Ethiopia Update – March 2025

Transforming Lives in Wonji-Showa: A Milestone Achievement

Wonji-Showa, a small town in the Oromia region of central Ethiopia, is home to approximately 40,000 people, including residents from neighboring villages. For the past two decades, Unite 4 Africa, in partnership with Emmanuel United Church, has been instrumental in transforming lives through its school projects. Thousands of students have been supported, equipped, and rehabilitated through our ministry, bringing hope and opportunities to the community.

This year, we have achieved a significant milestone in partnership with our Korean friends by addressing a long-standing community need—the establishment of a bakery house. Previously, Wonji-Showa had no bakery, and residents had to travel 25 kilometers to Adama to buy bread. The absence of a local bakery posed challenges, particularly for school children and vulnerable families.

The vision for this project began when we prepared a proposal and shared it with our Korean partners. In June last year, a Korean missionary couple, Paul and Susan Park, attended our baptism event, Dr. Okongo also met them during that time with his mission team and he encouraged them to pursue their vision for our community.

2. Sadly, after returning to Korea, Missionary Susan fell ill and went to be with the Lord in October 10th /2024.

In her loving memory, her husband, Paul Park, and GBM ministry made the heartfelt decision to fund the bakery project as a lasting legacy.

By the grace of God, within just less than four months, we completed this transformative project. The initiative involved constructing the bakery house, purchasing essential bakery machinery, and securing a high-power generator to ensure continuous production. On February 18, 2025, we joyfully inaugurated the bakery, marking a new chapter of self-sufficiency and nourishment for the community.

This bakery has the capacity to produce thousands of loaves of bread daily, providing nutritious food for our school orphans and the wider community. It stands as a sign to God’s provision and the commitment of our partners. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our Korean partners for their generous support and for making this vision a reality. To God be the glory for this incredible blessing!

3. Celebrating Ethiopian Christmas with Orphans and Vulnerable Children

On January 7th, 2025, our local church, Ayer Tena Emmanuel United Church, celebrated Ethiopian Christmas with orphans and vulnerable children living in Zenebe-Work, a community traditionally known as “Qoshe,” the landfill area, which translates literally to “Trash.”

Over 500 children and teenagers from the community attended and were profoundly impacted by this celebration. A variety of meaningful activities were organized, including:

Sharing the Word of God: Our local pastor, Mekbib, delivered a powerful message, and as a result, 11 individuals from the community accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

Serving Lunch: We provided a warm, nourishing meal for all 500 children and teenagers.

Bible Verse Memorization Competition: We held a contest to encourage engagement with Scripture and rewarded the winners.

Sharing Cakes and Fellowship: Everyone enjoyed sweet treats and participated in other fun activities that brightened their day.

The joy and gratitude among the children and their families were overwhelming. For many, it was a day they will never forget. Aklilu, one of the children, shared, “Since my friends and I are very poor, we wouldn’t have been able to celebrate this holy day like this if it weren’t for your help. Otherwise, we would have spent the day hungry, as usual.”