Friends in Action Intl - Building Bridges

The Tanda people are saying that their religion does not work—they have seen the teachings from "that book, the Bible" and it does work. In the Muslim country of Guinea the Tanda people are asking the missionaries to teach them God's word.

The Republic of Guinea, on the west coast of Africa is bordered by Senegal, Ivory Coast, Liberia and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The population is approximately 7.5 million; the official language is French with each ethnic group having its own language. 85% of the population is Muslim, 8% Christian and 7% with indigenous beliefs.

During the African rainy season, the missionaries working with the Tanda people faced a tremendous challenge. They had virtually no access in or out of their village for four to five months because the nearby Tomboya River which they had to cross would rise from one foot in the dry season to almost twelve feet in the wet season. This meant there was no access to emergency medical care for the missionaries, their children, or the national people.They were helpless in the event of a national emergency requiring evacuation. Supplies had to be brought in for several months at a time, and contact with the other missionary families on the field was limited during the rainy season. During this period starvation would be much a reality for the local people as they were unable to get to the market to buy and sell their produce.

Missionaries from New Tribes Mission contacted FRIENDS in Action to ask for their assistance in the building of a bridge. This type of project and construction would be the "first" for FRIENDS. From the very beginning of this project God was miraculously at work—in supplying a donated Bailey bridge, the sandblasting and painting of it and the skilled labour to do the construction.

Throughout this predominantly Muslin country of Guinea people heard about this project on the radio. It was widely publicized that it was Christians that were to build this bridge and it soon became known as the "Jesus Bridge".

A lot of the Tanda people believed that a bridge could not be built across the river since it belonged to one of their very strong demons. In fact, knowing the project was going to take place some were beginning to fear, since in their belief the only way the demon would accept a bridge there, would be by taking human lives. That had been causing some stir since some were saying it was possible because God is more powerful than the demon. But many were still fearful.

This was just another opportunity for God to destroy the stronghold of Satan in the lives of the Tanda people and to draw them to the freedom that is found in the message of Christ.

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