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The Voice of the Martyrs learned late last week of another recent attack on evangelical Christians in Ethiopia. On March 12, the homes of 11 evangelical Christians were burned to the ground by a hostile mob in the town of Deneba, 150 kilometers northeast of Addis Ababa. About 26 believers including children are now displaced and in need of emergency assistance. VOM visited this town late last year and witnessed the deep poverty and persecution facing of many of the believers there, which, with this event, has been exacerbated. As is usual in Ethiopia, government officials have taken no measures to protect them and bring the persecutors to justice.

Evangelicals, although they make up approximately 20% of the country's population (Operation World), rarely enjoy the same legal rights and protection as Orthodox and Muslim Ethiopians, especially in the rural areas. The Voice of the Martyrs is looking to assist these families through their Families of Martyrs Fund (donations can be made securely online at https://www.vomcanada.com/donation.htm. Be sure to designate your gift to the Families of Martyrs Fund).

Please remember the plight of the evangelical church in Ethiopia as they face acts of violence at the hands of religious leaders who believe that they are doing God's will by attacking them.

Evangelical church leaders Kiros Meles and Abebayeh Desalegn were released from prison on March 7 after being jailed without charges for 10 months in the northern Ethiopian town of Maychew. According to a report by Compass Direct, the magistrate found no basis for the charges, calling their imprisonment "a shame."

The men were arrested after a riot in April 2002 in which an Ethiopian Orthodox man was killed. The local police accused the two evangelical leaders, even though the shot came from the local police chief's gun and an off-duty police officer was also jailed. Local Christians are skeptical that charges will ever be laid against the police officer.

Join with us in thanking God that these men have been released. Pray for Ethiopian Christians as they face opposition. 

On Sunday, December 29, a mob attacked a crusade in Mekelle, Ethiopia, killing two and injuring many others. According to a source for The Voice of the Martyrs, a crusade organized by the Ethiopian Full Gospel Church was in its final day when a mob of Ethiopian Orthodox militants attacked. Mekelle is the capital of the state of Tigray in northern Ethiopia. The state is strongly Ethiopian Orthodox and has often seen persecution against evangelicals. According to the Ethiopian source, there were at least twelve serious attacks against evangelical Christians in Ethiopia in 2002. Societal discrimination, individual physical assaults, and a denial of police protection are commonplace, particularly in rural areas.

Pray for those suffering at the hands of those who often feel that they are doing a service for God by persecuting evangelicals (John 16:2). Pray for the attackers, that they might see and experience the love and peace of Christ in their lives through the lives of those whom they are persecuting. The February 2003 edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter will focus on the plight and testimonies of Christians in this east African nation. For more information or to receive a free subscription to this informative and inspirational monthly publication, go to our website at https://www.vomcanada.com/nlonline.htm.