As representatives of Gospel Outreach, we received a request to visit Bora in southeastern Ethiopia. It was an exciting day trip to this new conference where the Seventh-day Adventist Church has few regular workers and Gospel Outreach Bible workers/evangelists to serve a significant Muslim population.
Yet, at the same time, the local people and government officials are pleading with Adventists to send more workers into this area. Such questions as, “Where have you Adventists been?” or “Why are you hiding from us?” or “Why is it taking so long for you to come into this area?” were just a few of the comments made.
Stories of conversions are plenty. A Gospel Outreach evangelist was asked to visit the home of a sick lady. Upon arriving, he noticed another woman visitor was there as well. After the GO evangelist offered prayer, the visitor requested Bible studies for herself and her husband; and they were recently baptized.
After traveling for six hours through very scenic countryside on a road that had numerous and sizeable potholes, we arrived in time for the final weekend of evangelistic meetings led by Pastor Yohannes Solareo, the treasurer for the East Central African Division.
Gospel Outreach Bible workers were busy assisting with many aspects of these meetings, including working with many of the baptismal candidates.
Along with five other nearby sites, these meetings resulted in more than 2,000 baptisms. Of that number, more than 300 were baptized on Sabbath afternoon at the Bora location.
Dozens more are already in baptismal classes, and many others have indicated their desire to prepare for baptism as a result of an altar call. What an experience to witness groups of eight being baptized in an outdoor pool as the people gathered around and sang praises to God!
While there, Ethiopia Hope Channel filmed live interviews from the baptismal pool as church leaders expressed their sincere appreciation and requests for more Gospel Outreach workers. This new field still has many unentered cities, towns and villages, where people need to hear the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14.
Gospel Outreach would love to respond positively to meet these requests and those from other fields. However, additional funds are needed to provide more Gospel Outreach evangelists. Please tell others about these opportunities, and thank you for your support.