Author: Josiah Baker

The number one source of income for Guinea-Bissau is the cashew harvest. Guinea Bissau produces roughly 250,000 tons of cashew nuts annually.

As such, when cashew season rolls around, we enter a time where even the kids in the villages will give 100 XOF, which, for context is a cup of street coffee or a mango usually sells for 100 XOF. We, however, don’t fully share in the wealth because we are in the capital, so a lot of people make trips to their home village to work the fields for some money. I also made a trip to my home village of Catel, not to work the field, but I managed to make it out to one anyways.

During cashew season, from roughly 8 AM to 2-5 PM most able bodies are gathering cashews. I had to make my way to Catel a few days ago in order to deliver something to an associate and my friend Lydia Nhasse, sister to Samuel, Menno, and Janke, also had an order of business in a neighboring village. In order to make it to Catel early we woke up at 4:30 AM and made our way to the garage (the public transportation hub) we made it to Catel by 8 AM. We arrived right as Lydia’s other brother, Coffee, was heading to the field. I decided to go with them on the condition that I wouldn’t work because I forgot work clothes. Cashews stain clothing very badly so you must wear. specific clothes.

When we got there we set up camp and they began gathering. To be honest with you all, I felt really bad about not working but I truly didn’t have another option. We then roasted some cashews and ate. We finished around 2, and started our walk home as it was a decently far walk. We got home around 3 PM. I had a plan to shower and continue on to my goal of delivering to my associate, however after laying down on the cool concrete I fell asleep for an hour. Upon waking I made my way to finish my goal. After making my delivery, I made my way around town doing my due diligence of visiting people. When I made my way back to the mission house, I was invited to go to Lydia’s village with her in which I agreed. After seeing the motorcycle we were going to take I immediately questioned my life decisions. It would be better described as a mo-ped with 3 full grown adults stuffed on. The way there went interestingly with it breaking down every 5ish minutes. After giving up, Lydia and I hitchhiked our way there.

Coffee somehow got the motor working again and after our business we all said a prayer and re-embarked for the way home. The roads here are full of deep potholes which during the day is not a problem but on our way home night fell and our motor’s headlight was out. It was at this moment I realized I am a little crazy because as we narrowly dodged pothole after pothole using my phone as the light, my grin got wilder and wider until eventually he made a mistake and he hit a pothole. I flew into the air with a shout and a panic. I did not have a helmet and if I fell wrong there could be lots of damage done. I by mere centimeters landed on the motor, only for me to be launched back into the air again narrowly landing on the motor on the way down. After that I began holding the person in front of me. We did make it back safely. We then after a long, long day finally went to bed, and woke up at 3:30 a.m. to make it back to our home by 7:30 a.m.

In the midst of the busyness there has been some progress in all the plans I once told you about. The most progress has been made in the area of a taxi with a church member becoming the driver. Menno Nhasse has been enrolled in driver’s ed for two months or so now and is close to graduating. We have acquired a taxi that needs a paint job and the documents to go through. One of my friends, Sadja, has a friend he went to university with who works in the department of transportation, so with prayer we should be able to get the documents done fairly quickly! Also in the middle of it all, I’ve come to a realization. Because of a now decently long list of reasons, including a visa, bank card, and US driver’s license all expiring, I need to come home most likely in June. Good news is I’ll be able to visit y’all; sad news is I’m going to miss my friends here until November when I come back under more official circumstances. I am in the beginning stages of talking to a mission agency to back me up with organization and formality, etc. I am staying through the end of October to attend a wedding, so because of uncontrollable circumstances, I will be spending 5ish months in the States. I’m in the middle of choosing which day to buy tickets now. I would appreciate all prayer for wisdom.

My rough goal of what we hope to accomplish before I leave is to be able to attend my “brother’s” (Daniel) wedding and to see the taxi on the road. We appreciate all of your continued prayers. I’ll do my best to update you when I know what date I’m coming home to visit, and there will be at least one more full blog post here before I come visit y’all. So, f you’re following, keep a look out for that:))

I wanted to start this post with the word rythem, reythem, rymthem, rethym, but seeing as I need to go back to 5th grade and retake spelling, I went with the word patterns. I have settled nicely into life here, which is good news!

