Voice of the Martyrs, 8 April 2021
The gospel was first brought to Ethiopia in the first century, but many Ethiopian Christians still face persecution today.
In southern Ethiopia, political unrest and the rise of an extreme branch of Islam among the Oromo people have resulted in attacks against Christians across the region.
Eastern Ethiopia has one of the largest Somali populations in the world, and Christians there are persecuted by both their communities and their families.
In northern Ethiopia, some Orthodox Christians persecute evangelical believers. Several majority-Muslim tribal groups throughout Ethiopia also persecute Christians.
Freedom of religion is guaranteed under Ethiopian law and the government generally protects the rights of Christians.
However, vestiges of Communist rule lead authorities to monitor the activities of churches and evangelical Christian organizations. Still, evangelical churches in Ethiopia continue to plant new churches and send missionaries to difficult areas.
When Muslims in eastern Ethiopia forced a small congregation out of the home used for meetings, they expected the Christian presence in their area to cease, but the number of believers has increased in the last year.
The church had no place to meet, and the believers were in great despair. However, with assistance from believers outside Ethiopia, the small church purchased a piece of land and built a worship space. Today, the church has grown from 58 people to more than 70.