The Grandma from Gamo

The Ethiopian Village of Gamo

She lived in Ethiopia in the small village of Gamo.  Raised on a healthy diet of fear and superstition she understood the world as a dangerous and terrifying place.  Small mistakes were unforgivable and could lead to death.  She couldn’t even depend on the protection of a man: all five of the men she had been married were snatched away by illness, war or abandonment. 

One day a missionary came to tell her village to share about Christ, no one wanted to hear the message, but her heart was touched and transformed by God.  As time passed, the Chief of the village accepted Christ as well. 

Pastor Ermias Meduria Mekuria, his wife Muiu Meseret and their 3 sons Nathnael, Estifanos and Abeselom

Ermias sat at his grandmother’s feet as she told the stories of Abram, Isaac, Jacob, the Old Testament prophets and Jesus.  As he grew into a young man, God began to lead in his life and he answered the call to preach the gospel of Christ.  Because of his grandma, he now serves as the Field Strategy Coordinator for the Church of the Nazarene in the Horn of Africa.     

In 1992, Nazarene Missionaries moved to the Horn of Africa intending on ministering to marginalized refugees.  The mission was God lead, but the task seemed insurmountable, the field had a total of 150 million people, speaking 700 different languages and 70% were Muslim.  After 6 years of ministry, prayer, labor there were 4 small house churches to show for their efforts, but in the shadows and behind closed doors new converts were planting the seeds of faith in the lives of others.  God made those seeds grow.  Ten years later there were 100 Churches and today, there are 37 Nazarene districts with over 2,000 churches and more than 122,000 worship attendees.

Mission Immersion Team praying for the Mekuria family

But, the work is not done.  The challenge is great.  As a church we must pray; pray for the pastors, for in the last ten years, twenty have been martyred for their faith. Pray for the believers, that God will cast out all fears and give them a courageous passion to serve. And pray for those who are ministering in three creative access areas in the Horn of Africa that God would use them to plant seeds in the lives of people that no one else may ever be able to reach. 

The work is great, but God is greater and we give him all the praise for how He is working around the world in Nazarene Missions!