AFRICAN RADIO MINISTRIES
November 2011


Great news from Ethiopia!

“The radio worship programs are winning souls for the Kingdom of God. May Almighty God bless you brothers and sisters who are dedicated to work with us in prayer and support. People are rejoicing in their salvation. They know that they are not alone. God bless you” (From Radio Pastor Asaye)

Nego wrote about how ARM has helped him, “I became discouraged and quit the university two times. Sickness and failure is common in our family. [I returned] but was in great fear and trouble when I met the Christian students listening to the ARM program. I heard God say to me, I sent my Son to save you. I asked, Who is the Son? And my friends told me about our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. I requested prayer and now am healed. Before I could not pass the exam but God opened my mind and I passed.”

Pastor Asaye writes that, “Now Nego is joyful and enjoying the University. Many students are surprised at his new demeanor. He is preaching to his family out in the village where they are now listening and worshipping God with ARM.”



Ethiopian prisoners are praising God.





He adds, “You in America must hear this because your efforts and prayers are redeeming many from the bondage of sin and judgement like Nego the university student. He now has a great attachment to ARM. Thanks to God for His mighty works!”

In the month of October the Ethiopian office received about four hundred and fifty letters and roughly five hundred cell phone calls from listeners. They express thanks to God and ask for Christian materials. Many requests are from the prisons and evangelist Demeke visits them to bring Bibles, Catechisms and tracts. He also brings clothes and blankets. Most importantly he preaches and teaches baptism classes for these very grateful people.



Your co-workers in the harvest,




Donations are needed and can be sent to :

African Radio Ministries
Missionary Gary Thies
40716 Hwy E16
Mapleton, IA 51034




Financial policy: All donations are sent
overseas. US costs are paid separately
by volunteers

AFRICAN RADIO MINISTRY NEWS
August 2010

Subject: Report from ARM's Trip in Lofa County

dear Rev. D,

Many greetings to you from me in Foya, Lofa County.

    I am in Lofa County visiting our churches, training leaders and doing evangelism. I been here August 3, 2010. The trip had been a rewarding and a joyful one. During the trip, I got the chance to visit the village that I was arrested and tortured by rebel fighters in 1990. It was a joy and a release from my hearts with the huge hurgs that I received from of the christians who supported my arrest and torture. And this was a freedom in my heart. And I know this that where there is freedom there is forgiveness. And when I was asked in there Sunday service, I preached from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians; where Paul said, "When anyone is join to Christ, he is a new being---" (2Cor.5:17-19 TEV). And when the Christians heard this they were released of many guilts from there hearts, and smiles were seen in their faces. Many others received Christ thqt day as their Lord and Savior.

    Another rewarding news is about Madam Lusu Sowah, the lady whose story we shared with you last year, who attended the Bible Study classes that I led at the small congregation in Monrovia, King of Kings. She believed the gospel and accepted to be baptized. But she could not do it in Monrovia because she told me, "I will go back home and share this new faith with my husband, oldman Saa Sowah. like Andrew, madam Lusu came back home to her village of KORLUMA, and shared her new faith with her husband and three children. They believed and got baptized. They are "New Born Again" from the religion that held them in bondage of cash and animals contributions they had to go through in order to earn salvation- A so-called deliverance church, Church of the Lord Aladura. Jesus said, "I have come to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10). Again He said, "Come to Me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

    The leaders of the church of Foya assisted me a lot in the area of transportion to the villages that I am visiting. Many thanks to Rev. Ezekiel Saah, Pastors Bengu and Kangolomba, for helping with their motorcycles. I will be making my last visit this Sunday to another Clan, than return to Monrovia from 31st, August. Travel takes two to three days, because of bad roads. GLORY BE TO GOD FOR THE TRIPS. Every other day that I witness, about 150-200 people heard the Good News and received Jesus as Lord and Savior.

In His Service,

Nat Taylor, African Radio Ministries pastor



AFRICAN RADIO MINISTRY NEWS
Christmas 2009

   Rejoice in the Lord always !! God has faithfully provided everything needed to bring the Christmas message to the tough places in Africa – truly the ends of the earth. He has brought together godly African preachers like Rev. Asaye and He has enlisted faithful prayer and financial partners like you. He has moved in the hearts of listeners who worship Him around the radio. Letters from listeners all over Africa and the Middle East declare God’s faithfulness :

   Gorfnesh from Yemen writes to tell us, “I am an Ethiopian living and working in the Arab country of Yemen living with my sister. ARM is our church because it is not easy to find a church here. Me and my sister worship God through African Radio Ministry services. Pray that God would give us strength to tell the Good News for Arab people. All things are possible with God. Thank you.” A Muslim convert said, “If only you could be a Muslim for one week then you would appreciate the riches that you have in Jesus.” Pray for Gorfnesh and her sister as they share the redeeming Christmas story in a hostile place.

   Beriso, a shepherd from the north of Ethiopia, writes, “African Radio Ministry is my itinerant church. I am a nomad moving in search of grass and water from one place to another place. So ARM is providing me with the Word of God here where there are no saints gathering and no preacher. God bless you and thank you.”