My month started off with birthdays; a lot of people in the church had birthdays. A few others had had birthdays throughout my time here, but I wasn’t particularly close to them, whereas this time it was roommates and other close neighbors. It was fun having so much to celebrate, but right before the week of birthdays Daniel and I went on a trip to the village of Catel to attend a church meeting. I was naturally excited to be back in the village I view as my home village. The way there is a three-hour very bumpy ride on a mostly dirt road, which entails dust and lots of it. We got there safely even if a little jostled. Upon arrival, we encountered a man from Germany hitchhiking his way down the coast of Africa. After wishing him the best, we finally made it to our destination. The next day, the meeting went as expected. While only spending one day in Catel, I got to see a childhood friend I haven’t seen in 10 years, so that was really nice. I also saw an aunt of Daniel’s boiling salt and my little sister in heart, Rebekah. That was all very nice and fun, but that next evening we left for Bissau because we missed home already. The way back was worse than the up because my dear seat-mates were not especially kind to me, and I was forced to sit very awkwardly. My back was completely straight, my knees together, and every bump made my knees hit the roll cage that was installed for unknown reasons. This is all a very long way to say I’m allergic to dust and got sick for a few days after the trip, which sounds small, but sick in 40ºC (104ºF) weather is just not fun.

Back to birthdays, I may have over-exaggerated a bit there. There were two close people and about four others. It still felt like a lot, however. The first was my brother in Christ, Samuel. He turned 20! It was mostly just singing “Happy Birthday,” putting him on the WhatsApp status, and going about the day normally. The next was a teenager who turned 15. She put on a party the weekend of her birthday. I attended the said party by myself because everyone else was busy. It was a bit difficult finding my place at a party in a culture I’m not completely fluent in, but it was a lot of fun. There was plenty to eat and drink. Our drinking options were hibiscus juice, guava juice, and I can’t quite remember, but I believe lemon juice, all freshly made from the fruit or leaves. We had to eat a delicious spicy seafood rice porridge, popcorn, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, grilled fish, and veggie straws.

We had a packed service that following Sunday because of a fellowship meal and we had several people visit that were graduating, from The Timothy Initiative, a program that plants churches. For birthdays, we traditionally sing a birthday song at the end of the service for all who had birthdays that week. As the song goes along, those who have gifts bring them to the birthday boys and girls. It’s honestly a joyful and fun experience that brings us closer together as a family. By coincidence, there is a fellowship meal, and we hang out for the day. For me, that meant the night before preparing many, many liters of juice and 80 percent of the food for the next morning so that cooking that morning would be easy. The actual eating part of the fellowship meal was about 10 minutes. I’m pretty sure some people were done eating by the time I sat down to eat after passing out waters. After lunch, there was no exaggeration: an army of young girls and women who cleaned together like a well-oiled machine. All I saw was chaos, but one could tell it was a smooth, flowing operation. In just 10ish minutes, every single dish was scrubbed brand new. We then proceeded to pass the day by drinking juice, sitting around, and hanging out until roughly 3 p.m.

Prayer requests:

• Wisdom in all areas of life
• Strength to persevere
• Patience when I am tired

Thank you all so much for your continued prayers and support. I repeat again, none of this is possible without all your love and prayers, so thank you. 🙂

Our future plans were looking pretty set here: move to the restaurant and go from there, simple. As we began planning around that and continued doing market research, we came across a consultant who informed us that doing a restaurant in the area we are in would not, in fact, work. Many others had tried and all eventually shut their doors. The area just can’t support a restaurant. So we switched plans after verifying that info.

We are still going to move. That entails helping the homeowner with finishing renovation. Today, tile and concrete were delivered. The split cost and any labor will, in turn, be taken out in rent. So if we spend X dollars on whatever resource, then we won’t pay rent equal to X.

