Amidst attacks Ethiopian believer says glory to God

Desta* and her family were caught up in religious violence in their community of Qibet in central Ethiopia. Last September, tensions between the Christian and Muslim communities in the town gave way to violence. The tension began after the town heard reports of Muslim students experiencing difficulties in the area, which some believed were caused by a Christian. Muslim extremists decided to take matters into their own hands, and the tensions boiled over into violence that targeted both Orthodox and evangelical Christians.

Desta Alemu knows what it’s like to be hated and cast out for her faith in Jesus. After all, she has the ashes of her burned home and business to prove it.

During the conflict, more than 20 homes belonging to Christians were set on fire, and five Christian-owned businesses were vandalized and destroyed. Six Christians were physically attacked and taken to the hospital for medical attention.

The military was called in to help with the situation—but after they killed two extremists, the anger of the Islamic militants continued, leading to threats of more attacks against believers in Qibet.

In the light of these threats and the growing insecurity, more than 90 Christians fled. After two months of peace, Desta went back home with her 4 adult children.

“Fifteen days after we got back, there was a rumour about attacks happening again.” Thankfully, peace was restored after the government intervened.
 

Learn from Jesus

Desta’s heart was heavy—she worried how she would continue living with the people who attacked her, the same people who could attack her again. She didn’t know how to forgive and move past what happened.

Because of her ongoing anxiety and pain, Desta was one of the 20 people invited for Open Doors trauma care in February. After the trauma care, Desta says she has learned how to forgive and find hope in learning that Jesus passed through heaviness as well.

  “I’ve learned about humility, and how Jesus was also persecuted. I’ve learned that Christianity has been hated, and Jesus was also persecuted. Jesus was also hated, and He was also cast out. So, what I have learned is to befriend these people—having them as friends and telling them the gospel through my actions towards them.

“We need to know they won’t love us, but we need to live for them.”
 

Live for Jesus

Thankfully, the trauma care has helped Desta with her fears and to live for Jesus in spite of her difficult daily circumstances. “We are still living,” Desta says now. “Though we don’t have work, we have food and water, [and] we are still standing; in fact, I feel like God has given me a time of rest.”

  That kind of peace can only come from God. “In all of this, I sleep in peace because God knows how He is going to let me live,” she says. “We don’t know our tomorrow; we only know our today. God only knows our tomorrow, so He will let us live as He pleases! Glory to God!

“God wanted to grow us. That’s what I say when I think of this situation; God wanted to strengthen my faith, because He knows from where He has rescued me.”

Although Desta has been freed from hatred and worry, the reality remains that she lives in isolation and persecution. Please pray for Desta.

*Name changed for security purposes