For years it has been ACTS’ mission to bring light into the lives of those who do not know Jesus and to increase the wisdom of our Christian teachers and staff and other community believers. This has brought a significant number of non-believers into spiritual light and, through various projects, has helped the whole Woja village.
Now just for fun, let’s do a little exercise. Go over to your light switch and turn it off and then back on. For the first time ever, the same thing can be done in the Woja school rooms. The long-awaited solar project has been completed and the school rooms and surrounding area have a different kind of light!
What does this mean? Well for one, ACTS can now begin Bible classes and studies for adults in the evenings. Films like the Jesus Project, which has been translated into the Amharic language, can be shared with the community. The whole facility will be safer as the guards will be able to more closely monitor activity in and around the yard. And the school rooms will be more conducive for learning.
As the picture shows, some playground equipment has been added to the delight of the youngsters. Also, the children all received new “summer” ACTS t-shirts to wear during the upcoming off school season.
The civil war that has recently come to a partial cease fire cost the lives of some 340,000 civilians and 550,000 soldiers. Millions of people were displaced, and the agricultural production was severely interrupted. This has led to famine throughout much of Ethiopia. While ACTS has been able to secure the supplies needed to maintain the daily hot meal program, costs have risen sharply. Many of the rebels who were involved in the war have now taken to kidnapping as a way to make a living. Because of this ACTS has been forced to move our modest office from Woudy’s (who as you may remember is our partner and in country director) hometown of Adama into the capital, Addis Ababa. This allows him to take an alternate route to Woja somewhat minimizing his exposure to this danger. While this, too, has affected the budget, we celebrate that God has continued to have his hand of protection on Woudy and that the Kingdom continues to grow.
When the Cornells were in Ethiopia during their last visit, we met with a couple of men who very much want ACTS to become involved in their communities. Our goal is now to raise the funds necessary (an estimate of $100,000) to replicate the Woja success in another unreached (less than 2% believers) community. This has become slightly more complicated in that the Ethiopian government has created a new central Ethiopian regional agency. While we used to report to the Southern States region, we now must report to the new agency. Our contacts and positive relationships which have been fostered over the years have been lost and we must start over again with this group. A whole new five-year plan must be submitted outlining what, how, and why ACTS does what it does. The submission of the written plan will then be followed up by meetings and discussions. Please pray for a smooth transition to the new overseers of the Lord’s work in this region.
We cannot express enough how thankful that we are that you have chosen to continue to partner with ACTS in fulfilling God’s Great Commission. We are blessed to have a man like Woudy leading the ACTS efforts and teaching and mentoring other church leaders throughout the country. Please keep his safety and the wellbeing of the Woja kids in your prayers. And pray for peace in Ethiopia.
May God shine his light upon each and every one of you.
August 2024