Upcomming Events

IOI Jackson Awareness Banquet — May 1 & 2
Woodland Baptist Church, Jackson, Tennessee
at 6:30 each evening — Choose the night that is best for you.
Space is limited! Call Tina Varughese (731)616-3589 for reservations

Robin Mark — August 1 at TLC Church Cordova, TN
More information at www.ioiusa.org or (731)664-9960
Robin Mark — September 4 in Jackson, TN at 7:00
More information at www.ioiusa.org or (731)664-9960

Tangible Ministry to Families

by Stephen Kennedy
Missions Coordinator
Eden Maseresha has been supported through the True Light Childcare Project (formerly Repi Childcare) for the past few months. Eden, like three of the other supported children, lived in a home that was recently bulldozed down by the government. The reason for this tragic occurrence was the severe poverty that these families live in. Buying land in Ethiopia is very difficult and takes a lot of time and money. If they do not have the money to rent or to buy land from the government, many will build what they call “moon houses”. These houses are built overnight in areas of land which are condemned by the government (such as by the garbage dump or by a river bed). Eden’s family lived in one of these moon houses. Since they were there illegally, their home was finally pushed over.
Because of the lack of money, many families who go through losing their house in this way often go and build another moon house out of trash and wait for it to be demolished as well. Supporters in the States heard of these four families losing their homes and donated $75 USD for each family so that they can establish a more permanent home and not live is this cycle of fear. This money was sent to Ethiopia and Eden’s family, as well as the other three, will be getting aid from the church in a tangible demonstration of the love of Christ. This is what we do: demonstrate in deed and truth the love that our Lord has shown us.

Missionary Profile

Kifle Sheferawe

Evangelism/ Prayer
Addis Abeba, Ethiopia
Member Yehiwot Birhan Church

Speaks Amharic

When Kifle was younger he suffered from a severe sickness. This affliction caused Kifle to be unable to walk or care for himself in the most basic ways. Doctors were unable to find a treatment, so for four years Kifle suffered in this way. One day a believer came by to see Kifle and shared the gospel with him and then prayed for his healing. That day Kifle not only received physical healing but also faith in Christ Jesus. After his conversion, some of Kifle’s family and neighbors came to faith in Christ as well, but his father still remains very opposed to the gospel. This healing bore great testimony because Kifle’s family had tried everything they could. A great deal of money was spent on doctors and witchcraft with no results. Kifle said that the worst part was that “they were waiting on my death every day”.
In spite of the obvious work of the Lord, Kifle’s father despised the change that he saw in those who had become believers. Kifle’s father threw him out of their home before Kifle regained his strength and told him that he had to find his own place to live. Kifle still prays for his father’s salvation to this day.
A Christian family took Kifle in, and for the next few years he was living with different Christian families and growing in his walk with Christ. During this time he saw his fathers hard heart become even harder and all of the family suffered.
Kifle began doing ministry and was recognized by his local church as doing good work. Because of the financial difficulties in Ethiopia, they were unable to help with his practical needs. In November of 2002 Kifle became part of IOI and receives support so that he can do the ministry that he is called to without having to worry about his daily bread. Out of his support Kifle also supports his mother and family because his father is away for now and does not take care of his wife and children.
We recently received a letter from Kifle which was very encouraging. He said that the work in the church is going well and that he is seeing much fruit. The main difficulty is that he is practically unable to have any real relationship with his birth family. In this letter Kifle said that the family he now has with the other IOI missionaries and with his supporters is far greater than the blood family that he has lost. Kifle has never seen his supporters, but he has seen their tangible display of love to him, so he sees them as dear family members in Christ. What a joy to see the words of our Lord fulfilled as those who have lost mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters for the sake of Christ are given more in return.
Please pray for the blessings of the Lord on our brother’s work and that he might see his blood family become spiritual family.
By Stephen Kennedy
Missions Coordinator