   What examples these people are to us. Beriso does not complain of the poverty and drought. As a joyful Christian he remembers his spiritual riches in Christ and his eternal future. He lives in the command to “rejoice always.” Even though the grass is scant and the cattle are thin Beriso is rejoicing in God’s goodness. Now is a good time to pray for Beriso and for rain to come to Ethiopia. In some parts of the country people are only eating one meal every other day while others are starving. Church worker Taye wrote last week that, “most families eat turn by turn so that they do not die… This is the reality now in this country.”

   Missionary Claude Houge and Gary Thies are collecting funds to get food to some of the most vulnerable people right away. Kindly consider making a donation toward helping our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia. (If the Lord leads you to send a gift mark it “Food for Ethiopia.”)

Rev. John and Kathy Duitsman

Please send your gifts to: ARM
c/o Missionary Gary Thies
40716 Hwy E16
Mapleton, IA 51034

Financial Policy: All donations are sent overseas. U.S. costs are paid by volunteers.

AFRICAN RADIO MINISTRY NEWS OCTOBER 2008


Dear friends and partners in the Lord's work,

YOU HAVE A ROLE, A PART TO PLAY IN HISTORY !

"Please, please bring the Gospel Message to the Oromos too." These are the words of modern day reformer Getachew, a priest from the Ethiopian Coptic Church. He continues, " Our church has strayed from the true Gospel message of the Bible. Please use your Lutheran radio programs to bring us back to Jesus, the rightful center of the true faith."

Two years ago African Radio Ministries began broadcasting Biblical law/Gospel messages for the Coptic Church in the Amharic language. The response has been terrific with over six hundred letters from listeners coming in each month telling us how Christ has changed lives and families. In one famous monastery about four hundred monks and priests are listening as a group to the evening program. After the program they continue discussing the message as if it were a class right up to midnight.

Listeners write to ask that the programs be aired more often and that they be made longer. But the priority request from Priest Getachew is, "Please give us these worship and teaching services in the Oromo language also." There are about thirty million Oromo speakers. Some are Coptic believers and many are Muslim but almost all will listen to the Gospel message if it is broadcast in their own language. Radio is very important to Africans

Earlier this year Getachew and other reformers prepared a meal for our little delegation and presented gifts of cloth to express their thanks for the work that we (and you) have done. After the meal they made a heartfelt, touching appeal for the programs to be also broadcast in the Oromo language.



ARM FRIENDS VISIT ETHIOPIA


In January a delegation of six friends of the ministry took a first hand look at the people and communities that that are listening to the worship programs in Ethiopia.  They spoke with priests of the Coptic/Orthodox church and heard first hand that "Whoever calls upon the name of Mary will be saved."  Many of these people are believers but they need to focus on Jesus and salvation by faith in Him alone.  They also met with reformer priests who use ARM programs to reach their people with Christ centered Gospel messages.  To say thank you these priests and their friends prepared a special meal and a time o f thanksgiving for the blessing of the radio work.

The ARM group also met individuals and families that worship God in remote villages and in a prison where they were allowed to speak to some of the believers and hear directly from them how the radio has brought them hope and salvation in a difficult place.  They saw the prisoners weaving cotton on small hand made spinning wheels.  The maximum earnings for one month?  About one dollar!!  The prisoners requested Bibles to aid them in their study of how to live as followers of Jesus.  They were given a few Bibles but more are needed for the twenty prisons around the country.






I replied, "We are Lutherans, people of the Reformation. We will do our best to support programs in Oromo and to bring your great church back to Jesus and to faith in Him as the only way of salvation."

What an historic opportunity this is. It is as if Martin Luther himself is making this appeal. If one program per week were sent out to these thirty million people, it would have enormous impact and bring many into God's Kingdom.

Here are some of the basic costs to make their request a reality:

$5.00 for one Bible. Few Coptic members have a Bible and surprisingly many monks and even priests are without Bibles-- the Reformation needs the Word as its foundation.

$75 for producing, recording and mailing one program to the shortwave station in South Africa.

$217 for one half hour of air time to broadcast one program from the radio station in South Africa. Four, sometimes five, programs are aired each month.

Pray for these efforts and consider your part in bringing the Gospel to the Oromo people.

Support for these projects can be sent to:

ARM
C/O Gary Thies,
LCMS development coordinator
40718 Hwy E16
Mapleton, IA 51034

In Christ,
Rev. John and Kathy Duitsman






The group took many photos and made a DVD which tells the story of ARM's work in Ethiopia.  For a free copy call Rev. John Duitsman :  760-912-7888.

Those that made the trip were thankful for the opportunity to see what the Lord has done in that very interesting part of the world. The team:  Rev. John Duitsman,  Dr. Tilahun Mendedo, Decon Nick Derose, supporters Van and Timothy Duitsman, Teacher Andrea Davis.


Priests celebrating Christmas in Ethiopia

Jeff Johnson and Dave Brekebede visit Liberia
To read the full story Click Here