One other big project is building a guest house. In order to accomplish that, we have to be run through the bureaucratic tangling of paperwork. Which is close to being finished. Once done, we will begin with a wall to protect from criminals, then a well. After that, we will build the actual building. We will also plant many types of fruits that one day we can begin selling.

Another project I want to talk about is a store. We decided to switch to a store when realizing that the restaurant would not work. Our initial thought was right in our neighborhood, but as we flushed the idea out, we realized that it may be a better idea to get a space in nDam (I figured out how to spell nDam; I wasn’t that far off) because at the moment there is only one store there, and it’s several kilometers away from many people. If we were to do so, we would send Quintin and another (not sure who yet) there, and they would firstly develop the church body there and, as a means to live, and hopefully leading to other projects, run the store.

Finally, we are working toward getting Menno his driver’s license to run a taxi. He has taken to it very well and should graduate in the normal three months. After graduating, we are trying to figure out the best course of action as to acquiring a taxi. The best idea is to have me donate the fund, which would leave me with enough to return home but none in an emergency capacity. Then, while here, I would use the proceeds from the taxi to live on, because at the moment, I have no income and did not plan on being here for this long. When I return to the States, the proceeds would then be dumped into the mission for more projects (one far future hope being something like an orphanage). Another idea for paying for the taxi would be working jointly with Roesdale International, who have expressed their interest in working in this area. However, if another door opens, we are willing to see God as to if we should walk through that door.

Those are the business plans of ours, but thats not all that’s being done. On a more personal level we are further developing the future leaders. One way we are doing that is teaching how to healthily use, guard, and give money. So, I’ve started simply with a literal monthly allowance (thats how my parents taught me and it worked so I figure it might again) to the two “associate pastors”. (They are not yet ordained) By starting with them and teaching them financial literacy, the idea is they would then teach their disciples who in turn can teach their future disciples and so on and so forth. We are hoping for a ripple affect.

Lastly, I regularly go on visits to members of the church, specifically those who can’t make it to church on Sunday. Right now, I do one personal Bible study with a member and usually her friends/neighbors. She’s a young woman(15) who always has really good questions, like about speaking in tongues, women pastors, false prophets, and more.(Please pray that God would give me wisdom on those days.)

I realize this may not sound like a lot, or maybe it does not, I’m not sure, but it ends up being a lot when you spend whole days just trying to get paperwork done for a single facet of a much larger vision. Hopefully, this better explains what a day-to-day might look like for me. I didn’t quite share our “vision,” but that’s because I know how fast things can change here, so I don’t want to tell everyone something only for a week later to be singing a completely different tune.

How true is that fact? Fortunately for me, it has slowed down somewhat. While time is moving fast, it has a different flow than in America. It’s hard to describe, but I think it feels slower, then goes faster than you think. My point is I had not thought it was time to write to you all. A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.

I mentioned at the end of my prayer requests that there was a prayer vigil held every fourth week of the month. I am happy to report that I indeed did not fall asleep. I, in fact, never sat down, save to kneel. Never sitting down was a personal choice to help with the tiredness. I am at a loss for words to describe the experience. Powerful? Amazing? Peaceful? Loud? Grounding? All of these things and more. I felt so close to the presence of God. He was in that place and he was speaking to all of us.

Allow me to interrupt myself (You’ll learn that’s a normal thing to do for me) to say that my preaching went very well. I continue to regularly share, whether it be Sunday, Bible study, or spirit-led mid-vigil. I was given what I took to be the highest compliment one can receive, that being “God spoke to me while you were speaking”. It is an amazing feeling knowing God is using you every time you say yes to Him.

As I stated, God was speaking to all of us. One thing I felt Him saying throughout my time here thus far, was to stay. I went to some of you asking for you to dedicate this month to prayer with me as to whether or not I would stay. I’m happy to say that I will be staying for at least a year, going back to the US in October for a wedding. I’m excited to see what this year holds for us! If I may clarify, I do mean you as my friends back home.

