Along the Way

Elsa, the woman pictured in this painting, has experienced much heartbreak in her short 27 years. Her first husband, Christian evangelist Esayas Gojeto, was martyred by a mob, leaving Elsa to raise two small children alone.

Eventually, the young widow remarried. She and her new husband, evangelist Asefa Tesfaye, welcomed twins. Tragically, Asefa and another evangelist were murdered in front of their families as they led a prayer meeting. Elsa’s house was also totally destroyed during the attack.

The evangelists were two of 67 individuals killed when ethnic unrest and rioting took place in October 2019 over a span of three days. During the three-day period, three Ethiopian Orthodox churches were burned down and more than 50,000 Christians were displaced.

Coming alongside the newly widowed Elsa and the wife of the other evangelist, VOMC funded a one-week trauma counselling retreat. The ministry also provided funding to cover their daily living expenses for six months and supplied seed money which they used to start their own small businesses – a means of supporting their families.

Unfortunately, ethnic conflict and extreme poverty continue to take a heavy toll on the country’s citizens. With your family, please pray that peace and stability will be experienced within Ethiopia’s borders. Further, pray that believers like Elsa will remain steadfast as they proclaim Jesus Christ as Saviour.