Introduction

As the year came to a close, we were reminded of the profound message of peace that entered the world over two thousand years ago in Bethlehem. This peace, embodied in the humble birth of Christ, is not merely the absence of conflict but the restoration of what is broken into wholeness.

As Unite 4 Africa, we witness this transformation every day through our goats and rehabilitation projects. This year, we have seen children who have faced unimaginable loss and trauma take their first steps toward healing and hope. Through the unwavering commitment and love of our team, alongside the faith-filled support of partners like you, lives are being restored.

We are humbled and grateful to share that these children are not only surviving but thriving. They have found belonging within their church communities, renewed hope for their futures, and a sense of purpose rooted in the peace of Christ—the Prince of Peace, who has come to make all things new.

As we reflect on the impact made together last year, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to you, our faithful partners. Your support has been instrumental in spreading peace, healing, and hope to those in need.

As we step into the new year, we look forward to continuing this mission together, bringing light and transformation to even more lives.

Happy New Year!

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The Impact of Discipleship and Mentorship in our Ministry

As Unite 4 Africa, a ministry dedicated to community transformation, we have witnessed profound changes through our discipleship and mentorship efforts. These initiatives have not only impacted individuals but have also sparked a movement of transformation in communities across Africa. A shining example of this success is Kaleab /Kalu/ Alemu from Ethiopia, a young leader whose journey reflects the power of mentorship and the transformative message of the Gospel.

Dr. Okongo and I have had the privilege of mentoring Kalu since he was a young boy. Through our guidance and support, he has developed into a dynamic leader, now training, discipling, mentoring, and coaching numerous young people in Ethiopia. Kalu is just one among many whom we have invested in, serving as a powerful illustration of how God blesses our efforts in discipleship.

Recently, Kalu returned to his hometown of Wonji, near Adama, to conduct a training event for hundreds of young people. This event was particularly significant, as it took place in the very town where he grew up—a place where he was once known as a “bad boy” with seemingly no hope for the future. His transformation is evidence to the life-changing power of the Gospel.

Youth Training in Wonji

The training focused on vision and time management. Many youths found the session inspiring and committed to becoming individuals who could make a difference in their society. When they hear about Kalu’s transformation, they see firsthand how God can change a person’s story. During the training, Kalu shared his journey of faith and the radical changes that have taken place in his life. Many of his former friends were present, and they were astonished to see the remarkable transformation he has undergone. Kalu’s story served as a living example of God’s power to change lives, reinforcing the message that no one is beyond redemption. After the training, the youth leaders and the church pastor expressed a desire to hold another youth conference with Kalu in the near future in another nearby town by inviting other youths from other churches too.

He also had the opportunity to meet his grandmother who had prayed for him during his difficult years. Their emotional reunion was a powerful moment, filled with gratitude and tears of joy as they thanked God for the incredible work, He has done in Kalu’s life. This encounter highlighted not only Kalu’s personal transformation but also the ripple effect it has on the community, inspiring hope and faith among those who knew him before.

The impact of our discipleship and mentorship efforts through Unite 4 Africa is evident in the lives we have touched, exemplified by Kalu. His journey from a troubled youth to a minister of the Gospel serves as a reminder of the transformative power of God. As we continue to invest in the lives of young leaders, we are confident that many more will rise up to impact their communities and bring about lasting change.

We celebrate the amazing God we serve, who transforms lives and empowers individuals to become blessings to others. Let us remain committed to our mission of community transformation, knowing that with each life changed, we are advancing the kingdom of God.

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God’s Amazing Work in South Omo

As we reflect on our outreach work in the South Omo region of Ethiopia, we are filled with gratitude for the tremendous things God is doing among the unreached pastoralist communities. Your prayers and support have been instrumental in this journey, and we are excited to share the latest updates with you.

Over the past two years, we have had the privilege of planting seven new churches in areas such as Karo, Turmi, Dimeka, and Warqaqa. The number of believers in these communities is growing significantly, and we are witnessing lives transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ready for Baptism

We employ various strategies to reach these communities effectively. One of our most impactful methods is home-to-home visits, where we share biblical stories about Jesus. The cultural tradition of storytelling resonates deeply with the people, and they eagerly listen as we recount the life and teachings of Christ. The Holy Spirit is moving powerfully, touching hearts and leading many to accept Jesus as their Savior.

