Steve and Casey Cretsinger Experiencing Tribal Missions in Guinea, W. Africa 
My thoughts are a jumbled mess these days. I start writing and keep erasing because what I write is not exactly what I want to say. I want to be able to communicate so many things, but it ends up sounding like my thoughts are all running together.
I want you to know the people who are becoming so close to our hearts even though you’re far away. I want you to ache with sadness for them as they are completely caught up in a lifestyle and religion that gives them no hope and no peace. I want you to hurt like me when you see them beating their wives and children, when they lie and steal. There’s so many things I can’t adequately describe.
The men in the picture with Steve are the guards for our mission center. They work in shifts to be a presence of safety and to help us understand many of the requests and problems that come from the village. Most of these men are leaders in our village as well and everyone looks up to them for advice.
Steve is their “patron” or their boss. He spends a lot of time with these men. Listening to their issues from the village, their personal issues, their work here on center, getting to know them and their families, visiting them at home – you get the picture.
I want you to pray for these men! I want you to look at their picture and know that these men have a great deal of influence over the people in their village. I want you to pray that they would have a desire to hear the things of God. Right now they don’t want to have anything to do with Christ and they want to keep others from hearing about it as well. I want you to pray that God would do a mighty work in their lives.
I have been really saddened this week by some of the things that they have done to their families. I have struggled with wanting to be their friend when I hear that they are hurting their wives, their children, lying and living in sin. But, how I can expect different things from them? They do not know the truth. I am struggling, but I take great comfort in knowing that my Savior knows exactly how I’m feeling right now.
I know this a rambling thought. Just pray. Pray for these men. Pray for Guinea. Pray for a turning away from a false god who destroys and turning TO our great God who waits for them with open arms!
