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September 1999
Dear Family and Friends:
It is New Year's Eve here. Tomorrow marks the first day of 1992,
according to the Ethiopian calendar. People are busy cleaning
houses and slaughtering bulls and sheep in order to celebrate.
Tonight there will be lots of singing and worship throughout the
valley and tomorrow, just after dawn, there will be a communion
service at the local church to reaffirm our commitment to our
Lord as we begin the New Year. Then we will eat and eat and eat,
as people open up their homes and invite others in. Sharing food
is such a major way to show hospitality here in this country.
Gift-giving is rare. The gift of hospitality is the most generous
gift people can offer. And they offer it graciously and joyfully,
in a way that would humble each of us, as they give so much of
the little they have.
Last weekend at this time I was in a Parish called "Andinet,"
which means "unity." I went with the synod's executive
secretary, Qes (which means "pastor") Endrias, to a
program on repentance and unity. The means toward this was to
be concentrated prayer. Workers from all around the synod volunteered
to take part, and so all of us went in twos and threes to different
areas to meet and pray with the local church and parish leaders.
I had heard lots about this Andinet Parish and so was happy for
the chance to visit there.
The parish "headquarters" is up in the mountains at
an elevation of about 8,000 feet. We left the car about 2:00 p.m.
and started walking up the road, soon to be met by the parish
and church leaders who had come down to escort us up. They carried
all of our things and so the walk up was pleasant in the afternoon
sun. Once we arrived, we were shown around the area and given
our room with two double beds, for five of us to share (men and
women together). Somehow things are just simpler here. They then
fed us roasted corn and chiamo and left us to prepare for the
all-night prayer service. We met with the leaders and planned
the program, which was to include teaching from the Bible, individual
prayer, guided prayer, and a time of repentance. We ate dinner
around 8:00 and then went into the church, which was overflowing
with the leaders from the different areas, to start the service
about 9:00. Minutes into the program a young girl about 4 years
old began coughing. It sounded as if she was choking. As it turns
out, she had pneumonia and had been treated for about two weeks
with medicine but was no better. They took her outside to a nearby
hut where we prayed for her. But within about
ten minutes we heard loud wailing. She had died. Some of the leaders
went out. The others encouraged everyone to stay and pray. Everyone
believed this was an attack by Satan to disrupt the fervent prayer
of a faithful community seeking repentance and unity. It took
great discipline for people to stay, as the culture here is for
everyone to go in mass, crying with the family to the place where
she would be buried. But people did stay and God did powerful
things through the prayer that took place. Midway through the
night, about 2:00
a.m., the repentance started. Qes Endrias led the way by confessing
on behalf of the synod leaders. So it went from the top down through
the leaders of the parish, local churches, and preaching points
and finally to individuals. Ato (Mr.) Tassema is the parish leader.
Though he only has a sixth-grade education, he skillfully led
everyone through the repentance process. With each of the groups
or individuals coming forward he asked if people had anything
against them, and then called them forward too. They talked, confessed
and then were forgiven and blessed by the entire community. It
was quite powerful.
The next day we had the funeral service for this young child,
again with a packed church. Ato Tasemma taught from John 14, where
Jesus promised to go and prepare a place for us. "He has
prepared a place for her and she is with Him now," he said.
As we walked out of the church in mass to go to the burial site,
a magnificent rainbow stretched across the valley. It was as if
God were saying, "Yes, she is here, safe with me now."
Back here at Gatcheb, work continues. Things seem to be thriving
at this clinic, though we're still struggling to get the community
health program fully going. We have been unable to finish turning
over the Genja clinic to the government for several reasons. It
serves to be a source of real frustration, though we are no longer
responsible for running it. We have another time of negotiations
in a few weeks time that I pray will be the last. Pray with me
in that endeavor too!
Other needs for prayer would include my own direction for the
future. I will go back to the United States at Christmas and stay
at least 6 months, possibly to return here after that. Pray that
God will be clear in His direction and that I would be faithful
to follow. Also, I ask that you might pray for Andinet parish,
for their leaders, for their projects, for their desire that the
gospel reach many lives and places. Please pray for my friend
and coworker Tesfaye, who has been a true brother to me all the
time I have lived here. He is leaving Gatcheb
this month to begin accounting school, leaving behind his family
and a house in construction. I will miss him greatly. All these
people would be blessed to know that they had friends like all
of you praying for them, just as I too am blessed by your prayer
and friendship.
Address as of mid-December:
c/o
The Weinbergs
983 Kirkhill
Lake Forest, IL
60045
Bazee addis amit, Exhabier ybarkatchu! May God bless you in
this New Year!
In Him,
Caryl Weinberg
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