Ethiopia Archives - Stories

Rejected Convert Receives His Own Bible

vomtechsupport — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:07:24 +0000

A Christian convert from Islam rejected by his family was encouraged by receiving a copy of God’s Word. Muse was raised in a Muslim fundamentalist religious family and came to faith in Christ through the testimony of a missionary working in his region of Ethiopia. Muse’s eldest brother was a respected Islamic scholar, and when he learned that Muse had converted to Christianity, he threatened him to renounce his new faith. When Muse would not, he was evicted from the family home and forced to drop out of school, moving to a nearby town where he took on daily labor to support himself. His new life has been challenging, and his relationship with his family is deeply strained. When front-line workers distributed Bibles at Muse’s church, Muse was overjoyed to learn he would receive a copy. “This is my first time seeing a new Bible,” he said, clutching it to his chest. “Now, I have the Bible I have prayed for many years.”

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Evangelist Martyred by Islamists

vomtechsupport — Thu, 29 May 2025 07:07:06 +0000

A Christian convert from Islam was killed for sharing his faith with other Muslims. Ibrahim Mohammed became a follower of Christ in 2021 and immediately began sharing the Good News with others in his predominantly Muslim community in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. In one year, he led 80 Muslims to Christ, and he devoted himself to discipling the new believers. Because of his bold witness, Ibrahim began receiving death threats from local Islamists; still, he remained determined to share about Christ. On May 15, 2025, he was witnessing in a rural area when someone wearing Islamic dress approached him, told him it would be his last time to evangelize and shot him. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died from his injuries three days later. Front-line workers request prayer for Ibrahim’s wife and two young children, for their church, and for God’s kingdom to continue to advance in this area.

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Christian Convert Rejected by Family

vomtechsupport — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 07:07:05 +0000

When Momina’s family rejected her because of her faith, the body of Christ took her in. After the death of her husband, Momina was the sole provider for their young son, Mohammed. She met two Christian women who shared the gospel with her, and through their persistent witness, she came to faith in Christ. Soon after, the Muslim woman whom Momina lived with kicked her out of the house; her Muslim family members tried to kidnap Mohammed; and they refused to help Momina when she was hospitalized for a serious illness in 2024. The body of Christ has provided for Momina’s needs, and she is now healthy and active in her local church. “God has given us a new and loving family,” she said. “The love I received has helped me forget my past sufferings.” A front-line worker requests prayer for Momina and Mohammed for protection from further attack.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Ethiopia and learn how to pray.

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Bold Witness Murdered by Militants

vomtechsupport — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:07:05 +0000

Kitessa was a dedicated church leader murdered by armed militants, leaving behind his wife, Melke, and five children. Because of his passionate evangelism, Kitessa was warned he would be killed if he did not stop preaching the gospel. Still, he remained committed to sharing the gospel and leading a church in his community. On Aug. 25, 2024, Kitessa was returning home after preaching a Sunday service when armed militants opened fire on him. Kitessa’s wife, Melke, was within earshot of the gunfire and quickly tried to reach her husband by phone. When he didn’t answer, she ran toward the sound of the gunshots, finding her husband alive and lying on the roadside. He died before they were able to get medical assistance. Melke is now responsible for raising their five children on her own. The global body of Christ has helped provide for the family’s needs, and Melke requests prayer that her children will remain firm in their faith.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Ethiopia and learn how to pray.

Post a prayer for Melke and family on iCommitToPray.com

Church Destroyed by Fire

vomtechsupport — Thu, 23 May 2024 07:07:06 +0000

While Ethiopia is a majority-Christian nation, Islam is a growing force. Muslims now compose nearly 40 percent of the population, and Islamic extremists actively persecute Christians, sometimes violently, especially in areas close to the Somali and Sudanese borders. Sometimes the extremists destroy churches, and they recently set fire to one in Homosha, located in the far western part of the country near the border with Sudan. “Now the Christians in that area don’t have a place to meet for worship,” said a front-line worker. Numerous churches have been destroyed in that area, but the worker reported that VOM has helped rebuild many of those churches. He requested prayer for the congregations who have suffered in that region: “Please pray for the Christians to stand firm and preach the gospel.”

