Ministry Among the Poor

Thanks to a generous gift from a Jackson church the Bible conference in Ethiopia held a special blessing for the ministers supported through IOI. In addition to each minister receiving gifts of special shirts and medicine the ministers also received a Christmas gift of 500 Birr (about $60 US). The missionaries also received the same amount to give away to neighbors or church members who are in desperate need.
The monetary gift was especially timely as food in Ethiopia has increased in cost almost 100% over the past two years. The inflation has been particularly hard on the poorest Ethiopians who were already strapped financially and often go days without eating.
“I have never seen God’s people begging for bread, but I have seen them go hungry,” Patrick said. At the last board meeting of IOI the Board was unanimous in their resolve to increase giving as much funding as possible to help alleviate the suffering of church members of associated churches, as well as using the Micah and Agemba Funds to minister mercy to the surrounding neighbors. “We want to reach people with the love of God by preaching the Gospel of grace and ministering God’s mercy through tangible benevolence. v