Prayer time during the visit

In addition to home visits, we leverage open village marketplaces to interact with individuals from various villages. This allows us to spread the message of Jesus beyond a single community, as people take the Good News back to their homes.

Village Market

We also distribute Bibles to those who can read and write. These individuals are encouraged to share the biblical stories with their families and neighbors during evening gatherings, where communities come together to share information, daily activities, and ancestral stories. This creates an environment ripe for spiritual discussion and growth.

Biblical Story Tellers

We haven’t forgotten the children! We gather them under the shade of trees to share captivating stories about Jesus. Their enthusiasm is infectious, and many have come to faith through our ministry.

Children after story telling

We are thrilled to highlight Tesfalem Ersito, our dedicated church planter in the region. With a background as a teacher, Tesfalem has earned the respect and acceptance of the communities he serves. His passion for sharing the Gospel and his commitment to the people have resulted in many lives being changed for the better.

As we look forward to the coming year, we are eager to reach even more communities in the South Omo region. We humbly ask for your continued prayers and support as we prepare to expand our efforts and make a lasting impact for the Kingdom of God.

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A Decade of Partnership: Equipping Leaders for God’s Kingdom

For over ten years, our ministry has been blessed to partner with TMMI (The Master’s Mission International) Ministry, led by the devoted Pastor Paul Parker. This remarkable collaboration has been instrumental in training and equipping leaders through biblical leadership training and Jesus-style discipleship development.

Following in the footsteps of Jesus, our shared mission is rooted in the commitment to His teachings and the implementation of His Kingdom Gospel. By providing healthy, biblical training, we seek to honor God through raising up leaders dedicated to the church that Jesus is building. The impact of this partnership is profound, as it equips leaders to lead with Christ-like servant hearts and to reproduce disciples who remain faithful to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the past decade, we have trained hundreds of leaders in almost every region of Ethiopia. Currently, we are actively working with about 180 leaders across six strategic groups in Bishoftu (Debre Zeit), Adama (Nazareth), Hawassa, Shashamane, and Arbaminch. Pastor Paul Parker’s unwavering commitment to this mission is evident in his biannual visits to Ethiopia, during which he dedicates himself to ministering to our leaders and providing transformative training.

Through this training, our leaders are being equipped to become Jesus-like disciple-making movement leaders. They, in turn, are empowered to reproduce Christ-centered servant leaders who live and teach the true Gospel—the Christ-centered Kingdom Gospel.

Beyond the training sessions, the fellowship, family spirit, and even the joyful moments we share together have greatly strengthened our bonds of friendship and brotherhood.

Fun time in the mission field

Pastor Mesfin Beyene, our regional leader in Eastern Ethiopia—a predominantly Muslim region—shares how the training has profoundly impacted their ministry. “The training has helped us deeply understand the true Kingdom Gospel, the meaning of the true church, and Jesus’ method of disciple-making, reproducing, and sending out servant leaders to the harvest, all according to the Scriptures.” This testimony underscores the far-reaching impact of our collaborative work and the transformative power of equipping leaders with a clear understanding of the Gospel and Jesus’ methods.

We take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to Pastor Paul Parker and his wife, Daisy, for their dedication and unwavering commitment to this mission. Their sacrifice—including covering all the necessary costs for the training—is a true testament to their love for Jesus and His Kingdom. It is a blessing and an honor to serve alongside such a devoted and Christ-centered couple.

Pastor Paul & Daisy Parker

As we look to the future, we are excited to continue this journey of partnership, equipping leaders, and expanding God’s Kingdom together. May God bless Pastor Paul, Daisy, and all our partners for their invaluable contribution to the work of the Gospel in Ethiopia.

