In recent decades there has been amazing church growth in Ethiopia. Today there are over 16 million believers in this country compared to fewer than 200,000 in 1960. However, in an aggressive attempt convert people to Islam new mosques are springing up in different locations and bribes are offered to nominal Christians.

The good news is that many Muslims are coming to Christ. It is estimated that as many as 30,000 including some imams, have come to faith in the last three years. Tensions are running strong and even in the last month Ethiopian Muslims have wounded and killed Christian worshippers in village churches.

Our DPM representative in Ethiopia is pastor Yemane Endale. For over 35 years he has served as a teacher, preacher and evangelist despite being on the receiving end of persecution, even imprisonment during the Communist regime.

We began supplying Pastor Endale with Derek’s materials in the late 1970s, through our Global Outreach Leaders Programme when the distribution of Christian material was forbidden in Ethiopia. He was so richly blessed and encouraged by Derek’s teaching that when the opportunity arose he got involved in translating 10 of Derek’s books in Amharic for other pastors and believers.

In 2005 we established a small office and lending library to serve the Christian community in Ethiopia. To date thousands of copies of Faith to Live By, Blessing or Curse You Can Choose, Atonement, God’s Medicine Bottle, The Divine Exchange, Foundations for Christian Living and others are being used to disciple new believers and to bless and strengthen churches in this poor and troubled land.

In a recent phone conversation Yemane said:
“The situation in Ethiopia is very difficult at the moment. Inflation is very high, and the price of essential goods has risen by as much as 300%. Yet, despite these economic challenges we are seeing God at work, particularly among young people.

Derek’s books are being used in Ethiopia in a powerful way. I receive many testimonies of people's lives being transformed especially through the book They Shall Expel Demons. Even when there is no minister or pastor to help them, many are being set free as they read this book.

At the beginning of 2008, a 56 year old man in Addis Ababa was dramatically healed of abdominal cancer through reading the book Atonement. He had been suffering with the cancer for 3 years, and his healing has been attested by the doctors.

Another wonderful testimony I received recently is that of a 40 year old medical doctor who works in a military hospital. He was an alcoholic and drug addict for many years, and also suffered with stomach ulcers. He borrowed some books from the DPM lending library and he received deliverance and healing as a result of reading Blessing or Curse You Can Choose and They Shall Expel Demons. Now he introduces many people to the library and assists in the running of it.”

Your opportunity to resource Ethiopian believers today

Knowing that we can help Ethiopian pastors and believers to share the Good News in their communities motivates us to continue equipping them.

That is why right now we are aiming to raise £8,000 towards the printing of 20,000 copies of Derek’s books and an additional £1,500 annually for the operational costs of the lending library and the DPM office there.

• Population: 83 million (2nd most populous nation in Africa)
• Main languages: Amharic (spoken by 65%) also Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali
• Religions: Christian 65% (Orthodox 45%, Evangelical 10%, Charismatic 10%), Muslim 31%, other 4%
• Capital: Addis Ababa
• Life expectancy: 52 years (men), 54 years (women)
• HIV/AIDS: Up to 7% of the population affected and 2 million AIDS orphans.
• Almost 1 million Ethiopians died in the drought of the mid 1980s