Daughter Born

On January 25th Fekadu Assefa and his wife Dagim welcomed their daughter Yamlak as a gift from the Lord. Yamlak is healthy and a beautiful little girl. Fekadu told us that Yamlak means “belongs to the Lord” and together with his name (as the family name) her full name will mean “through the will (or providence) of God”.
Fekadu and Dagim were married in January 2007. Fekadu has been a dear friend and fellow laborer in the ministry for several years. The hope of Fekadu and his family is that they can help establish Sanctuary Village so that the church can be built up in Christ through good teaching and discipleship

Pray for Plans

by Patrick Beard
Executive Director

Man makes his plans, but God orders our days. Often times it is an exercise in futility to make plans. However, we do have many things on the schedule, and only time will tell what is from God.
We have banquets, mission trips, presentations and fundraisers planned for the coming months. In the midst of all the ministry duties we also have some big family events planned for the near future.
Stephen and Shelley expect their baby to be born around May 30th. Stephen is still in the process of raising his support so that he can work with IOI full-time. His needs will be even greater as his wife leaves her full-time nursing position to be a full-time mommy.
My daughter Lauren is scheduled for surgery on June 16th. It is hoped that this surgery will correct the malformation in her hips. The recovery should take six weeks, and the whole family is anxious about the dangers involved.
With all these plans and responsibilities Stephen and I could use all the prayer you could offer. Thank you in advance for your prayer support!

Come See the Harvest

By Stephen Kennedy
Missions Coordinator
There are many things that you should know about as supporters, but the medium is limited. So much has been going on in Ethiopia over the past few months. The childcare sponsorships have rendered amazing testimonies. The church has been growing like wildfire. Wells are being dug. Widows are receiving housing. Orphans are placed into homes and schools. The gospel is being proclaimed in the highways and byways. Brothers and sisters have experienced great joy and some great sorrow. There is a dream of sanctuary village that may be coming to pass soon. This is only the beginning.
Good news from a distant land does bring joy to the heart, but I cannot tell you how that joy pales in comparison to embracing these dear ones in person. As the church we rejoice to learn of Christ, but what we long for is to touch Him and to see Him face to face. We at IOI have seen how good it is to tell you about the work going on in Ethiopia, but when we see supporters observe the work first-hand, there is something deeper that takes place which pictures and stories cannot tell. I am a testimony of this. I went to Ethiopia over four years ago simply wanting to see what foreign missions looked like on the ground. There was no thought in my mind that such a love and passion for this work and these brothers and sisters would be born in my breast.
Truly not all are called to go and some are hindered, but for those who can and long to, this call goes out. Come and see the harvest. Their faces are beautiful. Their voices are many.
Over the next few months and years there will be more and more opportunities to go and see, so consider this possibility. Come for a short trip to embrace our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia.

Prayer for Ten-Time Multiplication

We have entered our tenth year as a ministry. Stephen Kennedy (IOI’s Mission Coordinator) and I have begun to pray a radical prayer and ask God to multiply the ministry of IOI ten times.
We really believe in what we are doing.
Asking God to increase the ministry by ten will not cost ten times as much.
Our budget last year was $161,260.31 which supported 25 children, 36 missionaries, mission trips and the administration Stateside. For just over three times as much financial support we could be doing ten times more ministry! This is possible because our costs Stateside would not increase very much.
We could be supporting 320 Ethiopian missionaries, 250 children, 30 Brazilian missionaries, build a discipleship training center in Ethiopia and administrate the mission for just over $500,000.00 per year. That is over 600 families for less than $830 per family per year!
Sanctuary Village Discipleship Training Center
The Church is growing quickly in Ethiopia and we see an urgent need for good training in the countryside churches. Many of the new churches that have been established in the past three years have leadership with little or no training in theology or Bible. I do not want my zeal to overshadow wisdom. There is no quick fix, but we do have a plan.

