The West African country of Guinea-Bissau was recently assigned to the Cape Verde Praia Mission. This marks the first time that Guinea-Bissau has been assigned to a mission, as the country has been under the administration of the Africa West Area through the Africa West Area Branch for many years. Guinea-Bissau has a population of approximately 2.2 million. Muslims constitute half of the population, whereas Christians and followers of folk religions comprise most of the other half of the population. The Church reported 45 Latter-day Saints in Guinea-Bissau as of year-end 2013, but there has never been an official congregation of the Church that has operated in the country. More recent membership information is unavailable. The assignment of Guinea-Bissau to the Cape Verde Praia Mission may signal imminent plans to establish an official Church presence in the country.
Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest and least economically developed countries of the world. Poverty is widespread and its porous borders have often attracted illegal activity, especially with drug smuggling into Europe. Moreover, the lack of an official United States diplomatic presence in the country has likely deterred area leaders to pursue formal proselytism in the country given the Church has often heavily relied upon American mission and area leaders to expand missionary activity into previously unreached areas. Nevertheless, there are excellent opportunities for growth if missionary work and a formal Church establishment are pursued in Guinea-Bissau, as there is religious freedom, little conflict between religious groups, and widespread use of several languages such as Portuguese, Bissau Guinean Creole, and Pulaar (a Fulani language). Moreover, many Bissau-Guineans have joined the Church in Europe, particularly in Portugal. The assignment of the country to the Cape Verde Praia Mission permits Portuguese mission resources to be utilized in Guinea-Bissau, as there are no other Portuguese-speaking countries West Africa.
12 comments:
Wow - such great news! It gave me an opportunity to have a geography lesson with my wife.
Sao Tome e Principe are Portuguese speaking islands close to Nigeria, which is considered West Africa by some. I suppose it could be called Central Africa.
Great news about Guinea-Bissau. The political and economic problems there should grow better with time, we would hope. It is amazing in the modern age how transparency and good democratic principles and practices still do not override corruption, demagoguery, dictatorial tendencies, oppression, drug abuse, violence, and other social issues, not to mention energy and pollution crises, to include exacerbated climate problems.
The Church of Jesus Christ and its priesthood authority of Melchizedek and Aaron are needed to help world issues everywhere. Great news to see the growth and expansion of missionary and Gospel efforts.
Another opportunity arises for us to see Brazilians, Portuguese and Cape Verdeans working together to establish this mission in Guinea-Bissau.
Perhaps even Angolan and Mozambican missionaries could participate, although I don't know the number of missionaries native to those countries...
And, Daniel M., speaking of the opportunities from Angola. Here is a Church News article about Elder Christofferson's recent ministerial visit to Angola.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/05/24/elder-d-todd-christofferson-angola-africa-ministry-members-missionaries-covenants-temple/
The article on Elder Christofferson being in Mozambique highlights a senior couple, who are from Brazil.
Does this mean that Ginnea Bissau is now in Europe North Area? Or are thry transferring Cape Verde to Africa West Area? The latter would make more sense to me.
President Nelson in his efforts to expand the Church into Eastern Europe did not go through American diplomatic channels at all. This was probably wise in his part.
The new Africa West Area Presidency as of August will have 0 Americans. It will be all men from Africa. Elder Kyungu, from Congo, will be area president. His counselors will be a Nigerian and a Ghanaian.
On the other hand the Europe North Area will have a Brazilian in it.
With Sao Tome and Principe, it might make more sense to assign them to Angola.
Another part of me almost wonders if it would work logistically to put all Portuguese speaking countries worldwide in 1 area. So make the Brazil area bigger by adding Cape Verde, Portugal, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome, Angola and Mozambique.
@JPL, that is an interesting idea (combining all Portuguese-speaking countries into one area), and there are obvious advantages linguistically, but in my opinion it probably is preferable not to do that. The church in Mozambique operates in very different circumstances than the church in Brazil, and members face different challenges in Angola than in Portugal.
I think in general it is desirable to keep areas delineated in such a way that there is some commonality among the constituent countries/states. The Asia area is the current area that most deviates from this, and in my opinion (having served a mission in the Asia Area), it would be to the benefits of members if the east Asian countries were one area (perhaps by moving China/HK and Taiwan into the Asia North area) leaving south and southeast Asia (excluding the Philippines) as an area. The major challenge with that is that the church has quite a few employees in Hong Kong, and such a change would necessitate relocating them to Singapore (which presumably would be the area HQ for an area covering south and southeast Asia, though Bangkok might be a viable location as well).
