Christmas 2007
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We wish you Christmas blessings of love and joy and hope for the New Year.
This has been a year of passages for us. Twice we crossed the world to visit our beloved Ethiopia. We are so blessed to be able to watch what God is doing there and to have a hand in it. Our non-profit Heart for Ethiopia is growing steadily. It is providing funds for development, well drilling, and village children sponsorships. All of the development is done through the rural churches and they are growing and people are coming into the kingdom.
Our online Ebay and Amazon bookstore fills our house and our time. Lauralee organizes, lists and prints shipping labels and Ray manages storage and packs for shipment. It is still fun and we get lots of donations. It is always exciting to come across a treasure. Best book so far was a history of Ellis County signed by 4 authors for $140.
In August my step-dad died at age 91 in Hemet, CA. I have made 4 trips out since July to move him to a full care facility and then to settle his affairs. I need to return once more after the court approves the trust.
In September we celebrated 50 years of marriage. We had a wonderful celebration with family from far-flung places like Yemen and Hawaii. We went to Fossil Rim game park and spent a night in their elegant lodge.
In November my dad died at age 91. He was upbeat right to the end and we miss him in our home. He was here for 2 years. We know he is now singing in the heavenly choir.
We plan to return to Ethiopia for another visit in January. You can keep up with us at www.heart-for-ethiopia.blogspot.com. If you would like to get our emails and pictures from Ethiopia, email us at rayandlauralee@gmail.com.
In His Hands, Ray and Lauralee
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
What is happening at Holle Sire
Holle Sire is located in the Western part of Ethiopia 130 miles from Addis Ababa, the capital. The regional government considers it as the remotest part of the region. All the community in the area are farmers.
In the area there is one wizard. He is worshiped by most of the people. He almost rules the area. He has 12 wives and one of them is his own sister. He has more than one hundred children. Currently such witch doctor activity is viewed as an Oromo traditional religion and is authorized by the Oromia regional government, by calling it waqa feta. It is considered as one of the religions like Christianity and Islam.
The wizard, by having political support, economical power and religious followers in the area, has become like a king of the area. Two months ago I was there to visit churches. We have six churches in that area. One of them was facing persecution at that time. They received land from the local government and started building a church. While they were in the middle of building, the government officials came to them and commanded them to stop work. They even ordered them to dismantle what they had already built. When they asked why, the officials told them that it is the territory of the wizard. Fortunately I was able to speak to the district officials in the village. They had a big meeting with the village leaders. I had a good discussion with them. After that they allowed them to continue building the church and stopped the wizard from bothering Christians in the area. But actually he continued his bad activity against church plantings.
Three years ago God opened the door wide to planting churches in the middle of this situation and to winning people for Christ. God has used people of the area for the evangelization of the community. One person came to Addis Ababa to seek a better life. He was hired as a guard in one of our local churches, Mekanisa Addis Kidan Baptist Church. Our Lord Jesus Christ touched his life and he became converted. God also burdened him to evangelize his community. He decided to spend his off times from his work with his village people. While doing that on several trips the community observed his life change and he got their attention. He preached the gospel and won energetic passionate leaders of the community. Currently there are six churches around the area with a total membership of 700 baptized, 1500 children, as well as many non-baptized people.
Abebe Lechisa, the chair person of the village, was one of the first converted people. He has taken the lead in the evangelization of the area. He is not only the leader of the community, but he is also a man who is in a good economic situation. He has a grain grinding mill which works by diesel. Since the day of his conversion he has given all his life for Christ. The church started gathering in his house. Whenever guests went to that community he is the one who hosts the guests in a good way. He travels in the neighborhood and tells the gospel to his people, encourages new believers, and protects the churches from any attack. In my observation he is a key person for that area work.
Satan is working currently to paralyze the work of Holle Sire. As a strategy he targets brother Abebe to discourage him. Ten days ago they had a spiritual conference and a wedding in a neighboring church of Holle Sire. All believers of the six local churches gathered in that church. They invited all the non-believing community and all attended the program. They even showed the Jesus film by TV and a DVD player with the use of a generator. Not only the believers, but also all the non-believing community members were so excited about the conference. Many people accepted Jesus as their personal savior. All the community came, even the main people of the wizard. Abebe was the leader of all this activity. On the last day, last Thursday, they all went to their houses. Abebe arrived at 9:00 pm. He was tired so he was quickly in a deep sleep.
