ethiopia – ‘thank you for the good heart you have for ... 326 april may.pdfmatthias feurer (imm...
TRANSCRIPT
Issue 325 IiI
Correspondence address:
Page 1 David Shillitoe: 5 Old Rectory Court ~ 61 Wood Street ~ Barnet ~ Hertfordshire EN5 4BL Issue 326
THE SAFETY LAMP
CELEBRATING THE WORK OF IMM IN
MINING COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD
Issue 326 April/May 2014
Reaching gold miners around Guji province,
south Ethiopia and expanding God’s kingdom.
‘Intensive gold mining promises big boost for
Ethiopia’s development’ So goes the headline in the newspaper.
In partnership with the Addis Kidan Baptist
Church since the year 2000, the International
Miners’ Mission is involved on a long-term
basis in helping spread the Good News of the
Kingdom of God to the many gold miners working
in Southern Ethiopia.
In the intervening years we have been rejoicing to
witness tremendous development and a ‘big
boost’ on the spiritual level amongst many of
these miners and their families.
Matthias Feurer (IMM
Switzerland), who is
working as a missionary
with Wycliffe Bible
Translators in Ethiopia,
kindly made a trip to the
area around Shakiso for
IMM and the following
are extracts from his
report:
Brother Kifle Shibre of the Addis Kidan Baptist
Church Head Office and I left Addis Ababa by
car for the gold mining area in Shakiso in the south
of the country, a journey that takes all day. Staying
overnight at Kibre Mengist, the nearest town, we
then drove on another hour the next morning to
Shakiso, site of the large Lega Dembi gold mine..
Shakiso Town has a population of about 35,000.
The Addis Kidan Baptist Church counts about 120
members. (IMM has been heavily involved in
helping finance and support this church). Pastor
Girma Hordofa has been living in Shakiso for more
than 27 years. Before he became a pastor he was a
gold digger. Asking him about the needs of the
church, he told me that they would be happy to
have an additional building with room for a
Kindergarten and offices. Pastor Girma is also
praying for a co-worker.
ETHIOPIA – ‘Thank you for the good heart you have
for these people’ Kifle Shibre
Kifle Shibre, Pastor Girma and co-ordinator Gobena
outside Shakiso church.
Addis Kidan church, Shakiso
Matthias Feurer and
Kifle Shibre
Page 2 visit IMM’s website at www.minersmission.com Issue 326
Along with Pastor Girma we then drive for an hour
further into the gold digging area. Passing the
entrance to the vast Lega Dembi gold mine complex
that employs many miners both in open pit and
underground workings, we arrive in the mining
community of Boro-Orbit. It is estimated that
around 6000 live in the town and surrounding
villages.
Boro-Orbit church is still young – but growing!
Last year the local congregation was able to
construct a simple church building. Some 35 people
are attending the services, but the vision of Pastor
Bereket and the elders is to take the Gospel to the
people. If funds permit they would like to buy the
adjacent ground for £200 – they have a plan for a
compassion programme and are trusting the Lord
Jesus to touch the lives of others by the power of His
Holy Spirit. They have faith to believe that the
membership will increase to 150 people – in one
year’s time!
Church roofing needed!
We would have liked to visit the church in
Haranfama, a town of some 10,000 inhabitants,
situated about 40 miles to the north of Kibre
Mengist. However lack of time meant that we could
not pull in a visit there during the trip. So it was nice
that Pastor Jeremias of the Addis Kidan Baptist
Church came to see us in Kibre Mengist. I had a
very encouraging talk with Pastor Jeremias.
Pastor Jeremias told me that he was not only
responsible for the church in Haranfama, but also for
the two daughter churches in Dida Guda and Tuta
Mata. The central church has about 50 members.
There he preaches in Amharic. In the two daughter
churches he preaches in the local Oromo language.
As he has no vehicle and there is no established
transport to these places, he visits them on foot!
Pastor Jeremias says his
ministry is to preach
Christ, to teach, and to
found new churches. To
make a living, he is also
farming. Asking him about
the needs of the churches,
he said that the two
daughter churches need
better roofs. They need
corrugated iron sheeting
for roofing, but the cost is
quite a challenge for the young believers. (approx.
£300 each roof).
On the way back to Addis Ababa in the car, I asked
Brother Kifle about the buildings and where funds
are most needed at the moment. He told me that, if
he had the money, he would buy roofing for the two
daughter churches of Haranfama (£300 each). He
would also like to help the church in Boro-Orbit buy
the adjacent land to allow the church to expand
(£200). Besides building, there is also a need for
new evangelists. The monthly salary of a new
evangelist is about £40! Kifle continually thanks
IMM for their faithful support.
