GOSPEL OUTREACH TO ETHIOPIA
Woodward Park Church of Christ
7886 North Millbrook
Fresno, California 93720
559-446-2550

 

September 25, 2008
 
Dear Brethren and Friends of the Gospel Outreach to Ethiopia,
 
Funds for our brethren to use to buy food for their families have been distributed through the local churches in the countryside. The most needy and most severally malnourished were helped first. More is needed and more will be given as the pleas come.   These 23 men, all church leaders and preachers, accepted the assignment to observe and listen and to help make the decisions who would receive help and who wouldn’t. We have received reports these men did a great job while praises and prayers were offered to God. One of the leaders said in all his life he had never seen people as thankful as they were when the help was received. There is never enough; the need is too great. More of you have responded and more will be sent and more of our brethren will be helped in the coming days and weeks. We pray that the crops that are now growing will be sufficient to bring some relief. Other agencies report that some people are already eating their corn that would not normally be harvested this early.   
Some are not so fortunate. 
On the left is pictured a doctor treating a small child at a health center in Shinshicho. This doctor is with the Doctors Without Borders group. Here is the text that surrounded this picture on their web page:
“Mumishene was not yet two years old. The doctors in the intensive nutrition center at Shinshicho had struggled long and hard, even resuscitating him several times. But on a Sunday morning, as day broke, this little boy died. A low keening funeral song surrounded the Doctors Without Borders vehicle as it bore Mumishene and his mother back to their village. The family wept as they learned the sad news and soon they were joined by the whole of the community. His fragile body shrouded in a few blankets, they carried Mumishene through an Eden of dark green maize and lighter green banana leaves……….”
We have a kindergarten in Shinshicho. There are more than 1000 members of the church in the immediate area. We have been able to help some; we will continue to help others. Our appreciation goes out to everyone who has given. We especially thank Healing Hands International and White’s Ferry Road Relief for their immediate response to the crises. Only God knows how important their promptness was and how much additional suffering was prevented. Please continue to pray for the people in Ethiopia.
 
Seventeen men have graduated from the Sudanese Preacher Training program in Addis Ababa. These men came to the school from several congregations located in the refugee camps in Western Ethiopia and from the Kabena congregation in Addis Ababa. On September 19th an article about the Sudanese refugees living in Ethiopia was in our local paper. It said 26,000 of the refugees will be repatriated back into their homeland in the next few weeks. This training school was offered at a critical time as many of these brothers will soon return to their homeland and will preach the gospel as they do. Please remember them in your prayers. 
 
The radio broadcast is reaching many people. On the left, two listeners from the town of Bako came to Addis to study with Abebe and Moges. They are preachers and came to represent the group they worship with. They studied for three days and then took the lessons back to their people to study with them. They have promised to return and study more. They said that many people are listening to the radio program every Sunday night and are very excited about the lessons they hear.   In the center picture, Behailu is discussing the radio program with some men he met at Lake Shalla, one of the Rift Valley Lakes in central Ethiopia. They promised him they would listen the following Sunday evening.  On the right, Moges is shown studying God’s word with the one of the young men when he came to visit them in Addis.  The following is Behailu’s account their first conversation and the events that followed:
 
“I wanted to really to talk to him about Christ. I told him about our radio broadcast, gave him the meter band and my telephone number. I encouraged him to listen to the radio every Sunday night. Once he heard it he loved it so much and now he listens every week with his 10 friends. We have sent him WBS materials and they have started studying the bible. He goes to a high school in Arusi Negele and he is telling every body about the radio program and encouraging every one to take the WBS courses.
 
He called me three days ago and he expressed how he has been blessed meeting me and now studying about Christ. I invited him to come to the compound so that we can strengthen our relationship and at the same time to have bible class with him. He came two days ago to the compound and we have studied the bible together. Moges is also studying with him and he has encouraged him to stay here in Addis until Sunday so that he will see how we worship. He told Moges that he is more than happy to stay here and learn more about Christ. Yesterday, he obeyed the gospel and was added to the Church. He has requested that he would like to take many WBS courses home with him because he wants to distribute them to the students in his high school. He has expressed also that he would like to attend one of our Preacher Training Schools and then plant the Church in his home area. How wonderful to know that the radio ministry is used and has become one of the best tools to preach and proclaim the gospel to all people. This young man's name is Beriso Aside. Baptized on August 21, 08. We are hoping that he will plant the Church in Arusi Negele and will be an instrument to reach the thousands of the high school students in his area. Please pray for him.”
 
This is an example of many wonderful things to come in the future as news about the radio broadcast spreads and the numbers of listeners grows. Our appreciation goes to World Radio in West Monroe, Louisiana  for making our broadcast in the Amharic language possible.
 
Please remember all our Ethiopian brethren and their country in your daily prayers.
 
