Ethiopia Updates – March 2023

1. Pastors’ and Missionaries’ wives’ empowerment program

Pastors’ wives face so many challenges in their lives as they keep serving God and their families. Even though; they may not speak their burdens out; you can tell easily how they are leading their lives with full of stress and some of them are struggling with depression.

To address these issues and encourage the wives of our pastors and local missionaries; we organized a meeting just to spend time with them; share the Word of God and hear their stories. 52 women attended the meeting and God has given us great time of encouragement, restoration and healing.

Pastors’ wives meeting in Adama /Nazareth/

After the delivery of the Word of God and prayer; they had a time of discussion and sharing their challenges and stories with in the small groups. This platform has helped them to get to know each other more and even gave them the opportunity to pray for one another in the future.

We also distributed 5Litters cooking oil, 50KG wheat flour and other local food to them so that they can feed their families. They were so excited and thanked God for this event and for His provision.

The following testimony is from Mrs. Gete Korme the wife of one of our Pastors.

“… It is not easy to be a pastor’s wife. I have been passing through lots of challenges emotionally, socially, economically, physically and even spiritually. All those challenges made me to fill lonely and isolated. Most of the time I got depressed when I think of my 8-year-old autistic son. But I thank God for our local leaders for organizing this encouraging and prayer event for us. I really got encouraged and helped me to realize that there are many other pastors’ wives out there who are passing through in a lot of other challenges. They really encouraged me and established a network and a connection to continue pray one another and share more. I want this kind of meeting to be continued” (Mrs. Gete Korme)

2. Local leadership Development through “Wisdom Seeking Meeting” strategy

Every community in Africa has its own good way of cultural leadership practices. Bansa Dayye is one of the communities in Sidama region, southern part of Ethiopia. This community has a culture of seeking solutions for any challenge that they face as a community through the gathering called “Wisdom Meeting”. In the meeting the leaders of the community discuss on the critical challenges and issues of the community and come up with all the possible solutions.

U4A trains, equips, couches and empowers our local leaders and shapes such kinds of local initiatives and makes sure that to be in line with the Word of God so that it will be a good tool to transform communities.

Wisdom seeking meeting in Bansa Dayye community local church

Through this “Wisdom Seeking Meeting” we have accomplished many programs and community empowerment projects such as water well, animal, and local initiative roads and bridges constructions.

3. Discipling, Coaching and Mentoring Young Leaders

Youth are our ministry focus in order to raise new generation emerging leaders in Africa. Identifying their calling and giftings, training, coaching and mentoring them are some of the activities that we are doing in the lives of our youth.

Joseph Zeleke is one of our leaders among many other young leaders that we are currently raising. He is a key leader in the southern region of the country planting many churches and mobilizing our mission work among our pastoralist communities of Guji, Borana and other people group in the boarder of Ethiopia and Northern Kenya .

A week ago, we had a very inspiring indoor meeting in the town called Yirgachefe and train many leaders. He mobilized the region and I was amazed by him and see how God is using this young man to reach out many in that region.

I had also a very good mentoring and coaching time with him and prayed and released him for the mission work in the region. I thank God for raising many young leaders in our movement and it is a witness that our ministry is being expanded in many aspects.

4. Conclusion and Requests

The followings are praises and prayer request items to pray about with us: –
• Priase God for raising young leaders among us.
• Praise God for our movement is being expanded and growing.
• Pray for our new mission work among Pastoralist communities in the border of Ethiopia and Northern Kenya.
• Pray for our young leaders that God would continue to inspire and guide them. Pray also for protection in their lives, keep them from every evil and temptation.

Samson Weldemariam /Pst/
Africa & Ethiopia director of U4A