> Muslim Outreach Workshop

By Pastor Dave Maki Southwest Lutheran Church
I have never met a more impassioned group of leaders than the ones who are carrying out the Great Commission in Ethiopia. Witnessing their commitment to reaching the lost with the Gospel was incredible humbling. It was a privilege to stand in the presence of these witnesses and experience their enthusiasm for the work of Jesus Christ. There is much for us Americans to learn from the heart and desire of Christians in Ethiopia.

We spent four days rubbing elbows with pastors, evangelists and church leaders who gathered at Mekane Yesus Seminary in Addis Ababa for a conference on Outreach to the Muslims. These dedicated disciples traveled from all over Ethiopia to learn and share ideas on how God is bringing many Muslims to faith in Jesus. Some of these saints traveled three days to be present with their Christian brothers. The conference, hosted by Lutheran Hour Ministries, was lead by Pastor Masresha (a Lutheran pastor who taught at Luther Seminary in St. Paul Minnesota) and Dr. Peter Ford (an expert in mission work to the people of Islam). These men eagerly sat for hours learning about the theology of Islam and exploring practical ideas on building relationships with the unbelievers in a country of eighty million.

We had hoped our presence would encourage these men in their difficult and dangerous work of bringing the truth to a growing Muslim population. As it turned out, they were far more encouraging of us than we were to them. They told us of the joy and privilege of suffering for the cause of Jesus Christ. One pastor explained how most of the Christian churches had been destroyed in his region and the one building that remained had to be surrounded by police as the Christian worshipped. There were accounts of Christians being beaten and tormented for their faith and commitment to preach the Gospel.

We discovered that Americans have little to give these brave and faithful disciples. God has already blessed them with a willingness to give themselves totally to the purpose of witnessing of God’s grace. In a country that has very little material things (average income is $175 a year) these Lutherans have all they need to impact a country with a message of hope. This is evident by the fact that the Lutheran Church in Ethiopia has grown from 20,000 to 5.5 million in twenty five years. What a demonstration of God’s blessings upon the faithfulness of His people.

The great blessing of our trip was to learn the huge involvement of the lay people of Mekane Yesus. With 6000 plus congregations and only about 1,000 pastors, God’s people have learned to grab the reigns of preaching, teaching and disciplining. This church is alive and vibrant in mission and ministry. The growth of the Lutheran church is an example of God’s blessing the faithfulness of a persecuted church. The lack of material things has not prevented the Holy Spirit from using the weak and powerless to accomplish great things.

It was a humbling, encouraging, exhilarating, and challenging trip. We learned the truth that God’s Word works the miracles of faith and life. May that same Word bring the same fruits in the church in America.

> Hiber School and HIV/AIDS Assistance

Hiber Elementary School

By Loretta Sassmannshausen

Concordia Lutheran Church

Hiber Elementary School was quite an experience. We were literally mobbed by the kids. They were SO excited to see us! We all spent a lot of time taking photographs of the beautiful children. They loved to have their pictures taken with the digital camera and then to see the photos of themselves.

In 2006, we spent some time there as well. At that time, there were 1,800 students, but only 1 useable classroom building (8 classrooms). As a result, each student was only in class for a couple

of hours each day; the rest of the time, the students played volleyball or other games in the courtyard. They also had no running water. We bought them a volleyball and net and paid to have a waterline run to the facility.

Two years later, there are still 2,000 students. But now, there are 2 new buildings, 5 stories each (50 new classrooms). This means that all of the students can attend classes for the whole day. What an incredible blessing for those children! It was a thrill to see so much growth in such a short period of time!

While we were there, we watched the kids play volleyball, soccer and run several running races. The field was not flat and was very bumpy and rocky. We were amazed that many of the kids ran in bare feet! They will be thrilled when they find out that we are funding a project that will level the field for a soccer field and track!

HIV/AIDS Assistance

Again this year, we spent some time with HIV/AIDS victims. Some are adults that are HIV positive, some have AIDS, and some are children that have lost both of their parents to AIDS. They are quite amazing people! The Ethiopian Church Mekane Yesus helps support these people financially, medically, and most importantly, spiritually. When people in Ethiopia find out they have HIV or AIDS, they are shunned and abandoned by society, friends and often by their families. God is the only place where they can find comfort and peace. We gave them vegetable oil and wheat flour and helped fund medical testing to monitor their disease. Surprisingly, they made each of us a scarf; we were very honor

ed by their time and generosity.

> Video -- "Give me your Eyes"

http://de.youtube.com/user/gepenner

> What happened in Ethiopia? What's next?

By Pastor Kevin Wendt

Concordia Lutheran Church Fort Wayne

(Photo: Pastor Kevin Wendt, left, and Berhanu Mogus, Director, Lutheran Hour Ministries, Ethiopia, at Mekane Yesus Church, Addis Ababa.)