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Praise and Prayer Requests

Dear friends and family of Unite 4 Africa,

We are grateful for your continuous support and prayers for our ministry. As we move forward in serving God, we would like to share the following praise and prayer items. Please join us in lifting these up to the Lord:

• Pray that God will continue to use our leaders powerfully to accelerate the disciple-making movement in their regions. May He equip them to develop and send more servant leaders to the harvest fields.
• Pray for all our current and upcoming programs and projects, that God will use them in the coming year to transform lives and impact communities for His glory.
• Pray for divine provision to enable us to continue serving Him and advancing His Kingdom without any financial or material burdens.
• Pray for the safety and protection of our families and the entire U4A team as we travel across the continent and beyond. May God keep us under His mighty hand.

We deeply appreciate your prayers and partnership as we walk together in His mission. Thank you for being part of this journey!

Samson Weldemariam /Rev./
Africa & Ethiopia director of U4A

1.The Contribution of our Ministry to the Global Mission

Dr. Okongo, Shyla and I participated in the 4th Lausanne Global Congress that was held in Incheon, South Korea from September 22 – 28, 2024. More than 5,000 Global leaders gathered together for a week with the theme of “Let the Church Declare and Display Christ TOGETHER.”

We have had the opportunity of sharing the main contributions and significance of our ministry’s work in the Global Mission context with other leaders in various platforms. Specially, Dr. Okongo led and facilitated many meetings in different ministry streams and the impact was amazing.

What a celebration!

We shared how our ministry efforts as they align with broader goals and how they impact communities worldwide. We discussed the programs that we have that address local needs, such as education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation. We also shared many success stories that illustrate the impact of these initiatives.

We have outlined our approaches to sharing the Gospel and nurturing spiritual growth. We highlighted our church planting efforts and evangelistic outreaches that have reached diverse populations in Africa and beyond. We have also described how we mobilize, network and partner with other churches, organizations, or ministries that enhance our collective Global Mission efforts. We highlighted collaborative projects and shared resources that amplify our impacts. We have mentioned our Global Engagement in Cross-Cultural Missions and shared our experiences from mission trips, including how our ministry has engaged with different cultures and communities. We emphasized the importance of cultural sensitivity and mutual respect.

Let the Church Declare and Display Christ TOGETHER

We have explained how we, as Unite 4 Africa equip local leaders through training programs, workshops, and mentorship initiatives that foster leadership development and spiritual maturity of grass root frontline leaders. 

Finally, we have shared our approach towards Sustainability and Long-Term Impact. We have highlighted our initiatives that focus on sustainable development, ensuring that our contributions have lasting effects on communities. The people we met were amazed by what God has been doing through our ministry and would like to know more about us and have showed interest to collaborate and partner with us. Glory to be God!!!

2.Empowering, Equipping and Preparing the Next Generation’s Younger Leaders

Equipping, empowering, and preparing the next generation of new emerging young Christian leaders is one of our programs that we do as Unite 4 Africa. It involves intentional strategies that nurture their spiritual, personal, and leadership development.

As Dr. Okongo always says, ‘It is what we receive that we can give.’ We receive love, care and mentorship from him and now we are giving it out to other younger leaders. Kalu and I facilitated this training and workshop to those younger Christian leaders who represented 7 denominations and churches in Adama town, Ethiopia. 15 younger leaders participated in this training.

Time of prayer and reflection with our young leaders

This training focused on leadership skills from a Christian perspective, including servant leadership, conflict resolution, team building, and vision casting and Disciple -Making the Jesus way. We have also developed mentorship relationships with them where we can guide them in their faith, helping them to grow in their understanding of Scripture, prayer, and spiritual disciplines.

3.The Provision of Water Tanks Changes the lives of students in our schools.

Providing water tanks to church schools in Africa can have a profound impact on the lives of our students and the surrounding communities. According to Pastor Tegene Asnake, one of our leaders in Wonji-showa town, Ethiopia; access to clean and safe drinking water reduces the incidence of waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid. This leads to healthier students, fewer absences, and improved overall well-being. He also shared his experiences with us during our recent visit to our school saying that; ‘availability of water facilitates better hygiene practices, including handwashing, which is crucial in preventing the spread of illness and maintaining health in our school.’