For similar reasons I think Idaho really ought to go back to being its own area, or perhaps Idaho/western Wyoming/western Montana/Alberta could form an area.
In time perhaps the countries of eastern Africa (and the eastern reaches of the DRC) will form their own area, which I think would also be good for similar reasons.
--Felix
I can see lots or reasons not to do my crazy all Portuguese Area. However I think Cape Verde really should be moved to Africa West Area. All the more so now that Guinea Bissau is in that area.
We have some oddities. Hawaii is in North America West Area. In the past Hawaii was configured with the Pacific. The current areas unify all states,but threat US territories separately. At one point Guam was in the Hawaii Honolulu mission. I am not sure what area they were then.
On the other hand, other than Corsica, French overseas departments are assigned with the surrounding area. To be fair Alaska is in the same area as the adjacent parts of Canada. So it is not clear what precedent is used there. Guadeloupe and Martinique are much more adjacent to non-French islands than Hawai'i is to non-American ones, so the issues of placement are less clear.
Is Bermuda still part of the New York City mission?
I think if one were to change Idaho's alignment it would make sense to place it in the Utah Area. The Utah Area is the largest in the Church by membership, but areas are not even close to equal in membership.
I see good reasons to shift Taiwan and China to the Asia North Area. I think with a temple in Bangkok, as well as an MTC, that would make the most sense for an Area headquarters.
I also remain convinced that combining the North America Northeast and North America Southeast into a North America East Area would be wise.
Lastly I think there might be reasons to create a Canada Area. If that was done I would also pair it with moving Idaho and at least more of Wyoming and some of Montaa into a renamed North America Intermountain area. I think moving Elko and Ely stakes there would make sense as well.
Nevanada and Arizona would go to the North Ametica West Area.Illinois and at least some of Wisconsiin and almost all the UP of Michigan would go to the North America East Area, and probably St. Louis region. This would tack New Nexico, Oklahoma and Texas into North America central.
Discontinued Wards in Brazil 2024:
Agulha Ward (Belém Icoaraci Stake) - 01/28
Ponta Grossa Ward (Belém Icoaraci Stake) - 02/04
Tenoné Ward (Belém Icoaraci Stake) - 01/28
Guará 2 Ward (Brasília Stake) - 05/19
Cidade Nova Ward (Fortaleza South Ward) - 03/31
Marcos Freire (Jaboatão dos Guararapes Stake) - 04/14
Glória Ward (Manaus Rio Amazonas Stake) - 03/10
Colina do Aleixo Ward (Manaus Solimões) - 03/24
Gramoré Ward (Natal Pajuçara Stake) - 04/21
Amarante Ward (Natal Potengi Stake) - 05/05
Guarará Ward (Santo André Stake) - 04/21
Maybe some wards still missing.
I find it interesting how organizational leadership, comparing between centralized versus non-centralized leadership, is helpful or seemingly more effective at growth. The Jehovah's Witnesses have more of a decentralized leadership style. They are effective at growing, to their degree, but it does not appear to be as dynamic as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I think the JWs have a top leadership or committee of 10 or twelve people, likely based in Brooklyn, New York, but I am curious if any of their top leaders go around and visit the membership like Latter-day Saint Area and General Authorities. I think not.
Likewise with the Seventh Day Adventists, I do not think that they have centralized leaders like a hierarchy of priesthood and men and women with authorities and keys. Yet, in a few African countries there has been large numbers of SDAs that have been established there. Numbers that the Church of Jesus Christ would love to have.
While the Roman Catholic Church and all types of Evangelical faiths continue to grow in parts of the world, it is interesting to see how the centralized faiths, which might be labeled inorganic, compete in growth models versus the inorganic kinds. Or would de-centralized churches and leaders be categorized as "organic".
Our church, the Church of Jesus Christ, has always had a large emphasis on the structure and hierarchy of the top down to the bottom. So has the church based in Rome. I suppose the Eastern Orthodox branches have been more centralized, too. Some seem less than others, however.
Prayers to the Texas-based couple that died from a wayward pickup truck at a red light in the Fresno, California Mission.
Borda do Campo Branch (São José dos Pinhais Jardim Ipê Stake) - 01/21
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