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A Faithful Stand
As I
listened to Fikadu’s story, I thought of the early Apostles – how they were
faithful amidst persecution and how they saw God do amazing things in seemingly
impossible situations. I praised God
for Fikadu’s faithful stand for Christ in a land that was so hostile to his
witness.
Fikadu (*)
placed his faith in Christ one year ago through the witness of Negash (*). Negash is one of many Ethiopian church
planters that Sports Friends has trained to use sports as a way to build
relationships with youth and young adults through which God’s love and word can
be shared. Negash got to know Fikadu on
the soccer field and built a friendship with him that led to the opportunity to
share about Christ. Fikadu was one of the first people to follow Jesus in his
town which has historically been fiercely opposed to the Gospel. Negash, who lives in a nearby town, began to
disciple and mentor Fikadu and brought him to a Sports Friends conference to be
further trained as a sports minister.
Fikadu is now the main church planter in this town with continued
support from Negash and others who come to visit regularly.
During the
year that Fikadu has been a follower of Christ, he has faced much
opposition. His home is actually located
on the premises of a local mosque. There
is no way to enter his home other than walking across the mosque property. He is constantly harassed as he comes and
goes from his home. He cannot move to
another house as no one in the town will rent him a house because he is a Christian. Next door to the mosque is a school where
over 300 young men from across the region have come for religious training. Fikadu and many of us from Sports Friends
have been praying that one day this mosque and related school will be closed
and turned into a church where Christ is worshipped.
Fikadu has
involved over 75 youth and young adults from the town in his sports ministry
outreach. They love to come and play
soccer and volleyball. In fact, you can’t
keep them away! They will come and play
as many days as Fikadu will come and lead them.
Through relationships built on the sports field, 18 young men have come
to faith in Jesus. They secretly meet
for Bible study and discipleship with Fikadu.
The seeds of a new church are taking root in this hostile land!
Fikadu
shared with me that the 300 men from the local school had recently tried to
stone him to death. They attacked him
with many stones. He reflected, “How
could I have escaped? Even just one of
these men could have killed me. Surely
300 would kill me! But God allowed me to
escape. God delivered me!” As Fikadu shared his story of God’s
deliverance, I looked at the fresh scars on his face and his broken teeth where
he had been hit by stones. He was
humble, yet confident, as he went on to say, “I consider it a great privilege
to suffer for the name of Jesus. In
fact, God has used this attack to not only strengthen my own faith, but the
faith of the 18 new believers who worship Christ with me!”
Two weeks
after the attack on Fikadu, two men from the nearby school were killed in a
fight that broke out among the students.
The local government has since closed the school and sent the 300 men
back to their homes. Fikadu believes that God is in the process of answering
prayers that the mosque and school be closed and that one day a Christian church
would be in their place.
(*) –
Names changed
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