Onto some more local stuff… I apologize if this makes it a harder read but this will contain a few isolated stories and my brain can’t figure out how to make it all pretty-like. nDom, I have not a single clue how to actually spell it (Dom?) but that is the name of the suburb that I help at weekly, and how I will spell it. The service goes pretty well every week at nDom. The congregation consists of all kids, so we don’t go that deep in our teachings. What the kids love is the singing and dancing.

My goodness, what a work out that is. One song is us mainly hitting a squat and going in circles. Although fun, my quads tend to find it less so. Prayer requests for them is that Quintino(kentinu), the head pastor there, would be able to find a place to stay actually in nDom.

An aspect of February is Carnival. This is not a typical midwest carnival with ferris wheels and funnel cakes, but rather a Mardi Gras esque four day party with the bulk of the parting taking place after 5 PM. One of several activities that we did as a way to counteract Carnival is evangelism. Like Jesus sending out the 70, a group of us go out in roughly pairs house to house to share the Good News. To prepare, we all fasted that morning, broke our fast that afternoon, and went out that evening. We had mostly people who recommitted to the faith. Toward the end of evangelizing someone mentioned how dogs can be scary. Me, as a man who wholeheartedly agrees, attempted to make a joke of making a cross with my fingers to “ward off dogs”. The joke didn’t land for a simple reason, Daniel began naturally looking around for the demon I “saw”. This was a very notable clash of cultural mindsets.

I can probably say this every time and maybe I will, but there is so much more I could share with you all if time permitted; sadly it does not, so I will take but a minute more of your time to share prayer requests. We have many ideas for projects on the land God has provided to the church here. One such plan is to move across the street to a bigger place and start a restaurant in our old home. Pray for guidance, for wisdom, and a clear starting point. Similar to last time the prayer vigil is coming and I need energy to stay awake.

Lastly I want to ask you all for… a praise request?? For our wonderful friend and church member who cooks for us daily, Teresa.

Thank you all so much for your continual prayers and love. Prayer is such a powerful gift we’ve been given and it means a lot to not only me but the church here as well.

(For questions or just wanting to connect with me here is my email, jmbaker206@gmail.com)

It’s been a minute, six months worth since I last posted to be precise. When I say a New Mission and New Season, what do I mean? Well, when I said I’d follow Christ for my next steps, that was when I thought Christ had the EXACT same wants as me. He did not. There were many things I was sure I’d be doing right now, at least all involving the States, but when following Christ, you often end up doing things that you would think impossibly crazy. Moving back to Guinea Bissau, West Africa, is one of those things.

I’m writing this from a café at the ‘Retunda Imperio’(that is, Imperial roundabout) in the capital city of Bissau, Guinea Bissau. A fair question to then wonder is how did I end up here? Allow me to catch you up to date. Let’s rewind to last summer. My immediate plans were to finish two weeks, or three of camp ( I can’t remember), and return home, find work, and continue my flying career. Well, after and during those two weeks, I was praying, and without an audible voice, I could tell God was asking me for something more service maybe? I was genuinely scared at the time; it was missions. So I stayed at camp for approximately every single week I could. As the last two weeks came creeping along, camp no longer had a need for help, and I was just a floater for when they needed help, so I went home. Basically, God said, “Go home.” At home, I continued praying, and on my knees, he came to me, again not audible but somehow so clear: “Go to Africa.” Well, I had just raised money the year before, so it didn’t feel right to go around again asking for money. A quick shout out to friends that helped with side gigs until now and food here or there because I was broke and it meant the world to me. So I secured, by Gods grace, two jobs, including a sorta dream job of mine as a barista, and worked my way to pay for my six-month trip here.

I flew over with a team of four, my dad as leader, two coworkers of his, and me as a translator. We arrived for this new, warmer season on the first of the year. After a week, they went on their way, and I stayed behind. Finally, after four grueling months of working, I was doing what God wants… now what?

