Today’s story from Ethiopia is told by Robert Revie, an Echoes International mission worker. He and his wife Sheena were mission workers in Ethiopia from 1969, leaving in 1978 when the ‘red terror’ of the communist regime took over the country. Robert often travels back to Ethiopia to support the local church.
A new military government came to power in Ethiopia in 1991. Around this time there were still many bandits roaming around the countryside, causing great fear among the local villagers. One of the bandits was a man called ‘Love’ (a literal translation of his Amharic name – ፍቅሩ).
A small group of believers lived in a village called Asgori. They were afraid, because Love and his accomplices made it impossible for them to meet in a public hall.
Some time later, for some crime, Love was sent to prison. While in prison he heard the gospel. He repented of his sins and received the Lord Jesus as his Saviour – he said later that he was imprisoned to ‘experience the real freedom that comes by trusting in Christ’.
After his release from prison he visited the Christians in Asgori and explained what had happened in prison. He asked to join their fellowship. As a result of Love’s transformation, they were able to worship freely in a hall, which they built together.
…he was imprisoned to ‘experience the real freedom that comes by trusting in Christ’
This year Love shared his story with a large audience in Ethiopia. He told how God had not only changed his heart and had been with him during these past 25 years, he is now a respected elder in his own village, Asgori.
He is a living testimony of what God can do in a life when someone trusts in Christ and discovers the love of God.
Pray:
- for the safety of small, rural churches to worship in freedom, like the fellowship in Asgori
- for churches to work together to minister to the poor
- for workers to minister alongside the local church, to encourage them in bible teaching.
