Dear Friends,
Thank you for joining us in prayer and ministry to the Negede Selam. They are a small unreached people group in Northern Ethiopia of around 2,200. Historically they were hippopotamus farmers and leather workers, which has given them a poor name and status in their larger community.
Many of you gave generously toward the Negede Selam during our spring fundraiser. If you haven’t seen it, check out our 5-minute documentary Shalom for Outcasts.
During our last reporting period, we received wonderful news. A Horn of Africa team conducted a 4-day training among the Negede Selam. The 31 attendees arrived early to the training, eager to learn. Many of the attendees were just beginning to follow Jesus while coming out of Islam, so the trainers changed their usual approach and decided to begin the first day by discussing the Koran. By the second day, their hearts were ready to hear more. The trainers relate the experience:
In the afternoon of the second day, we started to teach about our Lord Jesus the Christ from their book and from the Bible. The Holy Spirit convicted them and more than 20 people received Jesus Christ as their personal savior. We all were filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit and all of us started to laugh and enjoy by the power of the Holy Spirit. On the third day, some of them had dreams. In their dreams, they received confirmation that they are saved and some of them also understood that they are now set free from their bondages. Thanks to God that now they have power and courage to rebuke and resist the evil spirit, named “Abenez,” in the name of Jesus Christ.
Now confident they were saved and given freedom, the people were excited to tell their family and friends about the Good News of Jesus. One woman named Bancheyehu stated, “Now that I am born again, I am quite sure I will go to heaven when I die, but I am worried about my husband and my children. Come what may, I will tell them about Jesus, and I will also share this truth with my relatives.”
After the initial training, the attendees discussed a plan to organize literacy groups. The trainers agreed and quickly helped to select 13 literacy teachers and divided them into 6 groups. Each group has 10 members from the community who want to learn to read and write.
They began the literacy groups immediately in April. The volunteer teachers not only teach the Amharic alphabet and reading, but share the Good News with the students. As a result, 31 people have received Jesus and are being discipled in Discovery Bible Studies in their homes!
Several years ago, the Lord raised up a young man named Mohammed in the Negede Selam people. He and his wife, Seada are continuing to grow and work among their people with passion and commitment to disciple them.
Please pray:
- For the Gospel to penetrate this people group
- For provision and strength to flow into every sector of their community to make them a blessing to the world
- For Mohammed and Seada and all workers to have wisdom in discipling their community
- For socioeconomic barriers to be broken between the Negede Selam and their surrounding community in Bahir Dar.
Our Lord Jesus is worthy of praise from every tribe. Thank you to all who have joined in bringing Shalom to the Outcasts, hope to the hopeless, and the Good News to the poor.
Bethany Hawes
Office Administrator
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners.
Isaiah 61:1