5 Comments and a Few Emails Too!

Well, if we beg for feedback then we get a bit, huh?

It appears that the way we will proceed from here is to go ahead with the 'Prayer Update', but in a different fashion that previously planned. There is evidently a consensus on placing the 'update' within the main posting section, primarily because many of you, like me, are using Google Reader (GR) to track your daily web sites and blogs.

So, because you have commented concerning this and many of you have asked for it in one way or another...

Watch close (those of you without GR) in the coming days for our first Prayer Post, and an update on some pertinent ministry issues!

Thanks again. And do pray, please.

Feedback requested

We are considering adding an item to the sidebar that will link you all directly to a daily/weekly list of things we are praying for and items that we are requesting prayer for. In addition to this, we could list pertinent needs for those of you who ask frequently and then you would always know.

So, what do you think? You can comment here or just email me.

Please do let us hear from you! There are about 200 of you reading this, so 2 or 3 comments will just not be sufficient. Tell us the pros, the cons, or other ideas that you have.

Notice the "Prayer Update" link on the top right. It will let you know how it will work.

Thanks so much.

A Much 'kneeded' Update

Well I have done an absolute horrific job of keeping you all informed about life here in Ethiopia. But nonetheless I will offer an update for you all who are aware that one year ago I underwent ACL reconstruction. It is a real blessing to be able to say that I feel as if I am extremely close to the 100% point in my right knee. I am running 4km, riding 15km on a bike, & climbing 160 flights of stairs, and doing each of these twice week. We are praising God still one year after His provision for the surgery and the success He has granted in it.

Thoughts about PTI...round 2

are available at this link.

Gotcha!

Three years ago this morning we met Ellie for the first time. She is a blessing, and we praise God for giving her to us.

PTI II

Just click here!

Mother's Day Post

Something to pray about for sure!

PTI

Discussed here in writing and here orally by Kurt Strassner.

Maps of the situation...

...Have been added to the side bar.

It is amazing really the see how the country is split down the middle between the Orthodox and the Muslims.

Notice how few evangelicals are represented, and pray that God would glorify Himself in the salvation of both the Orthodox and the Muslims.

Kalkidan and family w/ Ellie

What is happening at Holle Sire

Holle Sire is located in the Western part of Ethiopia 130 miles from Addis Ababa, the capital. The regional government considers it as the remotest part of the region. All the community in the area are farmers.

In the area there is one wizard. He is worshiped by most of the people. He almost rules the area. He has 12 wives and one of them is his own sister. He has more than one hundred children. Currently such witch doctor activity is viewed as an Oromo traditional religion and is authorized by the Oromia regional government, by calling it waqa feta. It is considered as one of the religions like Christianity and Islam.

The wizard, by having political support, economical power and religious followers in the area, has become like a king of the area. Two months ago I was there to visit churches. We have six churches in that area. One of them was facing persecution at that time. They received land from the local government and started building a church. While they were in the middle of building, the government officials came to them and commanded them to stop work. They even ordered them to dismantle what they had already built. When they asked why, the officials told them that it is the territory of the wizard. Fortunately I was able to speak to the district officials in the village. They had a big meeting with the village leaders. I had a good discussion with them. After that they allowed them to continue building the church and stopped the wizard from bothering Christians in the area. But actually he continued his bad activity against church plantings.

Three years ago God opened the door wide to planting churches in the middle of this situation and to winning people for Christ. God has used people of the area for the evangelization of the community. One person came to Addis Ababa to seek a better life. He was hired as a guard in one of our local churches, Mekanisa Addis Kidan Baptist Church. Our Lord Jesus Christ touched his life and he became converted. God also burdened him to evangelize his community. He decided to spend his off times from his work with his village people. While doing that on several trips the community observed his life change and he got their attention. He preached the gospel and won energetic passionate leaders of the community. Currently there are six churches around the area with a total membership of 700 baptized, 1500 children, as well as many non-baptized people.

