Gospelcrusade in Sodo, Ethiopia - February 2009

Dear Friends,

I returned the week before last from Sodo/Ethiopia. I want to thank every one very, very much, who made this crusade possible through prayer and giving. I arrived in Addis Abeba and we went as a team of 7 people to Sodo, 300 km southwest of the capital. My translator the technicians and singers came from the Assembly of God church in Addis Abeba. The church also helped us with the loudspeaker system. The crusade started on Thursday with about 2000 people and on Sunday afternoon we had about 12.000 people in the meeting. The people stayed for hours in the sun and listened very intently to the word of God. On Sunday one woman blind in one eye received her sight. A man totally deaf received his hearing and a woman testified that her tumor is gone. A number of people got delivered from evil spirits. One young man testified that he had mental problems for 2 years and after the prayer for the sick all his headaches and mental disturbances left him. There was great joy amongst the people and you could hear them singing as they went home from the crusade. People were saved, healed, delivered and filled with the Holy Spirit during the 4-day crusade. The pastors were very happy about the crusade and the team also said they would like to continue and do more crusades.

My translator opened the door for me to speak at the Assembly of God Bible College in Addis Abeba. I ministered there one morning during chapel time. The Holy Spirit helped me and gave me a word and started to move. I realized that without the Holy Spirit we are helpless and have nothing to give. Without the Holy Spirit the ministry is only mental, instead of spiritual. The same evening I ministered in a local church in Addis Abeba and the power of God was present to heal. Some got healed and were touched by the Holy Spirit.

I met again Pastor Tessema from Awassa. He is the president of the Evangelical Churches of Southern Ethiopia. About 15.000 churches belong to the ECFSE. Pastor Tessema thought that 12.000 people is a rather small crowd for a gospel crusade. In Africa they are used to different dimensions, but our budget was also rather small. Pastor Tessema will organize two crusades, one in September and one in October and the cost of both crusades will come to about $ 20.000 not including my airtravel, accommodation etc. I am believing God for this amount and trust that the money will be there in time. In June I am going for another crusade in the south, to Agre Mariyam. This crusades will cost another $ 5.000,-. Please agree with me that all the money will be there. Its harvest time and also Europe is getting ripe for harvest but it seems right now it’s Africas time. Ethiopia is very ripe for harvest. People are very open and receptive for the gospel.

In Addis Abeba I ministered to 90 street children one morning. Every morning these kids come for breakfast – they get 2 breadrolls, one banana and a cup of milk. These children live on the streets of Addis Abeba. They either have no parents or they left their homes. All of them prayed the sinners prayer and I ministered to each child and laid hands on every one. Those kids which accept Christ and show positive change are getting further help with accommodation and schooling. The boy on the photo lost his mother – his father he never knew – and now him and his sister lived on the streets. He got saved and wants to do something with his life now. He is attending school and is always the best student in class, as his report shows. Without the ministry of Hope Enterprise he would be condemned to live on the streets. Jesus makes something out of nothing. He turns a nobody into a somebody.

I met again Mrs. Worknesh Munie, the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. She is a bold woman of faith and helps elderly people who are begging on the streets of Addis Abeba. No one takes care of the old people. She has a big vision for a centre for homeless children and elderly people. The bible says that pure religion is to take care of orphans and widows and that’s what she is doing. Right now she cares for about 100 elderly people and the number is steadily increasing. I would like to help her with contacts here in Germany.

This is a small report of my trip to Ethiopia and I will go again beginning of June for another gospel crusade. I appreciate your support and prayers very, very much. May the Lord richly bless you and reward you.

Your brother in Christ!

Ekkehard Hornburg