Kassa Nigatu (South Ethiopia)

My name is Kassa Nigatu. I am married and we have two children. I am the Horn of Africa’s mission coordinator in Das, Dire, and the Dubluk areas in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Regional State.

I was an active Orthodox deacon before my conversion. I would read the Bible and challenge my fellow priests on why the Orthodox religious traditions and services deviated from what was written. Later, I moved to Moyale, close to the Ethiopian-Kenyan border in search of a job. There I was employed by a Muslim who challenged my beliefs and tried to convince me to convert to Islam. One day, I went to the nearest church to find a Bible to show my Muslim boss verses that would help him see the truth. The pastor at the church told me about Jesus, and I went back again and again to hear more, until the Pastor helped me to accept Jesus as my Savior.

Fourteen years ago, which was seven years after I accepted Christ, I attended a Horn of Africa missionary training. This challenged and motivated me to become a full-time missionary. Since then, I have been planting churches and discipling leaders. I praise God that my team of eleven missionaries and I have discipled fourteen full-time ministers, and have planted fifteen churches.

The Borena people are nomadic, moving from place to place in search of grazing area and water for their cattle. Some people are also engaged in marketing illegal contraband between the Ethiopian-Kenyan border. The people in these areas are predominantly Muslim, and the practice of witchcraft is common here. This mobile lifestyle of the Borena people is the greatest challenge we face. People come to Jesus and soon after a church is planted and discipleship classes have started, they need to move in search of water and grass for their cattle. When they return, we need to start the classes over again. Another big challenge is an all-out campaign the Muslims in the area are staging to convert Muslim background believers back to Islam.