Two evangelical pastors were beheaded and many church buildings burnt in an outbreak of anti-Christian violence last month in Sebeta town, near the capital Addis Ababa. But this was only the latest incident of violence which has plagued the country for over a year.
“It is a must … to save their lives”
“It is a must to share what we have to save their lives.”
This was the plea to Barnabas Fund from Ethiopian church leaders, desperate to help Christian families displaced by violence.
“Manna that God provided … through Barnabas Fund”
Barnabas Fund has been supplying wheat for the Christian survivors of the attacks. The food aid is “manna that God provided them through Barnabas Fund,” said grateful Ethiopian Christians.
Pastors select the very neediest of their church members to benefit – those who have nothing at all to eat. Some are widows whose husbands were killed in the conflict, leaving them alone to care for young children. Others are elderly people, who have been left with no one to provide for them, after losing the younger members of their family.
The violence began in September - November 2018, in the area of Enseno town, leaving 45 people dead – including many Christians – and many homes burnt. Thousands were displaced and have been living in temporary shelters, even through the rainy season of 2019. It is a region dominated by Islam and by conflict between two tribes. But there are evangelical Christians in both the tribes and they have been worshipping the Lord together for many years.
The government has been unable to cope with the huge need of the displaced people, and church leaders became “confused and discouraged” as they wrestled with the problem of how to save the displaced Christians from malnutrition and the diseases that go with it – even from starvation itself.
They turned to Barnabas Fund for help. Will you help us to keep helping them?
50kg of wheat – enough to last a family of five people for two months – costs £27 ($35; €31).
