Sunday afternoons, 2:30 p.m.
 

Zerihun is a church planter and lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with his mother, four sisters and a brother. Little over two years ago, Zerihun called me and said, "Pastor Francis, there are few Mekane Yesus Lutherans in Sioux Fall who worship at an Ethiopian Baptist Church We do not have the opportunity to baptize our kids (now eight) nor do we have an educated pastor or good financial administration." He asked me to pray for them and help them find a Lutheran Church where they could worship as Lutherans, have their kids baptized and receive good instructions in the word of God. I asked how serious he was with his request. He said very serious and desperate. I said give me two weeks for study and prayer. Fast forward: After doing my homework regarding the group I made contacts with LCMS South District Mission Director who led me to LCMS pastors in Sioux Falls. Faith Lutheran Church after investigating the sincerity of their request offered to host the group by allowing them the use of their facilities for worship and other church related functions. On Labor Day, September 3, 2007, Zerihun invited my wife and me to join them in celebration of their two year ministry and expansion of their work. On arrival we found the "Little Flock" through the grace of God has extended its ministry to the immigrants from Rwanda, Burundi and Republic of Congo. Many people from these groups were worshipping with the Ethiopian community that day. Redeemer Lutheran Church of LCMS is now hosting this new group in Sioux Falls. God is good. Praise him for his wonderful care and protection.
 

2007 August 19

On August 1, 2007 one of our members, Wosene, invited us to come to her home for prayer. On the same day in preparation for the prayer I had come to church about an hour earlier. At 6:00pm, I was driving east bound on Franklin Street towards the home of Wosene when I found the street lights were not working and a medical ambulance with sirens on coming behind me. All the vehicles gave way when it turned left on Cedar. When I came to the home of Wosene I found they didn't have electricity. Wosene was expecting several of us to come to the prayer meeting at her home but it was only one called to say she was coming.

We decided to turn on the TV while waiting for others to come when we discovered the bridge over Mississippi of Highway I-35W north had collapsed taking an unknown number of people and vehicles with it in to mighty Mississippi. On that fateful night I tried to call as many members as possible to find out how they were doing. Here Feven's account of God's protection:

"Some days ago I found my car has been towed for violation. I came from my kiosk on Cedar and riverside and told my husband we need to declare three days of fasting and prayer because my feelings tells me that there is some demonic attack on our family that we need to rebuke so the Lord may protect our family. I don't think the issue of my car being towed away is an issue. I strongly believe that the Lord is calling us to prayer. My husband agreed and we fasted and prayed for three days. Rebuking the spirit of death and claiming the protection of the Lord against all evils trying to attack our family.
A day after our prayer and fasting my husband came from his work in Downtown Minneapolis and picked our two little kids from where I was working in my kiosk on the corner of Cedar and Riverside and was heading home to New Brighton on I-35W north few hundred meters before coming tot he bridge over Mississippi he decided to change route and took I-94 north. As soon as he arrived home he learned the bridge he was about to cross had just collapsed. Surely it was God almighty who called us to pray for protection and guidance. I glorify his name with my family. Pastor, do you see how God loves us and cares."

Addis Hewot Ministries Sunday worship program continues to serve the members. Five to eight members continue to meet every Saturday evening to study the book of Acts. The group reads the concerned chapter together, discusses it in the light of its experience and tries to draw lessons from the chapter. I am trying to help two new families who are struggling to find a Christian school for their children. I brought one family to the Trinity First Lutheran School principal. The young single mother told me Trinity First School is very far from where she lives and she may not be able to afford the school fee. Please pray for immigrant families who are struggling to find day care and appropriate schools for their children. There are new immigrants who I am helping who haven't found jobs that fits their situation. Please pray that the Lord, the source of all good things, may provide for these immigrants according to their needs.
 

Our Ministry was planning, preparing and praying for spiritual conference which took place from June 22-24, 2007. During the three days about 70 people came to worship, praise and be enlightened by the word of God. We believe our members were strengthened in their faith while three new comers were challenged to know more about Christ the savior of the world. We have contacts of the new people are are planning to be in touch within the coming days. Please pray that we may bring them close to Christ so that they may receive him as their personal savior.
 

With the help of God, Partners in Mission, LCMS Minnesota South District and Trinity First Lutheran Church Addis Hewot Ministries was able to open its door and start its Ministry on October 29, 2004. We want to take this occasion and thank the Lord for enabling us to be in ministry for the last thirty months with uninterrupted Sunday services since the start.

Looking back we can say several hundred individuals have been served with the Word of God through this young ministry. About 60 of them remain on our present registry. Of these about 25 attend our regular Sunday services while few attend weekly Bible study program. So far 2 infants have been baptized.

Ministry in the Twin Cities has become a challenge as people who are committed to stay in church have either to work on Sundays and Saturdays or even move to other States for better opportunities. Please pray for us so that the Lord may give a model that could fit the situations of the immigrants in transition as they try to find the best job and better States settle in. Please pray for our summer spiritual conference that new people may come to hear the Word and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.