Ke Abatachin, Ke Egzi-abher, Ke Getachinim Ke Iyesus Kiristos ... Tesegga, Meheret, Selam... Le’ innante Yihum. AMEN

(Grace, mercy, peace. These are yours from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. AMEN)

Representing hundreds of Fort Wayne Lutherans, on Sunday, November 2, 2008, I stood before hundreds of Ethiopian brothers and sisters of Mekane Yesus Lutheran Church and greeted them with those very words.

In my first journey to Africa, I was one of thirteen people from four different Fort Wayne area Lutheran congregations (Concordia, Holy Cross, Martini, and Southwest) to arrive in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on October 26, 2008, for a 7-day visit.

The Lord led us there. While were graciously invited by Lutheran Hour Ministries to partner with them in their mission to "Bring Christ to the Nations and the Nations to the Church" ... and we were blessed by the LHM staff under the leadership and friendship of my Christian brother, Berhanu Mogus ... the Lord both opened the door and led us through to connect local mission in Fort Wayne and in Addis Ababa into a global partnership.

We toured the city, visited the LHM office, Mekane Yesus Seminary (to accompany a $6,245 gift in sponsoring a vital Christian-Muslim Relations workshop for area pastors), Hebir School (to be Jesus to hundreds of children and accompany a $2,403 gift), the Mekane Yesus head office (graciously received by President Iteffa), Gefersa Mental Hospital (the only such facility in the entire country - to encourage health care workers who are being

Jesus to people forgotten in their own country - and to accompany a $2,250), Mekane Yesus School (where we were honored by principal Aberra and took the first step in an ongoing relationship between Mekane Yesus School and Concordia Lutheran School), HIV/AIDS victim families (to bring God’s daily bread blessings to them to the tune of $4,111), and the Debre Zeit area southwest of Addis (to witness LHM’s wonderful Equipping the Saints ministry).

We learned firsthand that Ethiopia is a cradle of civilization, an historical land, a noble country, a strong culture, a beautiful people, with unique food.

There are no words in English or Amharic to express the privilege it was to stand before God’s people on November 2. I was humbled and honored.

My Ethiopian friends in the United States tease me that "Americans have watches but Africans have time". In America I cannot preach more than 20 minutes or people become agitated and impatient - because Americans believe it is important to be busy, busy, busy. And I have been told that in Africa you must speak for at least one hour - or people think you have nothing important to say. So I was very anxious / nervous to learn how much time I should spend speaking at Mekane Yesus. I am an American but I was to speak in Africa. - Can you guess what answer I was given? I was told 20 minutes - maybe 25 because I had to use a translator. So I came to the conclusion that either Africans have become busy or no one thinks I had anything important to say!

I was eager to open the Word of God with them that day. I was eager for the Holy Spirit to teach. I was eager to grow in faith with them. I did have something important to say because this was the Word of God for us that day. I prayed that not one among us was too busy to listen. And, I pray you are not too busy to finish reading this blog spot and consider what it means for you.

Hebrews 10:24 "Let us consider how we may spur one another on in love and good deeds."

What does this mean? This Word of God was first addressed to Jewish Christians who were minimizing their Christian characteristics. They were overemphasizing their Jewish background. They were concealing their Christian faith behind the mask of Judaism. They were compromising their faith. They had grown spiritually dull. Therefore, we know this Word of God is for times when Christians blend into their background. This Word of God is for times when Christians fit in with what is around them, camouflage their faith, and fall asleep spiritually.

I was told these sleepy conditions can be found in Ethiopia. I know these sleepy conditions can be found in the United States. Ethiopians confessed to us that this laziness can be true among them. I confess that this laziness can be true of me. Can it be true of you? Then this Word of God is important! Spiritual laziness is a problem. If Christians sleep God’s mission is hindered and unbelievers go to hell. Spiritual laziness is sin and we must confess it. Sin separates us from God. And only God can solve this problem.

So He did. God solved this sin problem by sending His Son, Jesus Christ ... true God who became human also ... who died in our place as our substitute ... who offers forgiveness of sin as a gift. In the words painted upon the Mekane Yesus chancel ceiling, "...The blood of Jesus, [God’s] Son, purifies us from all sin." (I John 1:7) As we know in the Lutheran Reformation heritage we share, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, as revealed in Scripture alone.

But it is not enough to know this. People must respond by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not enough for this Gospel to be in the head. This Gospel must be in the heart also. Knowledge of the Bible does not save. Relationship with Jesus Christ saves. Knowing the Bible is one thing. Knowing the Author is another.

Relationship. Connection by blood or by law (law of marriage or law of adoption) or by choice.