Our kids are enjoying

During my recent visit to Wonji-showa, I also did a short interview with Mulu, the wife of Pastor Tegene and she said in her part that; ‘with reliable access to clean water, students are more likely to attend school regularly, leading to better educational outcomes and higher retention rates. She noted that, when students are no longer preoccupied with the daily struggle to find water, they can focus more on their studies, participate actively in class, and engage in extracurricular activities.’

We also have observed that the provision of water tanks often encourages community involvement and fosters a sense of ownership among local families. This can lead to collaborative efforts to maintain water infrastructure and promote hygiene education. Water tanks ensure that schools have a consistent supply of water for both drinking and sanitation needs, which is vital for the operation of school facilities, especially during dry seasons. 

Schools with reliable water sources can attract more students, as parents are more likely to enroll their children in a school that provide essential services. Church schools often integrate spiritual teachings with education. Providing clean water aligns with our call to serve others and can enhance the spiritual mission of our schools, teaching students the importance of caring for their neighbors. 

In conclusion; by providing water tanks to our church schools in Africa, we are not only addressing a critical need for clean water but also empowering students and communities, enhancing health and education, and fostering long-term development. This initiative exemplifies how our practical support can lead to transformative change, aligning with both humanitarian goals and the mission of the Church.

4.Praise and Prayer items

The followings are praise and prayer request items to pray about with us:

• Praise God for the ministry for opening doors to contribute to the Global Mission.
• Praise God for our young leaders for equipping them to be the next generation leaders.
• Continue pray for our schools and students that God would continue to provide for their current needs of preparing Laboratory rooms and all the necessary equipment. 
• Pray for our global partners –  may God continue strengthening our partnership and collaborative work together.

Samson Weldemariam /Rev./

Africa & Ethiopia director of U4A

The Impact of our work of “Rehabilitation”

Mrs. Gishu Getachew was a wife of Pastor Roba Tuffa who lost his life last year for the sake of Christ and the Gospel as a martyr. The loss of Pastor Roba has deeply shaken us all. We were grieved at the untimely passing of a dedicated and compassionate leader. He touched the lives of many with his wisdom, kindness, and unwavering faith for Christ.

He left his five children with his wife. Dr. Okongo realized that life will be difficult for this family particularly for Gishu unless we intervened and helped this widow. He supported her and we bought a cow for her. Now, her cow has started reproducing and Gishu is helping her family by selling milk. She said that God has comforted her by His saints and by the U4A team.

Pastors’ Wives Empowerment

Empowering Pastors’ Wives is one of the programs that we do as U4A to transform our communities. Hiwot Tesfaye and Ayantu Regassa are some of the beneficiaries among many others. Both of them together with their families; had been suffering with deep poverty.

We supported Hiwot to start this small business of a beauty salon. God blesses the seed-money we supported her with and her business as well. Her business is growing and she is now able to help support herself with her husband and her family.

Ayantu in this small business of selling garments. She is also thankful to God and our team because now she able to help herself along with her husband and her family without having added life pressure.

Praise and Prayer items

The followings are praise and prayer request items to pray about with us:

• Praise God for opening the door of opportunity to empower and bless our women.
• Praise God for the leadership and wisdom that He has placed in the life and ministry of Dr. Okongo. Many strategic directions have birthed out from him.
• Pray for our women that may God would continue bless them and give them wisdom as they are doing in this small business.
• Pray for the upcoming Tucson team coming for a vision trip to Africa and to be part of a mass baptism event. We are preparing to welcome and host the team from USA in June/2024.

Samson Weldemariam /Pst/

Africa & Ethiopia director of U4A

Another Great Mass Baptism Event & The Impact of The Gospel

A 75-year-old man, Taddese Metaferia, is one of the new converts who got baptized in our mass -baptism event together with other group of more than 700 people. He was a Chief community leader and hard-core persecutor in the village called Boffa and its surrounding area. By mobilizing the communities in the region, he was known by beating many of our leaders repeatedly and violently hurt and injured our leaders and church planters. He also put many of them in jail; abused and traumatized them several times. He had been doing this for more than 25 years.