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Ethiopia and learn how to pray.

Post a prayer for Ethiopian churches on iCommitToPray.com

Former Muslim Sheikh Sells Pineapples for Christ

vomtechsupport — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:07:03 +0000

Abdu grew up wanting to be an Islamic scholar, so he attended schools focusing solely on the Quran. After studying the Quran for 15 years, he became an Islamic teacher. But in 2022, he met an old friend who had become a follower of Christ. The friend shared the gospel with Abdu on numerous occasions, and Abdu began to question his beliefs. Eventually, Abdu put his faith in Christ. His enthusiasm for teaching the Quran waned, and local Islamic leaders noticed. Eventually, they discovered that he and his wife had become Christians, and they immediately fired him. Abdu lost his income and his home and was not allowed to rent a house in the area. He had no training or skills to help him get a job in the secular marketplace. Christian friends connected him with VOM, who helped him launch a micro-business selling pineapples. Abdu often uses his new job to tell others about Christ, saying, “Jesus is as sweet as a pineapple.”

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Ethiopia and learn how to pray.

Post a prayer for Abdu on iCommitToPray.com

Church Attacked by Militants

vomtechsupport — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 07:07:01 +0000

On Sunday, April 3, 2022, militants from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church attacked a Protestant church in western Ethiopia, the second time in less than a month a Protestant church in that area had been attacked. The attackers injured many Christians and burned buildings. One church leader said, “We were hurt because of our faith in Jesus Christ. We are ready to accept any trial and persecution that comes to us because of our faith.” VOM helped this congregation rebuild as they continue to witness for Christ in their community. “Because we were hurt for the sake of the Lord, we lived believing that he would repay us. We never thought you would come all the way here to support us,” he said. “This showed us the solidarity of believers. We thank God for ensuring us that we have brothers and sisters who care for, pray for, and support us.”

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Increasing Access to Bibles in Native Languages

vomtechsupport — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 17:07:01 +0000

Though Ethiopia is a majority-Christian nation, many Ethiopians lack access to Bibles in their native languages. VOM is working with front-line ministers to give Bibles to every Ethiopian Christian, including Bibles in native languages such as Amharic, Omoro and Tigrinya. Front-line workers are also training ministers to become missionaries to their own countries. Those Ethiopian missionaries are taking Bibles into northern areas, where government and rebel forces have battled, and into southern Ethiopia, where radical Muslim groups regularly attack Christians. Front-line workers request prayer that more Bibles will be given to people in their native tongues and that God will bless and protect those distributing the Bibles.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Ethiopia and learn how to pray.

Post a prayer for Ethiopians without Bibles on iCommitToPray.com

Church Building Destroyed

vomtechsupport — Thu, 18 May 2023 21:07:02 +0000

In September 2022, Muslim extremists attacked the Bokore Full Gospel church in southeastern Ethiopia. Islamists set it on fire, destroying the building and everything inside; fortunately, no church members were hurt during the attack. The church was planted 12 years ago and has around 120 members. While Ethiopia is a majority-Christian nation, Islam is on the rise, and Muslims now compose nearly 40 percent of the population. In southern Ethiopia, political unrest and the rise of Wahhabism, an extreme branch of Islam, have resulted in a wave of attacks against Christians in that area. VOM is helping to rebuild the church and replace the destroyed items.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Ethiopia and learn how to pray.

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Church Rebuilt after Attack

vomtechsupport — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 08:07:03 +0000

Two years ago, extremist Muslims launched attacks on Christians in the community where Isayas lives. They torched Christians’ crops, homes and possessions and destroyed the church where Isayas and others worshiped Christ. The Christians fled the area but later returned and bought land on which to rebuild their church. However, the small group did not have enough money to construct a new building. Front-line workers, with the help of the global body of Christ, provided them with funding to rebuild. “It was like a miracle to us,” Isayas said. “We did not expect that we would be able to rebuild the church soon. But nothing is impossible with God, and He gave us funds.” Isayas and the other leaders in his church request prayers that they will be able to continue sharing the Good News despite persecution.

Click here to find out about Christian persecution in Ethiopia and learn how to pray.

Post a prayer for Isayas and other church members on iCommitToPray.com