Liberia & Ethiopia
In January, 2005 African Radio Ministries (ARM) began broadcasting weekly Lutheran worship programs in Africa. We are currently aimed at two regions.
- Liberia: programs are broadcast from five counties in seven dialects: Kissi, Kpelle, Krahn, Grebo, Mende, Loma and Liberian English.
- Ethiopia: programs are produced in the Addis Ababa office then broadcast from South Africa. They are offered in two languages, Amharic and Oromifa.
Ethiopian Prison MinistriesIt was a surprise to receive so many letters and calls from Ethiopian prisons, sometimes as many as two hundred in a single month. Prisoners request teaching, Bibles, baptism and prayer. To respond to this opportunity, ARM employed a full-time prison ministry coordinator, Rev Demeke Botamo, who encourages local congregations to visit and minister to prisoners. ARM supplies training, Bibles, transportation and prisoner relief aid.
Recently, Rev John Duitsman and Linda Kurtz recently took a field visit in Ethiopia. Rev. Demeke and Rev. Tamrat took the ARM delegation to see the baptism and confirmation event at Hossana Prison on May 24th. Forty-eight prisoners were confirmed and 14 were baptized. Another thirty-four were baptized later that week. ARM is involved at some level with thirty prisons. One of the highlights of the prison visits was when a prisoner gave the mission report stating that Hossana prisoners are fully supporting a missionary to a nearby area where two churches have been established. God be praised! |
An important feature of ARM which is attractive to donors is its policy to send 100% of all donations overseas. No donated funds are used for LCMS administration nor for any expenses in the U.S. All U.S. expenses and work are done and paid for by volunteers. Flights overseas are also paid by volunteers.
|