Issue 325 IiI

Correspondence address:

Page 1 David Shillitoe: 5 Old Rectory Court ~ 61 Wood Street ~ Barnet ~ Hertfordshire EN5 4BL Issue 326

THE SAFETY LAMP

CELEBRATING THE WORK OF IMM IN

MINING COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD

Issue 326 April/May 2014

Reaching gold miners around Guji province,

south Ethiopia and expanding God’s kingdom.

‘Intensive gold mining promises big boost for

Ethiopia’s development’ So goes the headline in the newspaper.

In partnership with the Addis Kidan Baptist

Church since the year 2000, the International

Miners’ Mission is involved on a long-term

basis in helping spread the Good News of the

Kingdom of God to the many gold miners working

in Southern Ethiopia.

In the intervening years we have been rejoicing to

witness tremendous development and a ‘big

boost’ on the spiritual level amongst many of

these miners and their families.

Matthias Feurer (IMM

Switzerland), who is

working as a missionary

with Wycliffe Bible

Translators in Ethiopia,

kindly made a trip to the

area around Shakiso for

IMM and the following

are extracts from his

report:

Brother Kifle Shibre of the Addis Kidan Baptist

Church Head Office and I left Addis Ababa by

car for the gold mining area in Shakiso in the south

of the country, a journey that takes all day. Staying

overnight at Kibre Mengist, the nearest town, we

then drove on another hour the next morning to

Shakiso, site of the large Lega Dembi gold mine..

Shakiso Town has a population of about 35,000.

The Addis Kidan Baptist Church counts about 120

members. (IMM has been heavily involved in

helping finance and support this church). Pastor

Girma Hordofa has been living in Shakiso for more

than 27 years. Before he became a pastor he was a

gold digger. Asking him about the needs of the

church, he told me that they would be happy to

have an additional building with room for a

Kindergarten and offices. Pastor Girma is also

praying for a co-worker.

ETHIOPIA – ‘Thank you for the good heart you have

for these people’ Kifle Shibre

Kifle Shibre, Pastor Girma and co-ordinator Gobena

outside Shakiso church.

Addis Kidan church, Shakiso

Matthias Feurer and

Kifle Shibre

Page 2 visit IMM’s website at www.minersmission.com Issue 326

Along with Pastor Girma we then drive for an hour

further into the gold digging area. Passing the

entrance to the vast Lega Dembi gold mine complex

that employs many miners both in open pit and

underground workings, we arrive in the mining

community of Boro-Orbit. It is estimated that

around 6000 live in the town and surrounding

villages.

Boro-Orbit church is still young – but growing!

Last year the local congregation was able to

construct a simple church building. Some 35 people

are attending the services, but the vision of Pastor

Bereket and the elders is to take the Gospel to the

people. If funds permit they would like to buy the

adjacent ground for £200 – they have a plan for a

compassion programme and are trusting the Lord

Jesus to touch the lives of others by the power of His

Holy Spirit. They have faith to believe that the

membership will increase to 150 people – in one

year’s time!

Church roofing needed!

We would have liked to visit the church in

Haranfama, a town of some 10,000 inhabitants,

situated about 40 miles to the north of Kibre

Mengist. However lack of time meant that we could

not pull in a visit there during the trip. So it was nice

that Pastor Jeremias of the Addis Kidan Baptist

Church came to see us in Kibre Mengist. I had a

very encouraging talk with Pastor Jeremias.

Pastor Jeremias told me that he was not only

responsible for the church in Haranfama, but also for

the two daughter churches in Dida Guda and Tuta

Mata. The central church has about 50 members.

There he preaches in Amharic. In the two daughter

churches he preaches in the local Oromo language.

As he has no vehicle and there is no established

transport to these places, he visits them on foot!

Pastor Jeremias says his

ministry is to preach

Christ, to teach, and to

found new churches. To

make a living, he is also

farming. Asking him about

the needs of the churches,

he said that the two

daughter churches need

better roofs. They need

corrugated iron sheeting

for roofing, but the cost is

quite a challenge for the young believers. (approx.

£300 each roof).

On the way back to Addis Ababa in the car, I asked

Brother Kifle about the buildings and where funds

are most needed at the moment. He told me that, if

he had the money, he would buy roofing for the two

daughter churches of Haranfama (£300 each). He

would also like to help the church in Boro-Orbit buy

the adjacent land to allow the church to expand

(£200). Besides building, there is also a need for

new evangelists. The monthly salary of a new

evangelist is about £40! Kifle continually thanks

IMM for their faithful support.

