The Hinds Family

 (Missionaries in West Africa)

Some specific details may have been removed due to safety concerns.

September 2007 Newsletter

Dear Prayer Partners,

Please forgive us for the long delay in sending you an update.  The last few months have been very uncertain and we were not sure what to write. We want to recap what has been going on in our lives for the past 2 ½ years.

In January 2005, we went to Richmond, Virginia for 7 weeks of mission training.  On March 16, 2005, we arrived in Bamako, Mali and headed on to Burkina Faso to begin French language training.  In October 2005, we temporarily relocated to Bamako, Mali and moved into Northern Guinea in November 2005 to begin Maninka language learning and living among the Maninka people.  It wasn’t until May of 2006 that we had developed the language skills and relationships to begin teaching from the Word of God.  During this process 2 new believers emerged, one believer was able to begin discipleship, and 3 villages were hearing the Word on a weekly basis.

In January and February of 2007, there was much civil unrest in the country of Guinea.  We decided to evacuate the country in mid-February. Two weeks later, we returned to the US for a planned 30 day vacation, to be able to see family that we had been away from for 2 years. Since our oldest son Joshua had been diagnosed with a seizure disorder in August 2006, the doctors with our mission board recommended that Joshua receive a second opinion from an American doctor during our vacation time. 

Upon evaluation, it was evident that Joshua was continuing to have intermittent seizures and his medication was not keeping him stable.  We were then put on “medical leave” status so that Joshua could continue to be seen by a doctor here to get his medication regulated and his seizures under control.

Our son Benjamin was born on May 27, 2007. We were blessed to unexpectedly be able to have our baby here in Texas and share him with his grandparents. After his 6 week check-up, we planned to return to Africa and continue with our work.  Joshua had been doing very well and was cleared by his doctor.  While awaiting the final paperwork from Joshua’s doctor in order to get medical clearance to return, Joshua suddenly began having seizures again. Because we had already used our allowed 120 days of medical leave, and Joshua was clearly not regulated with his medication, we requested to a leave of absence from the mission board for medical reasons.

Our family was blessed by John being offered a job before our medical leave began.  Our mission has also offered to keep Joshua on his medical insurance for now.  We are waiting to see how Joshua does, as the doctors prefer for him to be seizure free for 2-3 months before return to Guinea.  And a looming question remains as to whether Joshua should return to an area with little access to the medical care he needs to see on a bi-annual basis,

I write all of this to give you a picture from our perspective.  We have poured 2 years of our lives into our ministry with the Maninka people and had only recently begun to teach God’s Word.  We have unexpectedly been kept in the US.  We were not even able to say good-bye to our Maninka friends when we left due to the unrest going on in the country at that time.  We have grown to love Africa and the people there who so desperately need to hear God’s Word.  Imagine 2 million people (twice as many as live in San Antonio, Texas) and fewer than 100 believers among them, no Word in their language, no access on radio, television, books. I tell you all of this so that you can understand our desire to continue our work there.

When you first arrive in a foreign country and culture, one is taught to expect the 3 stages of culture shock.  The first is a love and fascination for all that is new and interesting—“look at all the huts, food markets and adorable little kids.”  The second stage is an intense disdain for all that was once new and fascinating and an intense desire to return to your home culture—“How are we supposed to survive this heat without air conditioning? What I wouldn’t give for one trip to Wal-Mart.  Where are the parents of all these kids?”  The third stage is where you come to love some aspects of the new culture, and accept and respect those with are less appealing to your nature—“I admire the strength of the people here and how they survive such harsh conditions but I sure am thankful I can go back to AC and Wal-Mart one day.”  Although we experienced this when we arrive in Africa, we also experienced reverse culture shock when we returned to the US:  stage 1—“Look at all the choices in Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, and the malls!!! Stage 2—Americans wouldn’t survive long if they had to live like “our” Africans!!!  Stage 3—“I love the conveniences of life in America but I sure do miss the simplicity of life in Africa and the time for friendships, sharing, and eating together.  I especially miss the work and sharing God’s Word with someone who has NEVER heard it before.” 

Thank you for all of your prayers for our family and for our work during the past 2 ½ years.  Although it is easy for us to look back over this time and feel that we have accomplished little, we can also look back and see God’s hand in every step.  Our family has grown closer together through our time together.  Our faith has grown exponentially during the trials and tribulations.  But most of all, God has taught us that no matter how much we plan our lives and think we are in control, He is the one who controls each step we take on the path of life.  Only by giving our lives over to Him, and asking him to guide and direct our choices, our steps, our actions, can we live in His will and receive the joy and peace that He promises those who trust in Him.

1. We ask that you pray for our family as we wait…to see if and/or when we are able to return to Guinea.  If we are not allowed to return, we ask that we would be accepting to the change and search for our next step.

2. Pray for our colleagues Daryl and Glenda Cox who are laboring on in Guinea

3. Pray for those who are continuing to hear God’s Word that the Spirit would reveal truth to them and give them the courage to accept the truth despite the persecution that will follow.

4. Continue to pray for the country of Guinea.  Although things are “stable” at this time, the potential for further unrest remains.

5. Praise God for the provision for our family—from finances, vehicles, housing, and health insurance— all our needs have been met, and met abundantly.

6. Praise God for all of you who give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.  Your giving has provided for our needs while overseas and during our time on medical leave.  It allowed us to travel a great distance to South Africa when Joshua needed to be seen by a specialist.  It continues to support the work going on in Guinea and all over the world.

Thank you to all of you who responded to our emails and let us know you wanted to continue receiving our newsletter.  Many of you we had not heard from in a long while and we have been blessed to hear from you.  Please continue to email us and let us know how we can also pray for you.

Serving Him together,

John, Karen, Joshua, Jacob, and Benjamin Hinds

“I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.”  Job 42:2

January/February 2007 Newsletter

Dear Prayer Partners,

A lot has transpired since our last newsletter.  We apologize for the delay in giving everyone an update. 

We started off the new year with a broken arm.  Jacob fell and fractured his elbow.  Thank you for those of you who prayed for him, as he is completely healed and as good as new.  We spent much of January out of town for medical reasons but we are pleased to report everyone is healthy now.

During the month of January, our country experienced an 18 day labor strike.  The people have been demanding a decrease in the price of rice and fuel.  They also want the president, with whom they are very displeased, to appoint a prime minister to help run the government.  During the strike everything shut down and food and fuel became scarce. 

The strike was suspended when the president signed papers promising to meet the demands of the people.  But after 2 weeks, when things failed to transpire as promised, the country called for the strike to resume.

On Monday, we left and traveled into Bamako, Mali.  Since that time the country has come under severe civil unrest.  A state of emergency has been declared and the country is now under martial law with a strict curfew imposed by the military.  Talks of Civil War are floating about the media.

Many people have been killed there when caught out during curfew.  Food prices have skyrocketed and soon food will not be available (food and fuel were difficult to find before this began).  The country threatens to plunge into complete chaos.  At this time we do not know if or when we will ever be able to return.

This has come at a very discouraging time.  We were preparing to show the Jesus Film in “B” village and Karen was planning to start a Bible storying group with the women of “B” village, including the wives of the believers there. We desperately want to continue the Lord’s work there.

Please pray for the country we are serving in.  Pray that the political situation will be resolved quickly.

Pray for believers.

Pray for our family as we wait to see what our next step will be.

Serving Him Together,

John, Karen, Joshua, and Jacob Hinds