In June & July 2008 Iain and Michele Gunn spent four weeks conducting pastor/leadership conferences in Debre Zeit, approximately 45 minutes south of the capitol.  On our final day in Ethiopia, literally on the way to the airport to depart for the States, we were privileged to visit Kotebe Full Gospel Believers’ Church in Addis Ababa.  Our dear brother and friend Alayu Kebede serves on the leadership team there and made

 arrangements for what became a foundational meeting with Pastor Kaleab and Prophet Lemma, two of the associate pastors.  In addition to discussing our vision for establishing schools of ministry throughout Ethiopia, we also prayed together and experienced the Presence of the Holy Spirit in power.  A seed of love and compassion for these men and their calling was born in our hearts that day, and was echoed back in their prayers and support for our future plans. Although few communications passed between us in the ensuing year, these two precious men of God were often in our thoughts and prayers. We looked forward to the opportunity for Iain to meet with them again during his 2009 trip and renew our fellowship. 

   Two days before Iain’s departure in July of this year, we received an email from Alayu requesting prayer concerning the church.  They had just received notice from the landlord of the property where the church currently meets, asking them to vacate the property their body has used for years and find another location. As we lifted them in prayer, we had such a strong sense of peace that the Lord’s hand was in the timing of this apparent upset.  Iain’s trip was coinciding perfectly with a transition for this body of believers, and we soon discovered the reason.

   As he met with the church pastors the morning after his arrival, Iain shared what had been stirring in our spirits concerning their eviction. “Ask the people to give one birr [Ethiopian dollar] each as a seed toward the cost of the new property.  In this way, they will share in the victory and be able to feel the church truly is theirs as well.”    The leadership hadn’t yet figured out a way to communicate their dilemma to the congregation, and there wasn’t time to alert anyone to bring a special offering before the next service.

   But a few days later, during the Sunday morning meeting at Kotebe Full Gospel, the senior pastor explained the eviction to the body, then asked for the special offering to be received as Iain had suggested.  A large woven grass mat was spread on the altar, and the people began to walk forward, tossing their coins and bills in an ever-growing pile.  Without any advance notice to save or prepare, the men and women of Kotebe Full Gospel gave over 9,000 birr toward their new home!

   If that were not miraculous enough, the pastors have also located a parcel of land in a more active area of the city, complete with buildings and space for parking.  So a church which was established in 1996 with only 16 believers has begun the journey to owning land and buildings to accommodate the 1,000+ current attenders 

Will you pray about partnering with the people of Kotebe by making a donation so they can expand the vision that God has given to them.