August 14, 2000

Ethiopians and Eritreans at peace through Christ
___By George Henson
___Staff Writer
___DALLAS--When Ethiopians and Eritreans meet, it is a matter of life and death.
___The difference is that in Africa they kill one another in a border dispute, but in Texas they are praying their neighbors might have eternal life through Jesus Christ.
___Mekru Bekele, pastor of Park Cities Ethiopian Baptist Fellowship in Dallas, said

ETHIOPIAN AND ERITREAN PASTORS meet together regularly to pray for their warring nations. Mekru Bekele (left) and Bedilo Yirga lead Ethiopian congregations. Pastors Soloman Beraki and Mesfun Abreham lead an Eritrean church.

Ethiopian and Eritrean Baptist pastors in Texas meet at least monthly to pray.
___"I don't think there would be any meeting between Ethiopians and Eritreans unless Christ was the center," he explained. "As Christians, we pray for these afflicted people living in these devastating conditions--both Ethiopians and Eritreans."
___The conditions for those living in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia are almost beyond comprehension, he said.
___The conflict in the region has worsened famine conditions that already plagued the area, because the prime farmlands are where the fighting is fiercest. Many farmers who still have possession of their land have seen their farm equipment and animals destroyed.
___So more people are going hungry, and more are dying.
___Many others have had their homes destroyed by explosions and now are being soaked in the winter rains of the area. This causes sickness in a region where many die for lack of the most basic of medicines.
___While these living conditions are not what anyone would want, Christians are working together to make those in the region receptive to the gospel, said Mesfun Abreham, associate pastor of Gospel Light Eritrean Church in Dallas.
___"There is an opening to preach the gospel because of the citizens' hard lives. The door has been opened to preach to everybody. Some people that you would have thought would have never wanted to hear now want to hear," he said. "This is a good time to help our people--not only with their physical needs, but their spiritual needs as well."
___The pastors said few in their congregations have any problems with their meeting together to pray.
___"Some unconverted or new Christians might have a problem, but the real Christians, the ones who really understand, they know we need to come together to pray because we don't have many gods, but one God," Abreham said.
___Abreham came to America about five years ago to escape being conscripted into the army of Eritrea.
___"When I came here, it was so bad because there were many young people being thrown into the army or jails, so I ran for my life," he said. "If you get a chance to run from that situation, you do."
___The pastors from both countries said Christians of Ethiopia and Eritrea used to get along well.
___Bekele and Pastor Soloman Beraki, senior pastor of Gospel Light Eritrean Church, have been friends for 30 years--the vast majority of that time in Africa.
___"Before the war, it was not unusual for an Eritrean pastor to preach the revival for an Ethiopian church, or for an Ethiopian pastor to preach in an Eritrean church," Bekele said. "Now that is not possible."
___The feelings of the Christians in the two nations have not changed, but travel between the two nations is impossible, he explained.
___So instead, Christians on both sides of the battle lines pray for each other, Bekele said. "Their unity is not hurt by politics or war, because their focus is on Christ.
___"Geographically they are separated, but spiritually they are one body," added Bedilu Yirga, pastor of Ethiopian Evangelical Baptist Church.
___Not all is perfect, the pastors admit, because some Christians have hardened their hearts during the war.
___"Since the war has begun, there are some who have developed hatred because of things that have happened," Abreham said.
___Bekele agreed. "It's hard to say people don't have any hatred, but Christians can always try to overlook the situation and look far away when the war is over and what we can then do as Christians."
___Despite the war, or perhaps because of it, the need is urgent for Christians to share the love of Christ among Eritreans and Ethiopians, Bekele said.
___"I have been a pastor for 30 years, and there has never been an opening for missions and revival as there is at this time," he said. "The gospel is so needed, and Baptists here need to see the opportunity and the need. It is an urgent call we are making to the Baptist church."
___Muslims have already started to make use of the opportunity, Yirga said.
___"The Islamic portion of the people was small, but it is growing higher and higher because they see the need and are feeding the people. The people are in such need their hearts are open to whoever will help them," he said.
___

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