Ethiopia Updates – March 2022

1. Leaders Forum on “Women Ministry”

Women have been playing a significant role in various ministries in the church and in advancing the kingdom of God. But we don’t see most church leaders recognize their contribution and encourage them accordingly. There might be various reasons for the leaders in Africa to get in to this confusion. One of the reasons is believed that the cultural biases and barriers that most leaders have towards women.

In order to help our leaders to understand the place of women in the ministry; we have organized a discussion forum for our leaders in various towns and regions of the country. Just few weeks ago we did this forum in the town called Hawassa. More than 50 pastors and church leaders gathered together. I presented a discussion paper to the leaders and they also discussed on the various cultural barriers and challenges that we are facing today towards women in our communities.

We believe that such kinds of discussion forums will help our leaders to understand the role of women in the ministry and engage them in the process of transformation that we are aiming to bring within our communities.

Leaders Discussion forum in Hawassa, Ethiopia

2. Persecution cannot stop our churches to grow in Muslim dominating regions.

Pastor Mulat Seyoum our regional coordinator of Eastern Arsi & Bale District of Ethiopia visited our Churches in those Muslim dominating areas. Our churches there have been passing through lots of severe persecutions in the past several years. False accusations, imprisonment, physical & emotional abuses, damaging properties and churches and even losing lives are some of the persecutions that our Churches have been facing in the previous years.

However, according to the report of Pastor Mulat; he saw the Grace of God in their lives. They are still committed to their faith regardless and even ready to suffer more for Christ. He spent few days with them by sharing the word of God, praying for /with/ them. They were so excited and got encouraged by his visit.

Since most of them are still suffering in trauma without even they recognize it. So, Pastor Mulat is asking us to pray for them and they are in great need of frequent visit, trauma treating trainings and prayers.

Pastor Mulat with our Leaders and Church members.

3. Conclusion, Praise & Prayer Requests

These are praises and prayer request items to pray about with us: –
• Thank God for our Churches for the strength they have got from the Lord to stand firm through persecutions.
• Continue pray for those Churches that have been passing through various persecutions that May God would continue strengthen them and fulfill all their needs accordingly.
• Continue to pray for our ministry outreach in South Omo remote regions. May God would continue transform those nomadic communities holistically.

Samson Weldemariam /Pst/
Vice – president and Africa director of U4A