Matthias Feurer concludes his report: Praise be to
God, the Almighty, our Lord and Saviour, who gave
us a safe, protected and successful journey!
Boro Orbit Church and some church members
Children of the miners run around everywhere!
Gold panning in the artisanal mining areas is carried out in
the same way as it always has been done – by hand.
Pastor Jeremias
Page 3 David’s email address: [email protected] Issue 326
ABEBE’S TESTIMONY
A young member of the church at
Boro-Orbit called Abebe told me
his testimony. In order to help his
needy family, 10 years ago at the
age of 18, Abebe arrived in Boro-
Orbit to dig for gold. To start
with, he only came during his long
school vacation in the rainy
season, but eventually he decided
to stay for good in the mining
community to support his family
better. The life of a gold digger is
very hard and dangerous.
Nevertheless the income he and
his family and his colleagues get
for selling the gold nuggets is
more than they get doing another
job. For a gram of gold they get
£25 which is equivalent to a
month’s salary of a waiter
working in a restaurant in Addis
Ababa, the capital. But on the
minus side, many finally pay a big
toll for their labour. Some get
severely hurt in accidents. Others
get sick from drinking alcohol or
living an immoral lifestyle.
Soon after starting to live and
work in the mining community
Abebe abandoned the faith of his
childhood and following his
father’s death he started to drink
heavily. One day he was
approached by some people from
the local Addis Kidan Baptist
Church. They invited him to their
meetings and Abebe followed their
invitation. He recommitted his life
to Jesus and the fellowship in
Boro-Orbit has become his new
family now.
Abebe (wearing blue jacket) and
friends working close to the church
seen loading a donkey with sacks of
earth which might contain gold.
Other gold diggers with sacks of
gold bearing earth. Behind them are
houses of Boro-Orbit.
Some 18 months have passed since the tragic
killing of 34 miners at the Marikana Platinum
mine. Rev. Patrick Langa, pastor of the Boitekong
church near Rustenburg, centre of the huge
platinum mining area, has been involved in
supporting the victims’ families.
Recently, along with IMM associate missionaries,
Rev. Pookkattu Paul and his wife Molly visited
Marikana, where a group of women have formed
a support group in the community to care and
comfort the widows and children.
SOUTH AFRICA – Ongoing ministry to victims’ families.
“We had the joy of visiting two
women, Wendy and Primrose. It
was a privilege to note Molly
Paul’s words of comfort and
counsel, giving encouragement to
them in their challenging lives.”
Rev. Dr. Pookkattu Paul
Issue 326 Page 4
Dear brothers and sisters!
I greet you in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ!
I continue to do the ministry here in Eastern
Ukraine entrusted to me by God, as the pastor of
the Artyomovsk Vozro Church. On top of this I
lead two small groups of believers and seekers
living at different ends of the town.
I am also continuing my ministry as evangelist at
the Chasov Yar rehabilitation centre for people with
alcoholic and drug dependency. Currently there are
some 20 people in residence. Please pray for the
Lord to free these people from the authority of the
devil.
We also continue to help and feed people at our
drop-in centre. Most have no homes and no food to
eat. We preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them
twice a week. Currently some 30 people come
along for a square meal.
We also have a ministry in the salt miner’s village
of Volodarskoe, which currently meets in a private
house. There is a regular attendance of some 10
adults and 12 children in the Sunday School. Please
pray that we may be able to establish a church
there.
Currently the economic situation is very difficult
here. So many businesses are closed down.
Recently my wife lost her job due to the crisis. To
find a job in this area is practically impossible right
now - nobody in my family is in employment.
With respect, thanks and our prayer for you.
Pastor Vasiliy.
“ UKRAINE - Please pray that the Lord will bring peace to
this troubled country and that bloodshed will be avoided”
Home Bible Study
As we remember in prayer the difficulties facing the people of
Ukraine, let us remember the crucial ministry and witness of the
Christians, particularly those working in the mining areas.
Rehab centre helpers and clients
Pastor Vasiliy preaching the gospel at the drop in centre.
Excited Sunday school children receive Christmas
presents from Samaritan’s Purse.
(Editor’s note: IMM have been able to supply emergency funds to pastor Vasiliy, but the need in the Ukraine is currently enormous. We like to support the Children’s Christian camps in the summer at a cost of £500.)