Saturday morning broke out bright and clear as we gathered at the Full Gospel Church Compound for our trip to Gutu. Our little band of worshipers were heading back to Gutu, this time for a ‘Conference’. That’s Ethiopian for ‘Revival’. Our group included Pastor Amanuel, Sandy and I, some of the choir members, including Amanuel’s little brother Legalem.Evangelist Saboka, and our friend Addis.
We had barely made it to the outskirts of Burayu when the pick up we hired stalled on the first big hill. After a few attempts at repair it was decided to seek alternative transport. Amanuel was on his mobile when the road project manager pulled up, did we need a lift? I guess the assortment of boxes,bags, keyboard and generator etc. stacked along the side of the road were his first clue.
We all piled into his little truck with our gear and we were on the road again. We made it to Gutu without further mishap and found the congregation gathered under a canvas tent outside the little house that serves as the chapel. We unpacked the truck and two of the girls from the choir went right to work making the wat that would be served for lunch.
Sandy and I and Amanuel gathered the local kids together and had lots of fun teaching them songs and telling bible stories with Amanuel’s help translating.
When the kids began to get restless we all walked into the village to visit the marketplace. With Alamitu’s son, Tolossa as our price negotiator we were in good hands. We bought about fifty dough balls {as we call them} and I bought some raw coffee beans and and also some lubanja. Lubanja is this incredible incense made from pieces of bark and pitch and ? that is cast onto a coal fire. Hmmm! is all I can say. I want to bring home a whole suitcase full.
We got back to the Chapel in time for lunch. Sandy and I passed out all the dough balls to the kids, they were so well behaved it left us inspired to work harder with our kids in Burayu. Most of our Burayu kids are being raised by single mothers or grandparents who lack the time or energy to really discipline in the way of manners.We thought it was a cultural problem until we met all the kids in the Gutu congregation.
After lunch we walked to Alamitu’s house. She has the mud up on the inside now and it was still wet and curing. She was so proud to serve coffee to us in the house the Lord built for her. All four of her children were here this time.
You see when we first met her the local witch doctor had swayed her oldest son into serving him and forsaking his mom and her faith. He may be influential but he never built anyone a house. In fact he is in the business of selling spells for protection, sort of ‘spiritual insurance policies’. He is the worse kind of deceiver, preying on peoples superstitions instead of PRAYING for their salvation. It is apparently a lucrative type of business.We continue to pray against his stronghold in this community. Alamitu’s house is a powerful testimony against the forces of darkness.
We made it back to the conference in time for Amanuel to speak to the gathering and also to hear evangelist Saboka speak. The choir with Legalem on the keyboard led us in powerful worship music and soon the whole tent was filled with the Spirit as we all lifted up our Lord and Savior with songs of Praise.
An elderly man was sitting beside me and as is the custom here we take the hands of the people on each side as we pray. He was weeping softly and I held his hand and prayed for the Spirit to make intercession for him. I had no translator and I will never know what troubled his heart, but a little while later he was up front with Amanuel and Saboka and he had tears of joy streaking his face. The Holy Spirit knows our needs and hears our prayers even when we have no words. I left him with one of the Afaan Oromo bibles we had brought with us to share.
Saboka delivered an awesome alter call and two men came up and received Christ. This group was about 2 thirds men, I counted 40 men and about 20 women plus all the kids. Africa, Ethiopia in particular is desperately in need of Godly men to be strong spiritual leaders in their homes and communities .
We may never know this side of eternity whose lives were touched during this conference but we follow our Saviors command to “Go into all nations, to all men…” Our friend Addis had stuck pretty close to us all day, Sandy met him in the street one day selling eggs and he has been our friend ever since. He is a bit simple and we were so pleased with the way everyone treated him and helped him to feel at ease and useful. He was orphaned as a baby and also has a malformed hand. It is hard for any young man here but all the more so for one like Addis. He is such a joy to be around, always has a smile for us and is so kind to the children. He made it his responsibility to guard the keyboard on the ride home.
While all of this was going on a bull dozer came down the rough track we had used to come the last few miles to Gutu. The driver was clearing a nice smooth road for our return trip. It seems the road project boss had given him instructions to improve the road all the way to the chapel. A big mercedes truck had also pulled up about the time the dozer was finished. It would be our ride home. It was a full day and the ride home in the open bed of the truck listening to Ethiopian praise songs was an excellent way to end it.
It is Sandy’s and my desire to visit Gutu as often as possible during our time in Burayu. Often the cost of return visits prevents us from the follow ups we would like to do. Gutu is only an hours drive so we are praying we can continue to minister there.
In Christ, Carole
