Holding on to God’s Word Despite All Odds

We engage leaders of churches from all denominations at all corners. One of our principal partners in this program engages ministers who otherwise are restricted in their engagement with the Bibles and exposure to foundational Christian teachings. But the benefit and blessing comes with a cost. And some could be told to ‘move over’ for embracing the truth.

So far, we have conducted nearly a dozen trainings in the Equipping Leaders program in partnership with this ministry—we intentionally hold its status anonymously. These trainings, accompanied at times with study and standard Bible distributions, have all been sponsored through Biblica Ethiopia. Our focus lies on equipping the leaders with biblical contents with special emphasis on biblical understanding Bible interpretation and its subsequent use in ministry as well as leadership transformation.

Some of them we have been reaching and are in contact shared with us amazing survival stories. One is Joseph—whose real name has been withheld to fend off unnecessary persecution— is an active trainee that sat through repeated trainings. He lives in a small-town north of Addis Ababa. A predominantly traditional and conservative community, it is difficult to penetrate by presenting the Word as the only tool for spiritual transformation. Anyone who dares to change the status quo surely faces opposition.

Joseph is one determined soul, among others in sharing the light. He has personally experienced amazing conversion and deliverance. Hence he is bold enough to share the new life among the believing community. Known for all forms of evil practices in the past from enchantment to magic, his new life is too hard to ignore. A minister in the past (while practicing all dark powers), his conversion gave him the platform to reach many with the true Gospel of the Lord.

Because of his faith in Christ, he lost his career and along with it his livelihood. The suffering didn’t end there. He twice experienced “the valley of the shadow of death,” through hard and sustained beating. One from the group took pity on him however and convinced the others to let him loose, injured and bruised.

He later recounted his story with us when we met for another round of training. This time it was unpresented and even harder.  He survived again, after he cried in prayer to the only Lord he placed his trust on. He is still in contact with us for support and encouragement. His latest text reads, “The days of trouble will pass. There will come a time when we praise our Lord in full.”