God is doing amazing work in the Ethiopian Free Methodist Church. Our church has 48 local churches within six districts, one of those being the Bita District. We have been planting churches in this area and now have 18 churches in this district.

The strategy we follow in our churches is that the responsibility of reaching the next village with the gospel is not the responsibility of a single person or a missionary; rather, it is the responsibility of all local church members. Accordingly, whether it is praying for the next village, spreading the gospel or planting the church, it is the responsibility of all members.

Based on this vision, the Beko local church believed it was their responsibility to reach the neighboring village of Qila with the gospel. All the members began to engage in prayer and evangelism at Qila village. At one point, while evangelizing, they came to the house of a “witch doctor.”

This sorcerer had been a healer for many years, but he was suddenly struck down with a severe illness and could not walk or move. So, after our members arrived in the village, they shared the gospel of Christ with him. They preached the good news and told him that if he turned to God and repented, he would receive eternal life, and his body would be healed.

The “witch doctor” received the good news with joy, and they prayed for his healing. His paralyzed leg moved, and his health recovered. With immense joy, he and his entire family came to Christ. He even gave one of the plots of land from his farm to build a church. The work of the Lord began in Qila with one single family. They started with a small hut and began regular worship. The Lord added to their number daily – those who were being saved – and the house was filled with new converts. Then, a better church building was constructed on the land given to them, and the light of Christ shone upon those around them. Many have believed and been baptized in water. Glory be to the Lord!