Abebe Lechisa, the chair person of the village, was one of the first converted people. He has taken the lead in the evangelization of the area. He is not only the leader of the community, but he is also a man who is in a good economic situation. He has a grain grinding mill which works by diesel. Since the day of his conversion he has given all his life for Christ. The church started gathering in his house. Whenever guests went to that community he is the one who hosts the guests in a good way. He travels in the neighborhood and tells the gospel to his people, encourages new believers, and protects the churches from any attack. In my observation he is a key person for that area work.

Satan is working currently to paralyze the work of Holle Sire. As a strategy he targets brother Abebe to discourage him. Ten days ago they had a spiritual conference and a wedding in a neighboring church of Holle Sire. All believers of the six local churches gathered in that church. They invited all the non-believing community and all attended the program. Not only the believers, but also all the non-believing community members were so excited about the conference. All the community came, even the main people of the wizard. Abebe was the leader of all this activity. On the last day, last Thursday, they all went to their houses. Abebe arrived at 9:00 pm. He was tired so he was quickly in a deep sleep.

Abebe heard loud shouts around 3:00 am. Since he was tired he felt as if he was in a dream. The shouting increased. He heard a big knock on his door. He woke up and jumped up from his bed. His father called him and informed him that something was burning around their grinding mill. When they arrived there, they found all the community trying to stop the fire. Everything was almost burned up by the fire by that time. They tried with all their effort to stop it but they couldn’t do it since there is no source of water in the village. The fire burned the grinding mill and the property. They lost everything in a few hours. The machine, the house and other properties are worth about 65,000 Ethiopian Birr which is $7,500. They are farmers so it is a huge amount of money for them.

I was there yesterday to visit and encourage them and all the believers in the area. Both Abebe and his father said, “It is not the property we feel sad about but why the people do this while we are doing good for them.”

All the community gathered together and discussed it. All of them were weeping and were saying, “It is not only Abebe and his father’s property. It is ours. People who did this are our enemies.”

We encouraged them with the word of God to be strong in the Lord while they are in such a hard situation. We also encouraged them that God could return what they lost in his own ways. Their plan now is to reinstall another machine if God provides a way and continue their commitment for the Lord. Abebe suspects the wizard did it by hiring another person.

I asked them to make a brief survey about the price to reinstall the machine. The total price needed is 30,000 Ethiopian Birr which is $3500.

Encouraging Abebe is encouraging Holle Sire area work, hastening the evangelization of that area, and delivering all that area from the bondage of the devil. Pray for him, tell other people about him, and do whatever God shows you to encourage him.


Ermias Zenebe
General Secretary, Ethiopian Addis Kidan Baptist Church.

just a pic

It is like Holocaust !!

Just 10 miles from our home.




Please pray with us!

Updated Website Info...

For Bingham Academy in the previous post.
Thanks

An Opportunity for You

Bingham Academy is a Christian school here in Addis Ababa. There are openings for teachers at the school for the coming school year. There is no salary for teaching at the school, each teacher must be self-supported. It is considered the best academic school in the country, so children from all over the world are educated there. Actually, more than twenty countries are represented. It is really a mission field. If you are qualified with K-8 certification or a major in the HS subject area and interested contact us for more information. You may contact the recruiter directly, also.

Chances are if you are reading this then you would pass the litmus to live with us during your stay. An estimate of expenses for the school year would not exceed $8,000, and this includes airfare!

And, if you are and SBCer, then you could even get a stipend.

