News & stories VIDEO Transformation in West Africa Beryl Forrester reflects on Thanksgiving Day in Guinea Bissau Click here to view in new window Broadband connection recommended Quicktime player required (14.3 MB Quicktime file) Opportunities grow in West Africa In West Africa, the Eastern Mennonite Missions team in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau encounters firsthand the heartbreaking reality of people's hunger and deprivation. But they are also forging a close partnership with the villages, to build a farm center to significantly increase food production. The workers are also seeing a tremendous response to the gospel: the first Mennonite church in Guinea-Bissau is already under construction. Last Thanksgiving Day, team leader Beryl Forrester met with over 300 interested locals who came and heard a message from John 1 about “the One who suffered and died with the poor, forgave sins, and offered the hope of Christian community.” Beryl reflected on the irony of the poverty he encountered on this day that we celebrate as a time of plenty. But he also noted, “As Thanksgiving Day came to an end and the darkness of the African night enveloped us, people dispersed to their homes. But my soul rejoiced with the Apostle John ‘that the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.’” Beryl reports in another letter, “Requests are coming in from all over, saying that people are waiting for someone to come to show them the way to God, and imploring us to come to their villages to start fellowships. How does a team of four respond to literally thousands who want to hear the gospel message?” As a church planting movement like this takes hold, Eastern Mennonite Missions works to see it form into a network of mature indigenous leaders that not only sustains itself, but will also multiply. We work to see that the communities are transformed economically, spiritually, emotionally, and socially. In just the last five years, we have seen this happen in Peru, Vietnam, Thailand, and Kenya. Our team in West Africa is working hard to create a similar healthy network of communities there. West Africa is just one of the many places where God is working through Eastern Mennonite Missions to bring transformation – thanks to people like you. This year, for the first time ever, Eastern Mennonite Missions is believing for an $8 million budget, so that we can carry out the vision of worldwide transformation that God is calling us to. With your support, we can make that happen! More news and photos of West Africa here. Many of you provide financial assistance directly for workers, and we thank you for that. But missionaries are also supported through contributions to our General Mission Fund: every missionary, every program, and every national church partner also receives funding from undesignated giving to Eastern Mennonite Missions. Gifts to the General Mission Fund are also crucial as they give us the flexibility to apply funds wherever needed most. So we ask you to give, to the new communities springing up around the globe, and to the workers we are sending to strengthen them. Join us in moving forward together with Christ, transforming the world. Back to news and stories