I had literally no plan, no team, no agency, in a new city, and one friend to lean on, and of course Christ. Well, fortunately, he and God have and had plans. The plans came with time, though. I can’t remember exact time frames; I did a poor job documenting, but within the first few weeks, my friend, Daniel, went on several trips to preach the word, leaving me behind with little to no plan. So at first, most of my plans were to hang out at the house, figuring out what life was going to look like. While doing this, I got to know everyone a little bit better. We’ve got in our all-star line-up, the siblings, Janke (pronounced Jan Kay), Samuel, and Menno. We’ve got Armando and Michelle. Janke is Daniel’s fiancé. Samuel is the associate pastor, and Menno is living at the mission while in school. Armando is the same as Menno but in college, and Michelle is a semi-pro goalkeeper for a local team.

One of the first ‘missionary’ things I did was this, one morning as I was sipping coffee in the parlor, I hear an unearthly scream of agony, in a panic I naturally go to investigate. Once I’ve located the source of the scream it becomes apparent it is earthly, very earthly, it’s a 18 yr old Girl screaming in pain because a finger that is swelled to roughly double the size. After trying my hand at wound care, and talking some to Daniel we decide it’s the best course of action to take her to the local ER, on my dime because her Family could not pay. So we do. It goes well, the first couple of times going every other day. Then day three of trips, day six of this for her comes around.

I should supply some context. The previous day, a pastor from a country close by came into town late. I had known him before and knew he was coming for a small seminar. I had expected him to come with some other attendees, but as he didn’t, I assumed that the size had shrunk. So late the next morning, after a brisk walk and during morning coffee, we had just finished making egg sandwiches and were having a casual conversation in the kitchen when someone walked in. Followed by another and another two after that. Confusion and stress took over my body. Here, culturally, we need to feed our guest regardless of any condition. So I practically ran to the store and crossed my fingers that there were still eggs and bread. There were. I made my way home hastily, threw together sandwiches for the now house of 12, and saved the four I had already made. Relief flooded me for about 5 minutes until it hit me that we needed to feed our guest lunch and supper! That’s not where the stress stops because it’s around now that I remember Tamila, the finger girl. So we ran to the hospital, and came back. I sat down briefly in the seminar, only for that moment to be a break. So I went to the kitchen and saw Janke frantically preparing lunch. I think you can see where this goes. I did not attend the teachings; I helped in the kitchen. We finished only an hour and a half late.

Finally now I can sit, maybe nap, I had grown accustom to chillin and afternoon naps, WRONG!! Supper needs bought and prepared! This time we have a bit of time so we prep for the next morning as well, and execute flawlessly. This same process repeats for the next two days going very well until at long last we finish mind you this was cooking from roughly 5:30 am until 8 or 9 pm. Now back to Tamila at this point we began to realize that the doctors were no longer helping so we morph to at home care, being careful to use the utmost care. She to this day comes over daily for a cleaning and new bandage.

At this point, two weeks have flown by with this ‘no plan’. God has had me partially fund a small seminar and personally fund hospital visits. So more time passes here, and a flow begins. For one, I have chores, see Michelle left to go train for a chunk of weeks, and Janke left for her hometown to attend several weddings, so Daniel and I took their chores on together. For two, I’m responsible for doing my part in the morning devotion, that being running it one day a week. For thrice, I gave my first sermon during an evening Bible study. We are now planning a weekly English class, run by yours truly, and I’ve become the associate pastor at a church plant south of the city. So as you can see, after only 28 days, plans came, not mine, not wholly Daniel’s, fully Gods.

I have so much more I could say and want to say, but this has become incredibly long-winded for a grand total of four somewhat short stories, so I’ll bring it to a close. I’ll ask for continued prayers for, as some of you know, our neighbors’ kids. For those that don’t, feel free to reach out and ask. Prayers for me to be given strength and wisdom to be able to serve well, especially this Sunday as it’s me who’s preaching. And lastly, prayer for the upcoming all-night prayer vigil. It’s held every fourth week of the month, that I wouldn’t fall asleep. Thank you all for your support, love, and prayers. I can’t stress that enough:))

(For those that want to reach out with any questions you can reach me at my email or number, i wont give my number here but here is my email. Jmbaker206@gmail.com)