Relationship between Jesus and us for salvation. (God’s loving adoption in baptism. God’s loving blood and body in Holy Communion. God’s marriage commitment in His Word.). As Oswald Chambers wrote: "Jesus didn’t give doctrine. He gave Himself." Relationship with God. God’s choice.

Relationship between Jesus and us for salvation. Relationship between Christian Ethiopians and Christian Americans for mission. Relationship among Christians to encourage each other, to love each other, to cheer for each other, to inspire each other, to wake each other up, to "spur one another on in love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24) Relationship among Christians is one of God’s cures for spiritual laziness. Relationship is an alarm clock from God for sleeping Christians.

Let me tell you a story. It is a story of two brothers who lived very, very far apart. They did not communicate regularly. They were related by blood but they lived like strangers. They did not have a strong relationship. One day one brother needed money. So the other brother loaned him a certain amount of money ($100). The brother was indebted and obligated to pay back the money.


So every week he would send his brother a small amount of money ($1) - and he would include a letter with the money. The letter would tell his brother news about his life, joys in his life, sorrows in his life, prayer needs for his life. The letter would offer encouragement. The letter would offer prayers. The letters developed relationship. Two brothers who lived very, very far apart grew very close in relationship.

One day the brother sent the final payment for his debt and included the last letter. The loan was paid in full. The brother who borrowed was no longer obligated. The brother who borrowed had no more need to borrow.

The very next week, the brother who borrowed the money, the brother who paid back the loan, the brother who didn’t need any more money from his brother, the very next week, the brother who borrowed received a letter from his brother who loaned. Included in the letter was another $100.


This is a story about two brothers ... two brothers once asleep in relationship ... two brothers brought together by money ... two brothers who came into relationship by love.

We have heard of Ethiopian Christians persevering in faith - in the face of Muslim hostility. We have seen the faith of Ethiopian Christians with our own eyes - in their joy and perseverance. We pray for Ethiopian Christians in need. We are compelled to tell this news to our families and friends. Ethiopian Christians encourage us and spur us on in our faith.

What if I told you Ethiopian Christians would like to hear of American Christians persevering in faith? That Ethiopian Christians would like to see the faith of American Christians with their own eyes? That they would like to pray for American Christians in need? That they would consider it joy to share with their families and friends? What if I told you Ethiopian Christians want to be encouraged and spurred on in their faith?

Then let us spur one another on in the way that taxi & truck drivers in Addis drive their vehicles. They make good use of the turumba (automobile horn). In America, people use turumbas primarily when they are angry. But in Addis, people use turumbas for much more. When a driver uses the turumba it can mean the same things as spurring one another on ... It can mean: I want to go first or I want you to go first. Please hurry. Please be careful. I am frustrated with you. I am concerned for you. It is good to see you. In driving vehicles in Addis Ababa the turumba is an instrument of relationship. In connecting with Christians in Ethiopia writing letters is an instrument of relationship. E-mail is an instrument of relationship. Sharing, visiting, being together, seeing each other. These are instruments of relationship.

God gave this very vision to one of our Ethiopian translators, Kibret. God showed him that he will have American Christians in his home, to eat his food, to sleep in his bed, to pray together, to sing together, to read Scripture together, to worship together, to love one another, to spur one another on in love and good deeds. God has given us this vision. We believe God is leading us to have Ethiopian Christians in our homes, to eat our food, to sleep in our beds, to pray together, to sing together, to read Scripture together, to worship together, to love one another, to spur one another on in love and good deeds. I am praying you will let me know that you are willing to participate ... to $upport...

In what is perhaps the backbone of this vision, we have a strategy for linking Concordia Lutheran School and Mekane Yesus Lutheran School. In preparation for our trip, we had most of Concordia’s faculty and student body each prepare a zip loc bag of a personal information card, e-mail and snail mail contact information, a personal photograph, and a friendship bead bracelet. In a position / grade counterpart manner, these bags were distributed among the Mekane Yesus faculty and student body. In turn, during our visit, we interviewed many of the Mekane Yesus faculty and student body to gather personal information and take individual photographs. This material is being prepared to distribute in a position / grade counterpart manner among the Concordia student body. We are praying for these long-distant relationships to develop - student to student, parent to parent, family to family, teacher to teacher, principal to principal, pastor to pastor.

God does touch us in invisible ways, but He uses people too. God does bring Ethiopians to faith using Ethiopians, but He can use Americans too. God does bring Americans to faith using Americans, but He can use Ethiopians too. And God would use both Americans and Ethiopians to lead His Church from sleep into evangelistic mission ... from spiritual snoring into engaging people with Jesus.

So, "let us consider how we may spur one another on in love and good deeds."

