ETHIOPIAN EVANGELISTS DESCRIBE MURDER PLOTS AS ISLAMISTS RENEW ATTACKS AGAINST CHRISTIANS - Video and audio available |
| Jun 18 2007 |
| Postings >> Ethiopia |
Ethiopian evangelists have been speaking out about attempts by militants to murder them. One described an attempt by Islamist extremists to poison his children. Another claims a 500-strong mob tried to murder him after a substantial reward was offered to anyone who killed him.
Ethiopian Christians believe militants are trying to halt the spread of the Christian faith and to drive out Christians. In recent incidents, extremists have bombed a Christian gathering, killing two and injuring others. And an earlier outbreak of violence left 19 dead, five churches burnt and 600 houses destroyed.
The evangelists tell their story in the latest edition of World Update on the Persecuted Church, the award-winning monthly webcast of Release International, which serves the persecuted Church in 30 nations. You can download it from the website: www.releaseinternational.org
41-year-old Evangelist ‘Balay’ (not his actual name) knows the dangers of being actively involved in spreading the Christian message in this hostile area. He goes from village to village telling people that Jesus is the only way to Heaven.
Balay, who became a follower of Christ in 1991, has been insulted, beaten, arrested twice and pelted with stones. His family has also felt the wrath of militants.
He told partners of Release International: ‘They even tried to contaminate my children with a chemical called malatine - to kill them. But the Lord intervened and they didn’t die. They beat my children when they go out. My family is suffering with me.’
Militants also attacked Balay’s house and stole his property. ‘They attempted to kill me four times. But regardless of all this pressure we continue to minister the Lord.’
The militants are targeting Balay because he disciples, trains and sends out missionaries and evangelists. Many of these young men have stayed in his house and he helps support them.
‘They know that I’m the key person who is doing these things behind the scene, so they are targeting me, even beyond other evangelists.’
One of those other evangelists is 21-year-old ‘Ghebre’ (not his real name), who has led more than 600 people to Christ - many from Muslim backgrounds. Ghebre personally baptized 65 of them.
He has met much opposition as he goes from house to house telling people about Jesus. Once, a mob of 500 came to his house determined to kill him after Muslim leaders issued a death sentence against Ghebre.
‘They declared a Jihad - a war - on me, and whoever kills me will receive 80,000 Ethiopian birr.’ The price on his head amounted to more than £4,500 - in a land where the Gross National Income per capita is less than £90.
Ghebre was able to escape the mob that day, but the death sentence against him remains. Militants have continued to threaten him with death. They have burned his house and destroyed his personal belongings. But still he keeps sharing his faith in Jesus.
‘I don’t have any fear,’ he explained, ‘because it’s not a man who called me, it’s Jesus who called me to this ministry. I witness about Christ from house to house in an area far away regardless of these dangers facing me.’
‘Please pray for Christians in Ethiopia,’ says Andy Dipper, the CEO of Release International, which serves the persecuted Church. ‘Evangelicals are targeted by militant Muslims and often distrusted by Orthodox Christian believers. Pray for their courageous witness, and that Ethiopians would be receptive to the Christian message.’
ENDS
Notes to the Editor
Additional sources:
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada:
www.persecution.net
International Christian Concern:
http://www.persecution.org/suffering/newsdetail.php?newscode=5168
The latest edition of World Update on the Persecuted Church featuring the stories of Balay and Ghebre can be downloaded from: www.releaseinternational.org Ethiopia report courtesy Release International’s sister organisation, The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada.
Ethiopia country profile: http://www.persecution.net/country/ethiopia.htm
Contacts:
For further information, please contact Andrew Boyd on 01730 301905 or 07986 712 813, or contact Release International on 01689 823491 or by email at info@releaseinternational.org
Through our international network of missions RI serves persecuted Christians in 30 countries, supporting pastors and Christian prisoners and their families, supplying Christian literature and Bibles, and working for justice. RI is a member of the UK organisations Global Connections, the Evangelical Alliance and the Micah Network.