Abebe heard loud shouts around 3:00 am. Since he was tired he felt as if he was in a dream. The shouting increased. He heard a big knock on his door. He woke up and jumped up from his bed. His father called him and informed him that something was burning around their grinding mill. When they arrived there, they found all the community trying to stop the fire. Everything was almost burned up by the fire by that time. They tried with all their effort to stop it but they couldn’t do it since there is no source of water in the village. The fire burned the grinding mill and the property. They lost everything in a few hours. The machine, the house and other properties are worth about 65,000 Ethiopian Birr which is $7,500. They are farmers so it is a huge amount of money for them.
I was there yesterday to visit and encourage them and all the believers in the area. Both Abebe and his father said, “It is not the property we feel sad about but why the people do this while we are doing good for them.”
All the community gathered together and discussed it. All of them were weeping and were saying, “It is not only Abebe and his father’s property. It is ours. People who did this are our enemies.”
We encouraged them with the word of God to be strong in the Lord while they are in such a hard situation. We also encouraged them that God could return what they lost in his own ways. Their plan now is to reinstall another machine if God provides a way and continue their commitment for the Lord. Abebe suspects the wizard did it by hiring another person.
I asked them to make a brief survey about the price to reinstall the machine. The total price needed is 30,000 Ethiopian Birr which is $3500.
Encouraging Abebe is encouraging Holle Sire area work, hastening the evangelization of that area, and delivering all that area from the bondage of the devil. Pray for him, tell other people about him, and do whatever God shows you to encourage him.
Ermias Zenebe
General Secretary, Ethiopian Addis Kidan Baptist Church.
In the area there is one wizard. He is worshiped by most of the people. He almost rules the area. He has 12 wives and one of them is his own sister. He has more than one hundred children. Currently such witch doctor activity is viewed as an Oromo traditional religion and is authorized by the Oromia regional government, by calling it waqa feta. It is considered as one of the religions like Christianity and Islam.
The wizard, by having political support, economical power and religious followers in the area, has become like a king of the area. Two months ago I was there to visit churches. We have six churches in that area. One of them was facing persecution at that time. They received land from the local government and started building a church. While they were in the middle of building, the government officials came to them and commanded them to stop work. They even ordered them to dismantle what they had already built. When they asked why, the officials told them that it is the territory of the wizard. Fortunately I was able to speak to the district officials in the village. They had a big meeting with the village leaders. I had a good discussion with them. After that they allowed them to continue building the church and stopped the wizard from bothering Christians in the area. But actually he continued his bad activity against church plantings.
Three years ago God opened the door wide to planting churches in the middle of this situation and to winning people for Christ. God has used people of the area for the evangelization of the community. One person came to Addis Ababa to seek a better life. He was hired as a guard in one of our local churches, Mekanisa Addis Kidan Baptist Church. Our Lord Jesus Christ touched his life and he became converted. God also burdened him to evangelize his community. He decided to spend his off times from his work with his village people. While doing that on several trips the community observed his life change and he got their attention. He preached the gospel and won energetic passionate leaders of the community. Currently there are six churches around the area with a total membership of 700 baptized, 1500 children, as well as many non-baptized people.
Abebe Lechisa, the chair person of the village, was one of the first converted people. He has taken the lead in the evangelization of the area. He is not only the leader of the community, but he is also a man who is in a good economic situation. He has a grain grinding mill which works by diesel. Since the day of his conversion he has given all his life for Christ. The church started gathering in his house. Whenever guests went to that community he is the one who hosts the guests in a good way. He travels in the neighborhood and tells the gospel to his people, encourages new believers, and protects the churches from any attack. In my observation he is a key person for that area work.
Satan is working currently to paralyze the work of Holle Sire. As a strategy he targets brother Abebe to discourage him. Ten days ago they had a spiritual conference and a wedding in a neighboring church of Holle Sire. All believers of the six local churches gathered in that church. They invited all the non-believing community and all attended the program. They even showed the Jesus film by TV and a DVD player with the use of a generator. Not only the believers, but also all the non-believing community members were so excited about the conference. Many people accepted Jesus as their personal savior. All the community came, even the main people of the wizard. Abebe was the leader of all this activity. On the last day, last Thursday, they all went to their houses. Abebe arrived at 9:00 pm. He was tired so he was quickly in a deep sleep.