But, recently by the miraculous intervention of the Lord in his life; he came to know the Lord, repented and accepted Jesus Christ as His Lord and personal Savior and got baptized. Pastor Taddesse, our regional leader, was so excited and he couldn’t believe the conversation of this old man. Mostly because he was one of the victims in his early years of ministry in that region. We, together with Pastor Taddesse and other leaders, thanked God and praised the Lord for the salvation of this old man and celebrated his baptism with great joy.

Pastor Taddesse with former Persecutor

No words can express how much we thank God for His Grace and Salvation. We were witnesses to see more than 700 people from teenagers to elderly get baptized in Bishoftu/ Deberezeit/ town in the lake called Kuriftu.

Few pictures of baptisms

We have helped them to rent many buses to transport them from their respective areas to the lake. We have also given out Bibles to feed their spiritual lives and bread and a bottle of water for their body.

Donation of Bibles & sharing meals

Visiting our Village Churches in Southern Region

Pastor Moses is one of our leaders in the Southern region together with Pastor Chachi, our regional coordinator and serving as a pastor in our local Church called Boditi town. The impact of our outreach with Dr. Okongo last year in that region has brought a huge inspiration to Pst. Moses.

By the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Pst. Moses together with his local church team went out and plant two more churches in the surrounding villages of his town. I visited one of the churches in the community called Hangaza Offa. I encouraged them and prayed for them. I have seen the new structure of their local church with the capacity of 200 hundred people.

We thank God for the church planting and disciple-making movement that is taking place in this region.

Visiting our Village Church in Wolayita- Boditi area

Praise and Prayer items

The followings are praise and prayer request items to pray about with us:

• Praise God for all the people who just got baptized.
• Praise God for the Church Planting and Disciple – Making movements that are taking place in the country that draw many people to Jesus.
• Pray for all those new believers who recently got baptized that God would help them to grow spiritually and follow Jesus daily with obedience.
• Pray for our Kingdom workers that God would give them wisdom and strength to make many more disciples in their regions.

Samson Weldemariam /Pst/

Africa & Ethiopia director of U4A

I hope you’re all doing well in God’s grace and have enjoyed the holiday season!
We are doing really well by God’s grace here in Ethiopia, Africa. Our African leadership team and our leaders across Ethiopia have been sharing lots of encouraging and transformative stories on how God uses our ministry in this ending year. It brings me great joy to see, to hear and to be a witness to how God is doing the great work that is transforming countless individuals, communities and several Nations at large.

The work is truly in great hands and I believe the best lies ahead. Our leadership team is developing in every region of the country, passion is high, there is momentum, people are getting saved and the church is growing and we celebrated thousands of baptisms this year alone, praise God!

I want to thank each of you again for your partnerships over the years in our work in Africa. Through your prayers and faithful generosity, the work is going well and continuing to move forward.

The followings are few selected stories that I am wanting to share with you so that you will see a glimpse of what God is doing among us and you can join us to praise God Him for His great work.

1. Dr. Okongo’s Visit to Ethiopia

The founder and President of our ministry Dr. Okongo together with his wife Shyla visited Ethiopia and ministered to us in various ways. The purpose of the visit was to speak at the Lausanne Africa & Middle East Summit that is held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to encourage, mentor and coach our leaders, oversee our work and to give direction for the upcoming new year.

During their stay with us; God used Dr. Okongo & Shyla to facilitate several healing sessions for individuals, marriages and families. Through their healing ministry; wounded hearts got healed and relationships have been restored. We give all the Glory to God.

And again Dr. Okongo visited the land that we got recently and the project that we are planning to implement on that plot of land. We aim to construct a multi-purpose building on that plot of land that will be used for a training center, guesthouse and for our offices. Dr. Okongo gave us very important advice and direction on how to utilize this land properly and effectively. He also prayed for us for the provision and the wisdom of God to be upon us as we plan and implement this project.

Dr. Okongo Prayed right on the plot of Land and gave us directions

2. From Persecution to Growth – Jima Church

Jima region is one the persecuted regions in the country. Years ago, our churches suffered a lot due to their faith in Jesus and Dr. Okongo came and visited us right in the middle of the persecution and encouraged us. During the time of his visit; he moved village to villages, home to homes, met the victims, hugged them, cried with them and prayed for them.

