> 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.