As a young man, Pastor Ashebir Ketema was imprisoned for his faith in Ethiopia. For seven months, he endured beatings and attempted brainwashing by a communist government that was in power from 1974 to 1991.
That period of persecution strengthened the small community of evangelicals as they came together, supported each other, and gradually grew to nearly one-third of the nation’s population.
Now, 34 years after the oppression ended, the country’s capital just celebrated more than 4,000 commitments to Christ following the two-day Encountering God outreach with Franklin Graham.
“When we see such kind of events, that’s the hand of God. … To preach freely in this country, it’s because of the hand of God,” Ketema said.
Sunday, Franklin Graham looked out on the overflowing crowd of 320,000 in Meskel Square, pressed side by side and spilling out onto the street.
He shared the story of Zacchaeus, a rich, corrupt public official of short stature who was curious about Jesus Christ. As Jesus passed through Jericho, Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see over the crowd. Jesus called him down and visited with him in his home, ultimately leading Zacchaeus to repent and turn to the Lord.
“Maybe you feel like you’re little in the eyes of God,” Franklin Graham said. “I want you to know that your life is important—so important that God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, on a rescue mission for you. A rescue mission to cleanse you of the sin that is blocking you from coming to faith in Him. Jesus wants to come into your heart and stay—today.” —Franklin Graham
Moments later, Franklin Graham asked anyone wanting to commit their lives to Jesus Christ to raise their hands right where they were. Prayer counselors in neon vests combed the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd to get to those with raised hands, pray with them, and give them a Bible.
A widow in a long white and blue dress put her hand in the air, along with her daughter who stood beside her wide-eyed 5-year-old son. Together, they spoke to Yeshi, a prayer volunteer who had invited them to the event.
Yeshi and the grandmother work for the same cleaning service, and Yeshi was thrilled that the widow and her daughter responded to the Good News with a decision to surrender their lives to Christ. Now Yeshi will help connect them to a Bible-based church.
Seneshat Teka, who serves with Ketema on the Ethiopian Council of Gospel Believers’ Churches—the organization that invited Franklin Graham to come—said most Ethiopians have some kind of religious belief, but with a heavy emphasis on tradition, rules, and non-Biblical doctrine.
Evangelical pastors are pulled in many directions, she explained, and can get distracted from the main goal: sharing the Gospel.
“We must stay focused on our calling … on the preaching and teaching of the Word of God,” she said.
It was the power of God’s Word that moved 22-year-old Yisak, as the sun set behind Meskel Square.
After hearing about the Encountering God outreach on TV, Yisak walked to the event on Sunday. He identified with the Bible story of Zacchaeus and took Franklin Graham’s message of forgiveness to heart.
“I want to be forgiven,” he said, standing next to two older friends who rededicated their lives to Christ. Like many others in the crowd, Yisak held on tightly to his new Bible and said he wants to live for Jesus and serve Him.
Nagsi, who lives in the northern part of Ethiopia, took a two-and-a-half-hour bus ride home after Saturday’s event and returned on Sunday with two friends.
When he shares his age, he says he’s “5 years old,” describing how long it’s been since he began his life with Christ.
Years ago, he’d fallen into a lifestyle of drinking and drugs and couldn’t fall asleep without alcohol. He works in the tourism business and one day met a client—and former gangster—who shared his testimony with Nagsi.
“He gave me hope,” he said, recalling how his client told him about Jesus and invited him to church.
Nagsi accepted the invitation and started reading the Bible.
Slowly, he gave up drinking and drugs, though he’s lost some friends to addiction. Now he wants others to know the same freedom he found in Christ.
“My dream is to tell people about Jesus,” he said, adding that he listens to old clips of Billy Graham’s preaching.
He left day two of Encountering God refreshed in his faith and spurred on in the work of evangelism.
“It’s a good opportunity for my country to see this historical event,” Nagsi said. “It was wonderful and it’s a good motivation for others to preach about Jesus.”
Read more stories of lives impacted by Christ on Saturday, and please pray for all new believers to grow strong in their faith as they get connected to local churches.
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