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.

2008 Bible Conference Funding Needed

We have planned a Bible conference for the indigenous missionary families in Ethiopia for January 2008. The expenses for this trip include renting a location for the conference, transportation to and from the location for all missionaries, food, materials, and medical supplies for family check ups. We are seeking funding for the conference and appreciate gifts of any size. For more information about what we will be doing or how you can help, call the IOI office or email Stephen.

Four Need Support

There are times when the Lord gives us the need for more supporters through bringing new missionaries. There are also times when new supporters are needed because some of those who have supported in the past discontinue their support. At this time we have both new missionaries and a couple who formerly had supporters.
Yerga Berta has been with IOI for almost seven years. He has a wife and two sons. He works in Addis Abeba doing evangelism and church planting. Kebebush Gudeta has been with IOI for almost four years and is a dear sister who is praying that God would give her a good husband. She works in Addis and in the countryside as an evangelist and has a wonderful prayer ministry. This brother and sister have been faithful ministers in Christ and are a true joy.
The other two who need support are new to IOI and working in regions that we have been praying that God would expand this work to.
The first is a Baptist congregation in the northern city of Mekele where the ORE childcare program is located. The pastor of this church is doing full time ministry but the congregation is not able to fully support him on their own.
The other church we would like to partner with is being planted in Debre Tisge which is about 40 kilometers northwest of Addis. This church was formerly opposed by many in the area. New laws in Ethiopia require local governments to give fair treatment to all religions. City officials were seeking to display their progressive thinking and gave the new congregation a plot of land approximately six acres in size which is a large lot in Ethiopia. The church planters involved have recently rented the house of a witchdoctor to use for a temporary meeting place. The church now needs support to be able to build on the land and have a full-time pastor.
You can support one of these missionary families for only $60.00 USD per month. If you are interested in supporting any of these ministries, please contact the IOI office. Please pray that God will provide supporters where there are needs for our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia.

Childcare Sponsorship

IOI has partnered with two childcare programs in Ethiopia: Operation Rescue in Mekele and the Repi Childcare Project in Addis. These two programs seek to take the poorest children and those who have lost their parents to a place where they and their families are able to have their basic needs provided for. The children in the programs are placed in school and receive weekly Bible lessons. Our hope is to care for the physical needs of the poor and orphaned as well as point them to Christ who alone can care for their spiritual needs.
Tom Spencer and Arlene Norton were at the recent IOI board meeting where they gave updates on the work in Ethiopia. Tom is the founder of Jabez Children’s Ministry, which is now the umbrella organization for the Repi Childcare project. Arlene is the new volunteer coordinator for IOI Child Sponsorship.
Recently we have learned that Habatamu, a child supported at Repi, and his whole family have received faith in Christ. They thank the Lord for this program where they heard the gospel and witnessed God’s love in action.
Thanks to the efforts of Arlene, forty new sponsors have recently joined with IOI to provide for children like Habatamu.
If you are interested in supporting a child at $20 per month, or if you would like more information, contact Arlene at (662)610-4056 or call the IOI office.

Missionary Profile - Fikadu

In 1970 Fikadu was born in a military compound. His parents divorced when he was only two. He was kidnapped by his father and taken to Addis. Life with his father and stepmother was very difficult.
At seven Fikadu began attending an Orthodox church and desired to enter the priesthood. Because of his stepmother he could not go to church. Seeking revenge against his stepmother, Fikadu began to learn witchcraft but it didn't work. Stopped twice from going down a path of his own choosing, he began to feel God’s leading.
When Fikadu was twelve he saw a vision of injera (Ethiopian bread) coming down from heaven for him to eat. Years later a cousin shared Christ with him, and he believed.
Fikadu was fifteen when his father died, and he began working as a laborer. After high-school he worked odd jobs for food. Soon Fikadu began serving the Lord full time although he did not receive any compensation. “Once all I had for an offering was a pencil, so I gave it to the Lord. I spent much time in prayer because of my needs and eventually IOI support became available,” Fikadu shared. Now Fikadu is physically and spiritually healthy. He praises the Lord for IOI’s support so that he has the food he needs. His extended family still does not support him but God has given him a family in the church and with the fellow ministers of IOI.
Fikadu has been working in children’s ministry for several years but recently he is spending the majority of his time church planting.
Fikadu works closely with Negash who has said, “He is my right hand man.” He has been very instrumental in starting at least half a dozen churches in the Oromo region and in Addis.
Fikadu finished Bible Theological School this summer and has proven to be an able teacher of Scripture. He said that he has been thankful for good teaching from IOI and has been using Dr. Padelford’s booklet “The Mystery of Christ” for teaching and discipleship.
Fikadu often works behind the scenes as a vital member of a church planting team. He has seen many come to Christ in the last two years. He is also thankful for the great peace that God has given him in the ministry.
Fikadu is 37 now and has been praying for a godly wife for many years. He asks that we join him in this prayer and also asks for prayer that he would do what God shows him to do with youth and in the countryside.
Fekadu is a member at Repi KHC, along with Negash and Matteous. He has been faithfully serving Christ for many years and has been with IOI since September 1999.

Orthodoxy & IOI

Over the past few years it has been a prayer that we could begin working more closely with Orthodox believers in Ethiopia. God has begun answering that prayer. On Patrick’s recent trip he and Negash met an Orthodox monk who is clearly a brother in Christ and knows the gospel proclaimed in scripture. Negash is meeting with this brother and encourages him to remain Orthodox. Our mission is to make disciples not to promote a particular denomination. Please pray that more doors open to work with Orthodox believers both in Ethiopia and here in the US.

Patrick's Paragraphs -- Making Progress

“Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
I John 5:5

A friend of mine recently said, “When we feel like we are making progress God will show us that we are not.”
On the surface this quote might seem a bit pessimistic, and imply that we cannot make progress as Christians. I have certainly witnessed this brother in Christ making progress for the better part of 20 years. He obviously does not feel like he has progressed much since his salvation, but his walk with Christ is identified by persistence despite his experience.
On the other hand, certainly there are those who feel that they have made progress in the faith. However, if they despise the Church, and have inflated thoughts of their own righteous deeds it might be evidence that they have not progressed as much as they think. In deed they may not know God at all.
One thing I see in common to most men that I admire is their humility and a almost constant feeling that they simply don’t measure up to God’s standards. Throughout history we read personal biographies of missionaries, ministers and saints who felt that they lacked much more than they had in the realm of spirituality. Indeed even Jesus tells a parable about a justified man who has humbled himself prostrate in prayer, while a pious Pharisee stands looking on in thankfulness that he is “not like” the sinful man on the floor.
As I turned 40 this past month, I have reflected on so much of my life that has been wasted, how little evidence that I see of the faith I proclaim. So much of experience seems to contradict the faith that I claim, yet I know that Jesus is the Way, Truth and Life. I believe by faith that Jesus is Lord and God has raised Him.
Watchman Nee said, “Faith follows truth and experience follows faith.” Our faith is based on what is not seen, otherwise it would not be called faith. Certainly we should see growing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in our lives. Good works should be our lifestyle. But, rather than looking to our experience, we look to Christ himself.
Do you love God? Do you love His Son? Do you love His Bride? If so, that is progress.