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.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Report of Shakisso area visit by 3 Addis Kidan Baptist Church leaders
November 23, 2006
Purposes of the trip
Encourage local churches to reach their own community
Encourage the three new preaching points and new believers
Assist in solving a problem in Kibre Mengist
We started driving at 6:00 am from Addis Ababa. When we arrived at the church, the congregation was worshiping God. There were about 60 people. They told us that in addition to the Sunday worship they have a worship service every Wednesday. After the worship service we greeted all the members and had a meeting with the leaders. They told us that they have won ten miners for Christ in the past few months. Then we drove to Reji, where we started new work and evangelist Getu is assigned.
At Reji we met with Getu and his new disciple named Tagesse. He renewed his relationship with Christ a few months ago with the help of Evangelist Getu. His home area is at Hadiya about 250 miles from Shakisso. The reason he came to Reji was for mining work. He said “I used to worship God when I was at my home area. But when I came here I lost everything in relation to God. I used to drink a lot. But Getu told me about the saving work of Jesus Christ and I decided to come back to the Lord’s house. When I made that decision my life style changed. In addition to his spiritual ministry Getu is helping me manage the money I get from mining.” We had a good discussion time about strengthening the work started in that area.
The next morning we woke up early and had a meeting with Shakisso church leaders and some of the new converts. We heard the testimonies of four of the new converts.
One of the purposes of the trip was to encourage the new preaching points. On Thursday morning we went to Zenbaba and spent two hours with the believers. Eleven new coverts were baptized after completing five months of discipleship class. Now 10 new converts are attending the discipleship class. What impressed us highly in Zenbaba was that after the Sunday morning worship service the believers regularly go on foot for 1 1/2 hours to evangelize the community. Two families have come to Christ through this ministry. Now the total membership is 46 including children.
At 4:30 we returned to Kebre Mengist and spent two hours resolving a little conflict between the leaders related to the new mission site. The new mission site has demanded the evangelist’s time and finances and hurt the Kebre Mengist work a little. Finally we advised them not to stretch beyond their capacity and to use their resources wisely.
The work is growing. Shakisso was the first but now the other four areas have been added. So we had to organize a committee to follow up on the work closely. We discussed with them the importance of having one committee who will encourage, correct and organize the overall miners’ evangelization of that area. They all agreed and have chosen four leaders.
At noon we began the long journey over the difficult road to Haremfama. We drove 100 miles toward Awassa and turned right and drove 75 more miles to Haremfama. It got dark. The road was new for us and was under construction. It was not easy to drive. At 8:00 P.M. we arrived at a small city and spent the night after accepting the advice we got there not to go to Haremfama at night for our safety. We were extremely tired. Early the next morning at 6:00 a.m. we began driving to Haremfama. After driving three miles we found two trucks stuck in the mud. We stopped there for an hour to assist them. Then we continued on our way over bad muddy roads for 19 more miles. After crossing five bridges made of logs we arrived at our destination at 11 a.m. After a short lunch break we went to the government office to tell them about our vision and to request land for a church building. They welcomed us and agreed with us on our vision. In the afternoon we spent time with the church members. We prayed together, shared God’s word, and encouraged them to stand firm in their faith and to evangelize their community.
At night we showed the Jesus film to the whole community. More than 1500 people attended the film program in their local language, Oromipha. About 50 people decided to accept Jesus as their personal savior.
The next morning 19 new converts got baptized. About 40 were ready for water baptism but we were in hurry to leave Haremfama before the rain came. Evangelist Fikru and the leader of Kibre Mengist baptized them the next day.
In our opinion, in spite of the difficult road, our trip was very important to encourage evangelism and church planting. God’s kingdom is growing fast, beyond our expectation.
By Alem Kidane Evangelism and Church Planting Coordinator and Ermias Zenebe General Secretary of Addis Kidan Baptist Church
November 23, 2006
Purposes of the trip
Encourage local churches to reach their own community
Encourage the three new preaching points and new believers
Assist in solving a problem in Kibre Mengist
We started driving at 6:00 am from Addis Ababa. When we arrived at the church, the congregation was worshiping God. There were about 60 people. They told us that in addition to the Sunday worship they have a worship service every Wednesday. After the worship service we greeted all the members and had a meeting with the leaders. They told us that they have won ten miners for Christ in the past few months. Then we drove to Reji, where we started new work and evangelist Getu is assigned.
At Reji we met with Getu and his new disciple named Tagesse. He renewed his relationship with Christ a few months ago with the help of Evangelist Getu. His home area is at Hadiya about 250 miles from Shakisso. The reason he came to Reji was for mining work. He said “I used to worship God when I was at my home area. But when I came here I lost everything in relation to God. I used to drink a lot. But Getu told me about the saving work of Jesus Christ and I decided to come back to the Lord’s house. When I made that decision my life style changed. In addition to his spiritual ministry Getu is helping me manage the money I get from mining.” We had a good discussion time about strengthening the work started in that area.
The next morning we woke up early and had a meeting with Shakisso church leaders and some of the new converts. We heard the testimonies of four of the new converts.
One of the purposes of the trip was to encourage the new preaching points. On Thursday morning we went to Zenbaba and spent two hours with the believers. Eleven new coverts were baptized after completing five months of discipleship class. Now 10 new converts are attending the discipleship class. What impressed us highly in Zenbaba was that after the Sunday morning worship service the believers regularly go on foot for 1 1/2 hours to evangelize the community. Two families have come to Christ through this ministry. Now the total membership is 46 including children.
At 4:30 we returned to Kebre Mengist and spent two hours resolving a little conflict between the leaders related to the new mission site. The new mission site has demanded the evangelist’s time and finances and hurt the Kebre Mengist work a little. Finally we advised them not to stretch beyond their capacity and to use their resources wisely.
The work is growing. Shakisso was the first but now the other four areas have been added. So we had to organize a committee to follow up on the work closely. We discussed with them the importance of having one committee who will encourage, correct and organize the overall miners’ evangelization of that area. They all agreed and have chosen four leaders.
At noon we began the long journey over the difficult road to Haremfama. We drove 100 miles toward Awassa and turned right and drove 75 more miles to Haremfama. It got dark. The road was new for us and was under construction. It was not easy to drive. At 8:00 P.M. we arrived at a small city and spent the night after accepting the advice we got there not to go to Haremfama at night for our safety. We were extremely tired. Early the next morning at 6:00 a.m. we began driving to Haremfama. After driving three miles we found two trucks stuck in the mud. We stopped there for an hour to assist them. Then we continued on our way over bad muddy roads for 19 more miles. After crossing five bridges made of logs we arrived at our destination at 11 a.m. After a short lunch break we went to the government office to tell them about our vision and to request land for a church building. They welcomed us and agreed with us on our vision. In the afternoon we spent time with the church members. We prayed together, shared God’s word, and encouraged them to stand firm in their faith and to evangelize their community.
At night we showed the Jesus film to the whole community. More than 1500 people attended the film program in their local language, Oromipha. About 50 people decided to accept Jesus as their personal savior.
The next morning 19 new converts got baptized. About 40 were ready for water baptism but we were in hurry to leave Haremfama before the rain came. Evangelist Fikru and the leader of Kibre Mengist baptized them the next day.
In our opinion, in spite of the difficult road, our trip was very important to encourage evangelism and church planting. God’s kingdom is growing fast, beyond our expectation.
By Alem Kidane Evangelism and Church Planting Coordinator and Ermias Zenebe General Secretary of Addis Kidan Baptist Church
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