 
                                                                                                            John Ed Clark
 

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August 25, 2008
 
Dear Brethren and Friends of the Gospel Outreach to Ethiopia,
 
 
 
A Global Food Crises—that is what it is being called. These pictures were taken from international news articles showing some of the sights in southern Ethiopia. You can see the same news reports and pictures if you go to Google News, Global Food Crises, Ethiopia. The names of many of the places you read in those articles are the areas where we have churches and members. We cannot tell the story because of the restrictions placed upon us and those who serve there. But, we can’t be idle when those we love are suffering. Please contact us and we will inform you how you can help. Your prayers are desperately needed at this time.
 
Brother James Maxwell from the Holgate congregation in Seattle, Washington has completed his very successful mission trip to Ethiopia. Pictured on the left with Brother Maxwell are 69 gospel preachers and church leaders, along with several women, that attended the workshop held at the church in Addis Ababa. Brother Kevin Schwiger assisted James and taught the book of Nehemiah for the participants.
 
 
 
 
 
Following the workshop, Brother Maxwell visited several congregations to preach and study with their members. At the church in Addis Ababa, 9 were added as they were baptized into Christ. 14 members in Addis were restored. In the Awasa congregation 3 responded and were baptized. At Lalo 5 were added to the church. In Hosana 3 were baptized and the entire congregation responded and asked for prayers that they might be refocused on their mission to preach the gospel. In Jajura 11 people responded and were baptized. During the meeting with the area preachers and church leaders, many of them confessed publically they had not been doing the work and ministry expected by our Lord. They repented and asked for prayers. Bro. Maxwell’s trip will be long remembered by everyone and they will expect him to return again to preach the word of God in a powerful way.
 
 
The Sudanese Preacher Training School in Addis Ababa is still in session. On the left the students are gathered in front of the church building and are ready for their morning classes. Center: Kevin Schwiger is taking the confessions of three of the men who had come to the school but weren’t yet members of the Lord’s Body. Some of those who are sent to our training schools come from other churches and are soon amazed at what they learn about obedience as they study, sometimes for the first time, what God asks all men to do. On the right, Joe Boe is pictured as he teaches one of the classes. These 20 men came from several Sudanese congregations all over the Western Region.
 
 
In June, Dr. Jim and Deborah Wilson and Dr. Jack and Glenda Lewis traveled to Ethiopia. Jim and Deborah make regular trips to help in Ethiopia and have been an important part of the Gospel Outreach for many years. This time they were on a special mission. Along with Jack and Glenda they took eye testing equipment and eye glass materials to provide glasses for the students in our schools in Addis Ababa, Mazoria, Awasa and Santariea. Brother Alemayehu reports they provided a wonderful service for many people. They were able to test and assist more than 300 students in Addis Ababa, 56 in Mazoria, 120 in Santariea and a large number in Awasa. Included in these numbers were several of our evangelists, church leaders and student family members who were having problems with their eyes. This was a “once in a lifetime” opportunity for many who would have never been able to see an eye doctor even if they could have afforded the treatment, glasses and travel. Our deep appreciation goes out to Jim, Deborah, Jack and Glenda for the sacrifice of their time and their finances to make this ministry possible.
 
In October, 2007 we announced that an agreement had been made with World Radio Broadcasting, a ministry of the White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, Louisiana to preach the gospel in the Amharic language from a station in the Middle East. The program was broadcast for the first time on Sunday night, June 1, 2008. The response has been unbelievable. Some Ethiopians living in America have been able to hear it and have responded. Many new WEI and WBS students have been enrolled. It is already an amazing ministry that reaches thousands of Ethiopians all over the world. 
 
Thank you for your prayers and faithfulness which makes all this work possible.
 
                                                                                                            John Ed Clark
 

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July 25, 2008

 
Dear Brethren and Friends of the Gospel Outreach to Ethiopia,
 
Some of you who read this report have asked about the ongoing food crises in Ethiopia. There isn’t much about it in our news papers or on our television news broadcasts. Articles on Google News have been telling about the problems for several months. Current news reports can still be found everyday on Google News. Non Government Organizations (NGOs) in Ethiopia have been told not to take pictures or to spread the news saying another famine has come to that country. We have received many letters from local church leaders informing us about the problems they are facing everyday. The picture of what is left of a little child at a relief station was taken from a Voice of America internet news report which said 14 million Ethiopians are facing problems similar to the 1984 tragedy that took the lives of millions of people before it was over.   Seasonal rains have come to Ethiopia but there are few crops in the ground. Families have eaten all the grain that would have been their seeds. Other food crops have dried up and died because of the drought conditions that lasted for two planting seasons. There are some large humanitarian organizations that are supplying food to the most severely affected areas. We would like to help through the local churches in those areas, but our church leaders have said it would cause problems if we did at this time. If we receive approval to help, we will immediately notify all of you. Our brotherhood relief organizations are standing ready to be involved as soon as we have approval to go forward. Please remember this situation in your prayers.         
 
