Ethiopia: Unplanned road-side stop opens doors to the Word

In May 2017, Brother Busobozi and Brother Abebe were driving towards the West Ethiopian city of Nekemte when Brother Bus felt strangely dizzy. He pulled the car over, but that short pause was ordained. In a short time some people who were there waiting for a taxi approached the car. A conversation started, and soon an impromptu roadside meeting was underway, Brothers Busobozi and Abebe testifying of the truths of this day. Contacts were exchanged, and a work began in Nekemte. (Read the full story here)

On the next trip to Nekemte, they stopped at a hotel, witnessed to one of the workers there and baptized him, a man named Wakuma. The Brothers also had a chance to share the Word with over 100 people from three major churches, Baptist, Full Gospel and Lutheran. After one hour of preaching, they exchanged contacts with some, and left immediately. Ever since that time, a man named Efa who was at that meeting continued to contact them, asking that they return and teach them more. In Nov. 2018 Brother Busobozi and Brother Abebe, responded to the request with a visit. The unexpected events that unfolded were surely divinely ordained.

The first witness was to Efa himself, who is a sincere and spiritually hungry member of a Full Gospel church. As the Brothers shared more of the Word with him, he received it with great joy, laughing when a revelation struck his heart. He offered to arrange a meeting with some church elders, to which the Brothers agreed, and waited to hear from him. Meanwhile, they went to visit and encourage the sister of Brother Abebe, who lives near the city who was baptized a year ago.

After returning to the hotel, one of the waiters noticed them, and asked if they were ministers. His name was Melkamu, and his son was sick with a rare condition called Hyperplasia. He wondered if they would be willing to come and pray for his healing? The day was free, so the Brothers gladly went. When they arrived, they found the small house packed with friends and neighbors who had been gathered. Melkamu greeted them saying, “Jesus, welcome to my home.”  The Brothers shared about the finished work of the cross from Mark 16:17-18 and Hebrews 11:6, and had fervent prayer. The mother was sobbing.

Brother Busobozi describes what happened next:

As we wanted to go, they constrained us to stay a little longer.  Well, we couldn’t help it but to share the Word with them all. The family and a neighbor woman came to hear as we shared the Word. Turns out they are Christians but never been baptized because they have not attended 6 months Baptism class as is the custom. For a while, we referenced many scriptures regarding false apostles that would pervert the Gospel of Christ introducing traditions that are foreign to Scripture. These would then try to build the church of Christ on a wrong foundation other than the one the Apostle Paul built. We also pointed out this would be the reason they baptize wrong, and we emphasized the correct formula and name. The whole family then believed including the neighbor. Well, another interesting part is Melkamu turns out to be the elder brother of Efa. Wow! Praise the Lord! Surely God is leading us.

The next day the Brothers traveled a few Kilometers out of town to visit the group of elders that Efa had gathered. There was no building, just an outdoor gathering. Brother Busobozi describes that meeting:

We met over 10, mostly men. They came and we had a roadside meeting. They gave us a bench I believe out of courtesy and they took to the well laid natural grass all around us that formed a mat- like scene. Bro Efa among them, they welcomed us with an open heart and heard all we had to say. We shared about the foundation that was laid by Paul & the perversion we have today.

Because we reached there late- we had only about 40 minutes before dusk. As others began to return home, about 7 hanged on and kept asking question after question. A few women with children joined in but we kept our concentration on the men. They switched on their phone torches and we carried on for a little longer, perhaps an hour or more. One Brother said:

this is what we need, we actually need to have a tent meeting and invite all the others and then you can come teach us for days, then baptize us.

Brother Efa is coming to meet us tomorrow and he will tell us whatever arrangements the Brothers might suggest. Meanwhile, we anticipate to have baptisms tomorrow the Lord willing for anyone that would be ready.

The next day, they were introduced to a minister from another church, who had heard there was a message and was curious. They witnessed to him for about two hours, while he took notes and was excited about what he was hearing. He was pleading to find a time to meet with them again, as the Brothers were scheduled to leave the next day. Then Efa returned and informed them that the elders they had spoken to the previous day wanted to arrange a meeting when they could spend more time exploring these truths. It was soon time to leave for the baptism of Efa’s Brother Melkamu, along with his wife and their neighbor. With great joy, the new believers were baptized in a little pond.

The short trip was concluded, with much work left undone. Brother Busobozi concludes:

As we understand there’s more need in this place, we have to move on at this time and pray the Lord to bring us to them at another time in the future. The field is ripe but the laborers are few.

Thank you for your prayers.