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Dear Brethren
Report on Joshua's mission trip to Ethiopia
 | | Joshua comforting a widow in Ethiopia |
I want to deeply thank those of you who prayed for my visit to Ethiopia, and also those of you who were able to help with the costs of going and providing help for the orphans and widows. I am now back home in Miwani, Kenya, so grateful that my visit went so well and that the Lord God moved so mightily.
Ethiopia has a population of about 80 million people. The majority are Orthodox Christians and Muslims. The North is mainly Muslims and very dangerous indeed.
Many times we visited Muslim areas where I was not allowed to take pictures. We had to move with the General Secretary of the Evangelical Church Of The Brethren, pastor Bulgata, from door to door, ministering and leading souls to the Lord. We met a lot of resistance to the Lord, but also in some places the gospel was accepted. During this visit, 28 people were saved and 12 rededicated their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. I am so happy to say that these souls were left with a very trusted pastor and they agreed to rent a building where they will serve the Lord. I can say we planted one church in Ethiopia to the glory of Jesus Christ therefore, completing my visit to Ethiopia.
 | | Joshua and Ethiopian Pastor Bulgata visiting the home of a poor Christian widow and her daughter. |
Poverty is the breeding ground for the expansion of the Islamic faith in Ethiopia just like it is in Kenya and any other part of Africa. Muslims give food and other help to people and so this wins people to them. We greatly offset these efforts when we as Christians all come together to help our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering from poverty.
I saw a very big dump site with so many women gathered there busily picking up some trash. I asked why and was told widows and orphans go to the rubbish dump to find food to eat. They have no other way to get food. I was scared to eat in some of the houses I visited when I heard this story. We prayed with them, cried with them and shared the Lord with them. My heart cries for these widows and orphans.
 | | Joshua with Ethiopia Bible Christians worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ |
There is no way to measure the burden I felt for these widows and orphans. It was extreme. The Bible commands us to care, listen, visit, share, with widows and orphans and this is the joy of my heart. I shared whatever was in my hand to give and in my heart to give. Your gifts made it possible to share with our brethren. I gave 20 Bibles to the pastors who are struggling to preach the Gospel. One pastor's wife was very sick and I helped with her hospital bills.
I met with five pastors that really need our help to preach the Gospel. It takes $50 per month to help a church minister in Ethiopia. Please join with me in prayers for help for these laborers in our Savior's vineyard.
Thank you so much for your prayers, and support that enabled me to preach the gospel in Ethiopia, and to help our needy brethren.
 | | Joshua with Ethiopian children outside the church |
Brother and Pastor Joshua Atieno
Note from Court
Thank you for your prayers and support for this dear brother, Joshua Atieno. I have known Joshua for over 10 years and have visited his ministry several times. He now has a home and worship center for widows, an orphan home, and a resident school for high school girls. He has a working farm producing corn, sorgum, rice, and other products to help feed the children and many of the poor from the surrounding community. Many young men who would be forced to leave school after the 6th grade, are now able to stay in school, graduate from high school, and some are going on to college. Brother Joshua is accomplishing all this from his mission compound in remote central Kenya. He and his wife Abigael, stress high moral standards for the young people and they are becoming true saints and followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. | 