Abebe heard loud shouts around 3:00 am. Since he was tired he felt as if he was in a dream. The shouting increased. He heard a big knock on his door. He woke up and jumped up from his bed. His father called him and informed him that something was burning around their grinding mill. When they arrived there, they found all the community trying to stop the fire. Everything was almost burned up by the fire by that time. They tried with all their effort to stop it but they couldn’t do it since there is no source of water in the village. The fire burned the grinding mill and the property. They lost everything in a few hours. The machine, the house and other properties are worth about 65,000 Ethiopian Birr which is $7,500. They are farmers so it is a huge amount of money for them.
I was there yesterday to visit and encourage them and all the believers in the area. Both Abebe and his father said, “It is not the property we feel sad about but why the people do this while we are doing good for them.”
All the community gathered together and discussed it. All of them were weeping and were saying, “It is not only Abebe and his father’s property. It is ours. People who did this are our enemies.”
We encouraged them with the word of God to be strong in the Lord while they are in such a hard situation. We also encouraged them that God could return what they lost in his own ways. Their plan now is to reinstall another machine if God provides a way and continue their commitment for the Lord. Abebe suspects the wizard did it by hiring another person.
I asked them to make a brief survey about the price to reinstall the machine. The total price needed is 30,000 Ethiopian Birr which is $3500.
Encouraging Abebe is encouraging Holle Sire area work, hastening the evangelization of that area, and delivering all that area from the bondage of the devil. Pray for him, tell other people about him, and do whatever God shows you to encourage him.
Ermias Zenebe
General Secretary, Ethiopian Addis Kidan Baptist Church.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Mission Trip Report of 5 Addis Kidan leaders
Dates December 19-25, 2006
We left Addis Ababa early Tuesday morning and arrived at Durame around 5:00 pm. Two of the team members were left at Durame to encourage the work we started last year. The other three team members went on to Welayita Sodo. We have land and a building for the church in that town. We assigned an evangelist to evangelize the community. But the work is big and we always face a struggle. The evangelist had problems and we talked and prayed with him about them.
Wednesday we started the engine at 5:30 am and arrived at Durame around 7:00 am. We met with the two team members, had breakfast together and went to Mudula. At Mudula all the zonal leaders and four local church leaders were waiting for us. As soon as we arrived, we started training. We taught them about servant leadership, leaders and prayer, leaders and reading, the cost of leadership, the importance of leaders as examples in giving, and the responsibilities of leaders. In addition to this we had discussions on different issues such as the proper use of spiritual gifts. After completing the training, Ermias, Alem, and Elias went to Orcha which is about 25 miles west of Mudula. It is a place where lions have eaten many people. We showed the Jesus film to about 1500 people. We spent the night in the church building and they fed us.
Thursday we came back to the Zeldema zone. Zonal leaders and leaders from 10 local churches were waiting for us. We gave them the same training. They chose Gomisa to show the Jesus film. All the area is countryside. Gomisa is a 45 minute walk from Zeldema and the topography of the area is ups and downs. They carried all the important equipment for the Jesus film on their shoulders. The generator weighs about 100 lbs. We showed the film to about 500 people.
On Friday all of the team members went to where they were assigned. Ermias and Alem went to the Tunto zone. At Tunto the zonal leaders and the leaders from six local churches were waiting for us. Ermias visited one of the local churches which had a problem with one of the zonal leaders. Then Ermias went to Hadiya to continue the same work in the Otoro zone and the Gimbichu zone. Alem was to teach two local churches on Sunday in Kembata. For that reason Alem stayed at Tunto and trained the leaders on that day while Ermias went to Hadiya.
The Kembata team could not work on Saturday because of the big market at Hadero. Everyone in the Kembata area went to that market. But the Hadiya team worked all that day. They went to the local churches they had been assigned and taught the members about giving based on 1 Cor. 8:9 and other relevant Bible passages. Ermias started for Otoro to do leadership training and show the Jesus film. On the way the vehicle faced a problem. The gear shift worked but the car did not move according to the gear position. He tried many solutions but none worked. Finally he decided to continue on foot to show the Jesus film to the community. He hired one person to guard the vehicle for the night and all the equipment was carried by the passengers on their shoulders. We walked about 1 1/2 hours to get to Otoro. We have one local church there. That day was market day. We set our screen up in the middle of the market place during the day. It became an advertisement. Approximately 5,000 people saw the Jesus film. The Jesus film was new in all the places we showed it. Altogether 7000 people saw the film.
