May 26, 2002

Dear Friends,

A deep sense of gratitude fills me as I reflect on the people, events, and work of this year’s home assignment. God’s love and blessing continues to embrace us as the Spirit leads us according to the will of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

We are thankful for the hospitality received from congregations during our itineration. We still look forward to the time we will spend with our friends in Abingdon Presbytery, whose members continue to support our ministry in Ethiopia with prayer and financial support. Special thanks to the Rev. Vaughn Earl Hartsell, who with a spirit of love and sacrifice put so much of his energy and time into this year’s arrangements. We also thank the synods that support Mission Haven in Decatur, Georgia, which provided us with housing during home assignment.

We are thankful to have been in the U.S. when Rachel’s brother died in a plane accident. Tim lived his life as a testimony to the love and grace of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ. It is that love and grace, as expressed through friends and family members in shared memories and mutual comfort, that continues to heal and enables us to know God’s presence in the midst of tragedy. We seek your prayers as the day approaches when we will leave the United States and part company with Tim’s wife, Lisa Vandevort, and their three young children.

We are thankful for the work of the WMD staff during a hard year for them. Budget cuts and the loss of personnel have made difficult work more difficult. After many conversations with them, we were able to work out a plan for our return to Ethiopia.

The time of uncertainty provided the Weller family the opportunity for some deep soul searching. The process renewed our sense of what it means to be called to a particular vocation in ministry and mission. The Spirit of God seemed silent for so long, but in the silence we experienced the freedom God gives us in the decision-making process of our lives. We return to Ethiopia in the light of God’s compelling love for us.

We begin a new five-year term in August. I am personally thankful for the opportunity I had to study at Columbia Theological Seminary this year. I learned much that will enable me to better serve the students of Gidada Bible School. However, my new assignment also provides the chance to devote significant time to Western Wollega Bethel Synod’s outreach work with a community of Majangir people. I have worked with this community over the years when time allowed. This term I anticipate making this community a special emphasis.

A new lifestyle has become necessary for the Majangir, traditionally hunters and gatherers, due to internal changes in Ethiopia. Our outreach to the community of 70 families has focused on this transition to the new circumstance. A two-room schoolhouse was built, WWBS has given training in agricultural techniques, and a spring has been protected for safe water. Our goals for evangelism include discipling the new Christians and continuing outreach to other members of the community. I am not certain of the details at this time, but as I spend time living with this community, I hope to use this as a training opportunity for some of our younger local evangelists.

This new venture brings changes to our family life. Rachel will spend most of the first year of our term in Addis Ababa. This will enable our other three children to attend School there while Rachel formally studies Amharic. Our oldest son, Brian, will attend Rift Valley Academy in Kenya. This means that I will be separated from the family for significant amounts of time. The difficult decisions surrounding these changes involved every member of the family, and we reached them through the same prayers that renewed our commitment to the work in Ethiopia. At the end of the first year we anticipate that Rachel, Amira, Thomas, and Lydia will move back to Dembi Dollo, where Rachel will again resume her work of homeschooling and working with the community health ministries of WWBS. Still, we will appreciate your prayers during this time because all these separations will be difficult.

Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to the Rev. Dick Braun, elder Mike Jones, and Dr. David Reed for encouraging me, a dreamer, who envisions an education endowment for the schools of Western Wollega Bethel Synod. Technically, it is not yet a reality, but we get closer every day.

May God bless all your ministries,

Michael Weller

The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, page 32