Under the shade of a beautiful spreading tree in Gambella, Ethiopia, Mrs. Areit Philip gathered a group of Anywaa women from the presbyteries that make up the East Gambella Bethel Synod of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane (meh-kah-nee) Yesus (EECMY). She led the women through exercises and conversations that led to identifying many of the strengths they found in the community as well as many of the challenges and needs. That was day one of the workshop. By the end of the week, they would begin to build a plan to use their strengths to work towards managing their challenges.

Many of the rural villages (kebeles) in the fertile central highlands of the Shewa region are not accessible by car or truck – the only option is to trek for hours by foot or horse. The Oromo people in these villages are mainly Muslims or practice Waaqeffanna (an Oromo traditional belief system). For the past several years, Reverend Teferi Berkassa has led a team of evangelists attempting to reach the Oromo people in these far-flung villages. Evangelists pack all their belongings on horse-drawn carts and trudge miles on dirt paths to reach a village.

For many years, The Outreach Foundation has worked with partners in western Ethiopia in six United Nations refugee camps. Hundreds of thousands of refugees remain in the camps. Through partnership with U.S. churches and donors, we have been blessed to minister to and provide hope through trauma healing, Bibles in the Nuer language, and Christian education. A retired Outreach consultant recently traveled to Ethiopia and was given permission to visit several camps. He was hosted by the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) West Gambella Synod. Here are excerpts from the report:

For several years the West Gambella Bethel Synod President, Rev. James Gadet Tang, has requested help from donor partners to raise funds to replace their aging vehicle. Their vehicle was purchased in 2006 and has completed nearly 500,000 kilometers (more than 300,000 miles).

In June, I met an incredible doctor by the name of Thomas Donguande in Juba, South Sudan. Dr. Donguande was born in Africa and has spent a great deal of life in Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda. For the last several years he has served as a general practice medical doctor in South Sudan.