Gayta - yibarkah. (God bless you.) In the name of Jesus Christ ... AME
N

> Mekane Yesus School Partnership

By Barb Johnson Martini Lutheran Church Music teacher, Concordia Lutheran School


When Mission Ethiopia 2008 was first developed, a plan was made to engage students with students, parents with parents, teachers with teachers, etc.

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, Pastor Kevin Wendt, Julie Kratzmann and I, with the help of our Ethiopian interpreter Mesfin Taye, met with Principal Abara Seifu of Mekane Yesus (dwelling place of Jesus) School to explain our idea of exchanging information and friendship. He was immediately agreeable to this partnership idea. The Lord was working with all of us to create relationships between Concordia Lutheran Church and School and Addis Ababa Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus Lutheran School. It was amazing how our schools matched up so well. Mekane Yesus has an enrollment of 500 in grades 1 through 9. Concordia has 400 in grades 1 through 8. A tour of various classrooms at the Mekane Yesus School was given to these four missionaries. In October 1938 the Congregation was reconstituted as Addis Ababa Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (the dwelling place of Jesus) under Ethiopian Leadership of dedicated Ethiopians who were responsible for its evangelism and administrative work.

At present the Ababa Mekane Yesus Congregations has 1445 members of whom 1,100 are communicates members. The congregation has three evangelism outreach areas, two of which are rural areas and one in the capital city. Two full time pastors, two evangelists, one youth coordinator, one women’s ministry coordinator, and one University Christian Students Ministry organizer as well as 110 Volunteers, who serve in various term committees of the church, carry out the spiritual and social ministry of the congregation.Background on the church and school
The Addis Ababa Mekane Yesus Congregation is the first Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus congregation. It was formally constituted as an evangelical church. The congregation was the result of the Swedish missionary, Karl Cederquest who arrived in Addis Ababa on March 29, 1904.

On Friday, October 31, the entire mission team met with children from the Mekane Yesus school in the multi-purpose room. The children colored pictures, were interviewed by the missionaries, and then each had a picture taken of them. These pictures will be shared with the children at Concordia. The missionaries also left small bags filled with a friendship bracelet, a card with some basic information about a child from Concordia, a picture of the Concordia child, and finally an envelop with the Concordia student’s address. The missionaries asked the Mekane Yesus students to respond with a letter to our Concordia students. There were also bags left with adult information to be shared with Ethiopian adults who are involved with Mekane Yesus School.


Even after our departure, Mesfin, our interpreter, friend and partner in mission, has graciously gone and visited with the principal, Abare, to see if he could keep this relationship going. He emailed our team and said that things are going well. Some of the children have already written a letter and others are working on letters. He will be returning again in a week in order to help the principal get the letters in large envelopes that we left behind. This will be then sent to Concordia students in the US. The Lord is helping the relationships build between the Mekane Yesus School and Concordia Lutheran School. The doors of communication are opening.
Missionary, Ole Erickson who moved to Addis Ababa, officially established the congregation in October 1921.

The Addis Ababa Congregation has celebrated its 100 years of service in March 2004. The congregation is mother church to most Lutheran congregations in Ethiopia.

> We're back!

The team returned to Fort Wayne at around 4:45 p.m. today (Nov. 2). We are all in good health and in good spirits and are happy to be reunited with our families.


The week was extremely blessed in many ways; for the team as a whole, for the Christians of Ethiopia, for each of us individually, and for our congregations and the school. Our prayer is that you also have been or will be blessed by this mission effort.



We are all extremely tired from 24 hours of travel so details of the many blessings will have to be written and posted later this week.


Here are just a few highlights:

1. We were successful in establishing a relationship between Concordia Elementary School and the Mekane Yesus School in Addis Ababa.
2. We were able to provide funds for important projects at the Heber government-run school and spent a wonderful afternoon with the 2,000 students, watching several sporting events set p for our enjoyment.
3. We spent a day meeting administrators and patients and feasted on goat and bread at the Gefersa mental health facility, where the government has invested some $3 million in improvements to the facility since Concordia's Mission Ethiopia 2006 team first visited the facility.
4. The workshop for Christian Ethiopian pastors and evangelists who are reaching out to Muslim populations throughout the country was well received by participants. Many stories of God's work in the face of adversity were told at the conference.

Other important details (and photos) are hidden behind a drowsy fog at this point, but will emerge later this week as the team recovers from travel to recount their experiences.



As soon as we are able to schedule a presentation of our trip, the time and date will be posted here as well.



Thank you to all who have prayed over this effort and provided support in one way or another. We know that even though we are now home and the week is over, the real fruit of our labor now begins. Everyone on the team will use our experiences and spiritual awakenings in our daily walk to further engage people with Jesus.