Living Water in Ethiopia
It is becoming a recurring theme:
"There are religions that are on the rise. One religion gives money for conversions. They will give you employment, money, food. They are building huge edifices all over the country. They are very aggressive and there is a lot of pressure. There is so much scriptural ignorance that people whose ancestors paid with their lives for Christianity are yielding. Pray that they would know the truth so that when this religion comes with a bribe, they can say no."
This prayer request came from Ethiopia. But it is the same one we have heard from representatives of many different African countries. So, we wanted to pass this prayer request on to you.
We also want to praise God for the power of His Word. We have seen God's pure Word change lives regardless of religion, background, location, or any other factor. His Word displays His love for mankind and is living water to the thirsty, light to those in darkness, comfort to the broken-hearted, and healing to the wounded. This is why we continue to strive to reach a lost and diverse world with God's Word in audio.
God's Word in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is one of the oldest nations in the world and has a long and fascinating history. It has had the Gospel message ten times longer than the U.S. has been in existence! But with an average illiteracy rate of 80% (in some languages it is as high as 99%) the people have not had access to God's Word. This is why the Audio Scriptures are essential for so many to hear—it is the only format that obliterates the barriers of illiteracy and poverty.
Gebe Beyene, coordinator of the Ethiopian Bible Society branch in Tigrai shares, "Ethiopia has had the Gospel since it first began to be preached and Christianity became the state religion 1,600 years ago. Since then, it has continued on without any change so people accumulate stories that are not really Biblical. The Proclaimer is a lifesaver because people can't add to it or subtract from it, it just is."
So far, Faith Comes By Hearing is reaching Ethiopia with the Amharic, Oromo, Bench, Gumuz, and Tigrinya Audio New Testaments, and 4,750 Audio Bibles are now in their hands. The Guji and Hadiyya have also recently been recorded. These seven languages have the potential to reach 62 million out of the 83 million people in the country and Audio New Testament recordings in ten more Ethiopian languages are planned for 2009!
That They All May Be One
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Eph. 4:16). It is exciting to see this Scripture in action. Churches from many different denominations in the U.S. are working together and giving so that the Ethiopian people can have God's Word in audio; and many different denominations in Ethiopia are working together to carry God's Word to the Ethiopian people.
A wonderful example of this is when the Bible Society of Ethiopia held a launch for the Oromo Audio New Testament in April 2008. It was attended by the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the Archbishop of the Ethiopian Catholic Church, the President of the Lutheran Evangelical Church, the General Secretary of the Evangelical Churches Fellowship, and an official representative for the President of Ethiopia. In addition, there were diplomats, NGO representatives, and over 600 other people from all walks of life. News of the event was broadcast on national television and radio!
Testimonies From Ethiopia
From the Bench language: "The Bench people were not recognized as equal human beings. The language was also severely abhorrent and devalued. It was said that the computer itself does not accept the Bench language, it repulses it. It is miraculous for me to hear the Word of God in our own language that was undervalued this much. Today, while we have this Proclaimer reading Scripture in our heart language, it is for us like waking up from sleeping. We are really grateful to the organization that did this. More than all, we thank God for giving us such an organization."
-Mr. Alemu Etefa
From the Amharic language: "While going to the rural area by foot, I stopped and sat in the shade of an acacia tree nearby the road. While taking a rest and playing the Amharic Audio Bible, people passing by and around came one by one and surrounded me like vultures and became a big crowd. I was so pleased to have such opportunity, and at intervals I gave my witness on what Jesus has done for me. The people were very pleased by what they heard and asked me not to go before the Audio Bible finished playing. Finally, I promised them that I would come again if they would prepare a condition for a listening program. They agreed and I went away. Carrying the Audio Bible with me makes me feel as if I have someone beside me and we are walking as two people, as Jesus sent His disciples out two by two."
-Colporteur for the Amharic Audio New Testament
Proclaimers have also begun making their way into several orphanages in Addis Ababa, including one orphanage for orphans with AIDS. Thank you Blue Point Bible Church, Blue Point, NY; Calvary Chapel Worship Center, Hillsboro, OR; New Beginnings Church of God, Albuquerque, NM; Evergreen Baptist Church, Cashmere, WA; Marlboro Meadows Baptist Church, Upper Marlboro, MD; First Baptist Church East Providence, East Providence, RI, and the many other churches that have given so that these children and the other people of Ethiopia may hear His Word and be blessed by His living water.