City of God
Often, the moment someone in these areas confesses Christ, he or she is cut-off from family and friends.
Converts find it overwhelming to remain Christians. Overnight, the basic necessities of life become hardships. One convert told me he would pray that the sun would not go down before he found a place to lay his head for the night. Because this is a daily burden, many converts return to their family and to their old ways. A study revealed that out of a hundred converts, seventy renounced Christ within a year because of the hardships they face.
These statistics were very disheartening, so we prayed how we might help solve this problem. The City of God was the answer to our prayer. With the help of God, we managed to begin this work that is coordinated with local churches. Thousands come to Jesus every day in Ethiopia, however, very little is done making disciples.
The City of God assists new converts through Christian love and support with basic needs such as food, shelter, and love, until they are established in the faith. The City of God is in two cities by the funds made available to us through your support. The City of God provides the new believer with discipleship training, Christian material, and worship times for about six months.
When our At-Risk kids graduate at 18 years of age, a few obtain scholarships, or receive special career opportunities (often to become pastors) which require additional temporary support. We also provide for mothers with children, who are exiled from their communities after they choose to become followers of Jesus. Recently, City of God work has exploded because of the huge numbers of WAR REFUGEES in Sudan and Uganda. Let us know if you wish to sponsor a bright young graduate, or one of our mothers with kids.
Kedija
CITY of GOD is not a place, but one of our ministries, rescuing those like Kedija. She was marked for death by her Muslim husband when she wouldn’t renounce Jesus as a young wife. CITY OF GOD rescued her and her baby twin boys. She is now a powerful evangelist, fluent three languages, including Arabic. She travels and ministers with our Team. One lunchtime, we asked her to share how she became a sold-out follower of Jesus at 11 years of age. She told us that she was in love with her teacher (a believer), though she didn’t know why. She simply couldn’t keep her eyes off her. The teacher sometimes threw chalk at her when she looked at the her face, instead of the chalkboard. When she moved to another grade, she didn’t have that teacher anymore, so she became friends with her daughter, doing whatever she could to get closer to her. People told her to stay away from that family, because they were Christians, and “they ate cats!” But instead, Kedija became more and more inseparable with this Christian teacher.
Finally, she asked for a Bible, and the teacher agreed, but giving her a lesson from the New Testament. When they got to John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth,” she wondered: Who is this? God? She went home that night with her Bible, and suddenly a great LIGHT came on. She felt enveloped in LIGHT, and as she slept, she shook so much that the bed shook, and her family came in, finding her body limp. She was unconscious for 9 hours.
Her “Muslim” family found the witchdoctor, who put charms around her neck, and prepared her body for burial. Meanwhile, Kedija experienced in a heavenly vision, seeing wonderful things not found on earth. She asked if this was her new home. Then after many visions, she woke up!
Her family was astonished! They were convinced she had died. Kedija couldn’t wait to rush to her teacher and ask to receive Jesus personally into her life. At that moment, a peace came over her that has never left. She now co-leads the local Board overseeing HOUSE OF HOPE for us, and shares that peace with our kids!
He went from being a Sheik to an evangelist and is now serving the Lord
City of God widow with babies now grown up and now a deaconess in the church
She lost her store when she became a believer - 1
She lost her store when she became a believer - 2
After 4 years with us, she graduated with her Bachelors degree, married a good Christian, and is now serving the Lord