Our hope is to establish a training center called Sanctuary Village. The idea is to bring people from the countryside to live in a village much like their own village while they learn to grow their own food, learn a trade, study scripture, pray and practice ministry among the poor. In time we believe this ministry will be self-supporting, and need little assistance from us. It truly is an opportunity to invest in the future as we both give our brother a fish, and teach him how to fish.
I have begun to pray for partners in this task that will be willing to invest seven years of sowing to see a harvest that could last for many years to come. I am asking for help to raise an army of missionaries in Ethiopia who will be equipped for the days ahead.
I would love nothing more than to have invested the next seven years into hundreds of Ethiopians who are committed locally-supported disciplemakers. I believe this could happen.
Already we have witnessed ministers who no longer need our support and have directed their sponsorship to others. Over 50% of the churches we work with have begun to support their ministers. The support that has come from America has been a catalyst for change, and an encouragement to our poverty stricken brothers and sisters in Christ.

Beard Family Update

Thank you to everyone who continues to pray for and encourage my family! The past year has been filled with many changes and blessings.
We were blessed with a home that is handicapped accessible and it has made caring for Lauren easier in many ways.
Alice Calvery moved in with our family a few months ago after serving in Germany with the Brietenmoser family. Alice helps with Lauren in the mornings and often helps to tutor the other children in their studies.
Lana continues to struggle with health issues related to colitis, but she has also seen some improvement. Mornings tend to be the worst time of day for Lana, but having Alice around has been a real blessing. Even with her illness Lana continues to homeschool the kids and keep a warm home. On many Sunday evenings the house is filled with young people from the church.
Anna-Margaret is 16 now and working on getting her driver’s license. It seems like just yesterday that she was a toddler, and now she is looking at colleges. Anna is very interested in music and drama, and she has been working some as a teacher’s assistant.
Joy (age 12) is almost as tall as Anna-Margaret. She is becoming a good student, likes astronomy and her dramatic side is flourishing. Although she can be our most emotional child I am seeing God develop a sense of compassion for others through it as she responds to the suffering of others. She and Emma both look forward to soccer season.
Lauren (age 9) still suffers the effects of her disability, and she also continues to have seizures. However, she also continues to have a very joyful countenance, and is the first one to greeting the new day each morning. She is a blessing to our entire family. Lauren is scheduled for surgery in May. Her hips have not formed properly and it is necessary to form hip sockets to avoid future problems.
Kristin (age 9) is really into crafts and making things with her hands. She is a budding artist, and loves one-on-one conversations. Every day there is a new painting, picture or project that she is working on with precision. She also loves nothing more at bed time than to have her back scratched and talk about her day or her next art project.
Emma (age 8 in April) is not a baby anymore, which she reminds us of often. She is creative like her sisters and loves to tell jokes and stories. She observes the world around her and puts what she sees into words. She is very inquisitive and keeps us all on our toes and laughing.
Please do continue to pray for us as a family and for the ministry that we believe God has called us to.

Janaury Mission to Ethiopia

Each year it is our privilege to host a Bible conference in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. This year the teaching was done by both Ethiopian and Western teachers. Ecki Breitenmoser (SCFS missionary from Germany) and I were joined with Anthony Mathenia (a missionary from Christ Community Church of New Albany, Mississippi) and Douglas Merrick (an American missionary with Last Call Ministries of Shreveport). Mellese, Getachew, Getu, Kaleb and Negash were the Ethiopians who taught.
The theme of this year’s conference was “Holiness—the Fruit of the Spirit.” The topics covered were love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I honestly believe this was our best conference yet, and it was attended by most of the missionaries and spouses supported through IOI.
We also had the privilege of hosting a medical team, that was organized by John McNally (director of a partner ministry that works with local churches to meet needs), that visited with all the missionaries and families at the end of the conference.
My sister, Arlene Norton, also joined the team in Addis after spending a week in Mekele working with the Operation Rescue childcare program. She is making a video about her trip and the child sponsorship programs that are offered through IOI. She has a goal of gaining 100 sponsors for the orphans and at risk children in Ethiopia. If you would like a free copy of the video email info@ioiusa.org or call (731)664-9960.
It was a fruitful trip that ended sadly with the news of Amber Mathenia’s (wife of Anthony) death. Anthony and Amber had been volunteers with IOI before moving to Ethiopia as career missionaries sent by their local church. Amber was killed in an automobile accident just hours before Anthony returned from a trip to Ethiopia where he taught at two Bible conferences.