for the good of God’s Kingdom.

�� For our four vicars during these vicarage years, that they will have a good experience and

learn to serve God humbly.

�� For Tim and Beth as they work to get the church “on line” with their new computers and

satellite modem. They had some trouble with the modem but hopefully it is all fixed, so we just

have to get them going now.

�� For the Heiney family as they determine their future and where they will be.