Currently the church in the region is getting stronger and stronger in their faith, reaching out to many communities and has planted hundreds of churches within the last few years. I recently visited the region and trained church leaders, encouraged, coached and mentored them. We thank God for His church in the region and the Grace that He has given them to endure in the storm of persecutions.

 

Leadership Training in Jima town.

 

3. The Impact of our Ministry in Ethiopian Evangelical Churches – Nationwide.

The impact of our ministry is growing across Ethiopia. I got an invitation to speak on a nationwide summit and share with all key and top Ethiopian leaders on the issue of the core challenges of the churches in Ethiopia.

The response and feedback from the participants were amazing and they want to learn more from our ministry and approached us after the meeting. This is because of the uniqueness of our vision and mission and the approach that U4A uses to impact individuals, churches, communities, ministries and organizations. We thank God for the impact.

4. Praise and Prayer items

The followings are praise and prayer request items to pray about with us:
• Praise God for our Persecuted Churches in the country that are enduring in their faith in Christ in the midst of persecution.
• Pray for our healing ministry that God would continue heals many lives for His Glory.
• Pray for the Ethiopian Churches that God would give the leaders wisdom and discernment so that they will be able address all the challenges that the country is going through.
Samson Weldemariam /Pst/
Africa & Ethiopia director of U4A

 

The Impact of our Goat /Animal/ Project

Kene-An Zerihun is one of our goats’ project beneficiaries who are from Modjo town, Ethiopia. She received a goat three years ago.

Kene-An & her Sheep

Since she lives in a highland area in her village; the weather is more suitable for sheep than goats and our leaders and care takers have decided to sell the goats and replace it by a sheep. God blessed her sheep and multiplied to 11 now and another three are pregnant again.

She has been covering all the food, cloths, school supplies and school uniforms expenses by selling few of them. Now, she is 7 years old and a grade 1 student.

My Visit with our Underground MBB Leaders in the Horn of Africa

Many agree that approximately 150 people groups inhabit the Horn of Africa, a region including Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Northern Kenya.
Unite 4 Africa has given special attention and approach to reach out to the region by focusing on local workers- eliminating the need of cross-cultural training and the assumption that Christian faith is something imported from foreign people outside their reach.

By the end of last month, I met 5 of our key leaders from Djibouti, Somalia and Jigjiga region of Ethiopia who are engaging in the underground work of home church planting and disciple making in the region. I spent 3 days with them coaching, mentoring and training them.

I heard an encouraging good news that this movement grows in the region and reaches in another Pastoralist community called Afar that resides in Djibouti and Ethiopia. I intentionally choose not to share names and pictures of our leaders for security reason; but I would encourage you to thank God for His sovereign power and authority to empower us and give us wisdom and strategy to reach out to this region through the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Savior.

The Horn of Africa is one of the world’s most challenging regions for security and development. It is also a highly significant geostrategic site in every aspect including spiritual. So, I encourage you to continue pray for us and for our underground leaders in the region.

Our work recognized by the mayor of the town

Yirgachefe is one of the strategic towns in the southern region of Ethiopia to reach out the pastoralist communities in the boarder of northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia. Our church in the town is working on various community projects such as helping the needy, orphans and empowering the youth in the town through various trainings, coaching and mentoring.

Praying for the town and for the mayor

This involvement of the local church has been recognized and appreciated by the mayor and the town government administration. To appreciate, celebrate and thank the mayor and the town administration; our young leader Yosef Zeleke and our regional leader Pastor Behailu Berassa organized a meeting in the church. The mayor said Church has a vital role to play to address the complex issues and challenges of the society. He also added that his office will continue supporting the church in order to accomplish its goals in the community of Yirgachefe town.

Celebration and breaking bread time

We thank God for our leaders who take these initiatives to address the needs of their own community.

Praise and Prayer items

The followings are praises and prayer requests items to pray about with us:

• Praise God for the work in the Horn of Africa.
• Praise God for the impact of our Goat/ Animal/ Project and for the transformation of many lives through our ministry Unite 4 Africa.
• Pray for our underground leaders in Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia for protection, wisdom and strength to continue reaching out more.