Sunday was the last day of the mission trip. All of the team members at Hadiya and Kembata went to the local churches they had been assigned and taught the members about giving. Ermias was focused on the vehicle maintenance. The final solution was to load the vehicle on an Isuzu truck and take it to Nyala Motors, the dealer in Addis. We walked about 40 miles to get the truck.
Challenges
Because of the vehicle problem Ermias could not do the leaders training at Otoro and Gimbichu zones in Hadiya.
Alem was sick at Hadero. Because of that he could not teach at the two local churches where he was supposed to teach.
Dates December 19-25, 2006
We left Addis Ababa early Tuesday morning and arrived at Durame around 5:00 pm. Two of the team members were left at Durame to encourage the work we started last year. The other three team members went on to Welayita Sodo. We have land and a building for the church in that town. We assigned an evangelist to evangelize the community. But the work is big and we always face a struggle. The evangelist had problems and we talked and prayed with him about them.
Wednesday we started the engine at 5:30 am and arrived at Durame around 7:00 am. We met with the two team members, had breakfast together and went to Mudula. At Mudula all the zonal leaders and four local church leaders were waiting for us. As soon as we arrived, we started training. We taught them about servant leadership, leaders and prayer, leaders and reading, the cost of leadership, the importance of leaders as examples in giving, and the responsibilities of leaders. In addition to this we had discussions on different issues such as the proper use of spiritual gifts. After completing the training, Ermias, Alem, and Elias went to Orcha which is about 25 miles west of Mudula. It is a place where lions have eaten many people. We showed the Jesus film to about 1500 people. We spent the night in the church building and they fed us.
Thursday we came back to the Zeldema zone. Zonal leaders and leaders from 10 local churches were waiting for us. We gave them the same training. They chose Gomisa to show the Jesus film. All the area is countryside. Gomisa is a 45 minute walk from Zeldema and the topography of the area is ups and downs. They carried all the important equipment for the Jesus film on their shoulders. The generator weighs about 100 lbs. We showed the film to about 500 people.
On Friday all of the team members went to where they were assigned. Ermias and Alem went to the Tunto zone. At Tunto the zonal leaders and the leaders from six local churches were waiting for us. Ermias visited one of the local churches which had a problem with one of the zonal leaders. Then Ermias went to Hadiya to continue the same work in the Otoro zone and the Gimbichu zone. Alem was to teach two local churches on Sunday in Kembata. For that reason Alem stayed at Tunto and trained the leaders on that day while Ermias went to Hadiya.
The Kembata team could not work on Saturday because of the big market at Hadero. Everyone in the Kembata area went to that market. But the Hadiya team worked all that day. They went to the local churches they had been assigned and taught the members about giving based on 1 Cor. 8:9 and other relevant Bible passages. Ermias started for Otoro to do leadership training and show the Jesus film. On the way the vehicle faced a problem. The gear shift worked but the car did not move according to the gear position. He tried many solutions but none worked. Finally he decided to continue on foot to show the Jesus film to the community. He hired one person to guard the vehicle for the night and all the equipment was carried by the passengers on their shoulders. We walked about 1 1/2 hours to get to Otoro. We have one local church there. That day was market day. We set our screen up in the middle of the market place during the day. It became an advertisement. Approximately 5,000 people saw the Jesus film. The Jesus film was new in all the places we showed it. Altogether 7000 people saw the film.
Sunday was the last day of the mission trip. All of the team members at Hadiya and Kembata went to the local churches they had been assigned and taught the members about giving. Ermias was focused on the vehicle maintenance. The final solution was to load the vehicle on an Isuzu truck and take it to Nyala Motors, the dealer in Addis. We walked about 40 miles to get the truck.
Challenges
Because of the vehicle problem Ermias could not do the leaders training at Otoro and Gimbichu zones in Hadiya.
Alem was sick at Hadero. Because of that he could not teach at the two local churches where he was supposed to teach.
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