Here is a quick rundown of the openings:

High School (August 07 – June 08)
English
Business Studies and Economics
History
Computer
Physics (August-January only)

6th Grade (August 07 – June 08)

1st Grade (January-June 2008)

Photos from Bible Study

Ahyo, Imabaet, Muhaba, Haile, Yoseph, Weder, Pipo, Amber, Haileyesus, Ellie, Joe

GOD is LOVE

(1 John 4:7-19)

I have for some time now had good intentions of writing some meditations about the LOVE OF GOD. If we, by HIS help, can fix our thoughts on this reality then our hearts and affections follow so quickly with love to HIM. The Apostle John is a superb example for us, and this portion of scripture serves us immensely concerning this matter. The text brings us immediately to a personal GOD, who is or ought to be the object of our love and worship and life.
To know who and what GOD is has been a vast mystery that has vexed the minds and souls of our race’s greatest thinkers. So to read of this truth so plainly spelled out for us in the Scriptures is quite astonishing.
The apostle here begins with the familiar Christian saying, “let us love one another”, but he doesn’t stop there. He must continue on, for our benefit, and trace the flood to the fountain by stating, “love is from GOD”. Therefore, love is divine, and proceeds from the nature of GOD alone. So wherever divine love prevails, it does so because of a new nature, from above, implanted by the regenerating work of the HOLY SPIRIT. Is this not exactly what John says; “everyone who loves is born of GOD and knows GOD”, and contrastingly as well, “the one who does not love, does not know GOD, for GOD IS LOVE”.
John is not content with generalities here, and thus continues on and refers us to that great, stupendous manifestation of DIVINE LOVE in the incarnation; “the love of GOD was manifested toward us, that GOD has sent HIS only begotten SON into the world so that we might live through HIM.” One result of this sending of HIS SON was propitiatory. Propitiation proves love, love to sinners especially. (1 Jn. 2:1-2) Propitiatory love is a chief demonstration to us of the Supreme splendor of GOD. The LOVE OF GOD being poured out within our hearts (Romans 5:5) displays more of GOD to us than all works or signs.
Throughout these verses there is this thread connecting the love in GOD’S nature, the love in the atonement, the love in JESUS, and the love in the Church. And the clear explanation is that it is the same love flowing from GOD to us via HIS chosen path, which is HIS TRIUNE work of accomplishing our redemption.
The second place where John explicitly states that ‘GOD IS LOVE’ gives us magnificent application for life; “if you abide in love, you abide in GOD and HE abides in you”. The ONE who made you, who has sustained you, and who has redeemed you makes HIS abode in you. The Love of God ought to be our habitation! We must live there, never going ought, or, going out soon to return. HIS LOVE should be our atmosphere, where we live and breathe and love. How is this possible? HE has accomplished it all for us.
Consider the final verse in this passage. “We love, because HE first loved us.” And loving us, HE conquered all barriers to us living in HIM and for HIM in all things.

Greetings in March...

Well, please accept my apologies for not keeping you all very updated. We have been busy and I have just been a procrastinator. Now I am facing the issue of too many topics to include in one short update. But I will attempt it anyway, just ignore the sporadic topics and pray for them each if you will.

This is Kaleb, I have known him for over 3 years. Kaleb is a minister in a local church here in Addis Ababa. He was born crippled, and has lived with the disability for his entire life. One of his legs is underdeveloped, much smaller and shorter than the other one. He can walk, however it is with an immense limp. He doesn’t cease to move about the town and do the work of the ministry. As of late, his leg is giving him more and more problems. He has asked that we pray for him concerning his leg. It is catching, or locking at the knee while walking and this is a terrible situation here with the traffic. Please pray that God would grant him healing and assistance with his leg.



Faiza is at home now! It is amazing really, and we hope to visit her soon and provide pictures for you all to see. Continue to pray for her progress, as she is not yet walking on her own.

PTI is fast approaching. Do not cease lifting up this opportunity that has been provided to train these men that God has raised up to pastor His churches among the un-reached of Ethiopia.

Our adoption process is proceeding well, as far as we can tell. We have finished the first major part (home study) and will now continue as the Lord provides and grants direction for us.

We are hosting 10-15 of our friends each Saturday night in our home for bible study and dinner. It is good time in the Lord. Pray for these times; that God would assist and give us fellowship in His Son. We have had some Orthodox people join us on several occasions. Pray that God would teach us how to serve them and honor Him in doing so.