The Level 2 School of Preaching in Addis Ababa is now in session. The courses are being taught to our brethren from Sudan. This particular course is different in that it is taught in English. Brothers Joe Boe and Kevin Schwiger are teaching at this time. In early August brothers Tyrone Mynhier from Conroe, Texas and Lynn Campbell from Omaha, Texas will arrive to replace Joe and Kevin. Tyrone and Lynn will remain in Ethiopia until the school completes the session in September. In our last report we said this session would be conducted at the training facility in Nekemte, Ethiopia. However, due to some security problems in the Nekemte area it was decided to move the school to Addis Ababa. We will have some pictures and profiles of the students and their plans for the future in next month’s news letter. 
 
Brother James Maxwell, the minister from the Holgate Church of Christ in Seattle, Washington, is in Ethiopia at this time. He conducted a 4 day Leadership Workshop at the Addis Ababa congregation. Sixty nine preachers and church leaders from many different congregations, along with some of their wives, attended the classes.  These lessons will be taught over and over by the brethren who were in attendance to hundreds of other church leaders and preachers and thousands of members in hundreds of congregations all over southern Ethiopia for years to come. Then Behailu traveled with Brother Maxwell to Awasa, Lalo, Mazoria, Shinshicho, Hosana and Jajura where he was able to speak and encourage brethren in those area churches. Brother Maxwell is a powerful gospel preacher and Behailu reports all the churches were greatly encouraged by his teaching.  
Most of you know we have five schools for the deaf in Ethiopia. In these Christian schools, along with our 3 kindergartens we teach the message of Jesus to more than 800 children every day. Many of you sponsor children in these schools and you have come to know your children through the pictures and reports you receive two times every year. This is a wonderful ministry that changes the lives of children in a very positive way. We want to share with you a couple of pictures and stories about students at the School for the Deaf in Nekemte Ethiopia. Your heart will be touched as you read about the lives of these children and the difference the school is making.
 
Guta Dirba is from a place called Wama Gamo, which is about 50 miles from the school in Nekemte. He was born deaf. He is an orphan as his mother and father died while he was a small child. His uncle took Guta into his home to raise. The family is extremely poor and was not able to properly provide for their own children and Guta. Since there was no school for the deaf anywhere in his area, as soon as he was old enough Guta was assigned to watch his uncle’s cattle all day.  Many children in Ethiopia are shepherds by the time they are 4 or 5 years old. The Department of Social Services became aware of Guta’s need for an education and brought him to our school and asked that he be admitted. This is Guta’s first year in school. He had no ability at all to communicate with others. He was unable to interact with the other students when he came, but slowly he started to learn sign language and a new world was opened up for him. He quickly came to love to be with the other deaf children and to have his own bed in the dorm. He told our director that he now has a big happy family.
 
Chaltu Gari was brought to our school from a town called Najo. Najo is 240 miles from Nekemte. Chaltu has been an orphan most of her life as her parents died when she was very young. She knows what it means to have nothing. She had no family and spent her time begging on the streets of Najo. The same streets were the only home she knew. The Department of Social Services picked her up and brought her to our school. She trusted no one when she came. She had no memory of ever being loved by anyone. She had never been inside a school before. But all that started to change after she began to feel the warmth of others who had once been like her and understood everything she was feeling. For the first time in her life she felt accepted. However, the years of neglect had taken its toll on this young life. She has struggled during her first year at school. She will need to repeat the beginner class again next year. But that’s ok. It really doesn’t matter how long it takes, our school and the love she feels there will bring the needed changes and growth and in a few years Chaltu will be a beautiful, productive and wonderful young lady.
 
Some of you may be wondering about our next water project. Our brethren are still in the process of trying to make an agreement for another 30 well contract. Hopefully by the times the rainy season is over in late September the agreement will be in place and drilling can start again. We will keep you informed.
 
Your prayers and faithful support is making all these good works possible. Many people are coming to know Jesus because all of us together provide the means for our brethren to teach all who will listen. Thank you for being a part of this wonderful ministry.
 
                                                                                                            John Ed Clark      
 
 

 

 

 

CHANGE FOR CHILDREN

For just .25 cents a day, a child can attend school in Ethiopia. The Change for the Children program was started to collect the change that we all have but never really do anything with. It is a very effective ministry that is overseen by Kevin Clark, John Ed Clark's youngest son. Woodward Park has been involved with this ministry since its beginning in March 2004. The cans are given out when they are asked for and collected every four months.We have placed a big emphasis on our children in the collection of the cans. It helps them to understand how they can share their blessings with other children not as blessed as themselves. It is amazing to hear the stories of our young and old spending the time to stop and pick up the pennies that we normally would all walk by to put in the cans. .