Matthias Feurer concludes his report: Praise be to

God, the Almighty, our Lord and Saviour, who gave

us a safe, protected and successful journey!

Boro Orbit Church and some church members

Children of the miners run around everywhere!

Gold panning in the artisanal mining areas is carried out in

the same way as it always has been done – by hand.

Pastor Jeremias

Page 3 David’s email address: dshillitoe@minersmission.com Issue 326

ABEBE’S TESTIMONY

A young member of the church at

Boro-Orbit called Abebe told me

his testimony. In order to help his

needy family, 10 years ago at the

age of 18, Abebe arrived in Boro-

Orbit to dig for gold. To start

with, he only came during his long

school vacation in the rainy

season, but eventually he decided

to stay for good in the mining

community to support his family

better. The life of a gold digger is

very hard and dangerous.

Nevertheless the income he and

his family and his colleagues get

for selling the gold nuggets is

more than they get doing another

job. For a gram of gold they get

£25 which is equivalent to a

month’s salary of a waiter

working in a restaurant in Addis

Ababa, the capital. But on the

minus side, many finally pay a big

toll for their labour. Some get

severely hurt in accidents. Others

get sick from drinking alcohol or

living an immoral lifestyle.

Soon after starting to live and

work in the mining community

Abebe abandoned the faith of his

childhood and following his

father’s death he started to drink

heavily. One day he was

approached by some people from

the local Addis Kidan Baptist

Church. They invited him to their

meetings and Abebe followed their

invitation. He recommitted his life

to Jesus and the fellowship in

Boro-Orbit has become his new

family now.

Abebe (wearing blue jacket) and

friends working close to the church

seen loading a donkey with sacks of

earth which might contain gold.

Other gold diggers with sacks of

gold bearing earth. Behind them are

houses of Boro-Orbit.

Some 18 months have passed since the tragic

killing of 34 miners at the Marikana Platinum

mine. Rev. Patrick Langa, pastor of the Boitekong

church near Rustenburg, centre of the huge

platinum mining area, has been involved in

supporting the victims’ families.

Recently, along with IMM associate missionaries,

Rev. Pookkattu Paul and his wife Molly visited

Marikana, where a group of women have formed

a support group in the community to care and

comfort the widows and children.

SOUTH AFRICA – Ongoing ministry to victims’ families.

“We had the joy of visiting two

women, Wendy and Primrose. It

was a privilege to note Molly

Paul’s words of comfort and

counsel, giving encouragement to

them in their challenging lives.”

Rev. Dr. Pookkattu Paul

Issue 326 Page 4

Dear brothers and sisters!

I greet you in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ!

I continue to do the ministry here in Eastern

Ukraine entrusted to me by God, as the pastor of

the Artyomovsk Vozro Church. On top of this I

lead two small groups of believers and seekers

living at different ends of the town.

I am also continuing my ministry as evangelist at

the Chasov Yar rehabilitation centre for people with

alcoholic and drug dependency. Currently there are

some 20 people in residence. Please pray for the

Lord to free these people from the authority of the

devil.

We also continue to help and feed people at our

drop-in centre. Most have no homes and no food to

eat. We preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them

twice a week. Currently some 30 people come

along for a square meal.

We also have a ministry in the salt miner’s village

of Volodarskoe, which currently meets in a private

house. There is a regular attendance of some 10

adults and 12 children in the Sunday School. Please

pray that we may be able to establish a church

there.

Currently the economic situation is very difficult

here. So many businesses are closed down.

Recently my wife lost her job due to the crisis. To

find a job in this area is practically impossible right

now - nobody in my family is in employment.

With respect, thanks and our prayer for you.

Pastor Vasiliy.

“ UKRAINE - Please pray that the Lord will bring peace to

this troubled country and that bloodshed will be avoided”

Home Bible Study

As we remember in prayer the difficulties facing the people of

Ukraine, let us remember the crucial ministry and witness of the

Christians, particularly those working in the mining areas.

Rehab centre helpers and clients

Pastor Vasiliy preaching the gospel at the drop in centre.

Excited Sunday school children receive Christmas

presents from Samaritan’s Purse.

(Editor’s note: IMM have been able to supply emergency funds to pastor Vasiliy, but the need in the Ukraine is currently enormous. We like to support the Children’s Christian camps in the summer at a cost of £500.)