https://m127.org/blog/
Monday, June 27, 2016
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Enough to Eat
Meet Olana. He is married to Tadelu and they have two beautiful daughters still living at home with them, Mabirat and Obse.
Olana rounded up some of his neighbors to help him build a little one room house made of sticks and mud for his family to live in, way out in the Western part of Ethiopia near Dembidollo.
Olana has dangerously high blood pressure which means he often cannot work and is in and out of the hospital. The effects of many years of malnutrition have left Tadelu very weak. Thankfully, the girls are going to school - Mabirat is 18 years old in the 9th grade and Obse is 14 and attends 7th grade. These two walk a great distance each day to get water from the river as their house has no running water - or electricity for that matter.
We are seeking a sponsor for this family, assuring them of enough food to eat each day. Imagine that... only $50/month to meet this most basic of needs. Your help will be received with so much gratitude!
To sponsor Olana and Tadelu, or another family in similar need, please visit our website here. THANK YOU for partnering with us in feeding the poor!
Olana rounded up some of his neighbors to help him build a little one room house made of sticks and mud for his family to live in, way out in the Western part of Ethiopia near Dembidollo.
Olana has dangerously high blood pressure which means he often cannot work and is in and out of the hospital. The effects of many years of malnutrition have left Tadelu very weak. Thankfully, the girls are going to school - Mabirat is 18 years old in the 9th grade and Obse is 14 and attends 7th grade. These two walk a great distance each day to get water from the river as their house has no running water - or electricity for that matter.
We are seeking a sponsor for this family, assuring them of enough food to eat each day. Imagine that... only $50/month to meet this most basic of needs. Your help will be received with so much gratitude!
To sponsor Olana and Tadelu, or another family in similar need, please visit our website here. THANK YOU for partnering with us in feeding the poor!
Monday, May 2, 2016
Relationships Build Churches
by Joy Casey
Mission 1:27 supports indigenous, same-culture missionaries in thirteen villages throughout Ethiopia. The men serving come from M*slim backgrounds and are tireless in sharing the good news. The villages are patriarchal tribal communities and family and community relationships are highly valued. The villages have no books or libraries, no internet, few cell phones, no electricity and no place to go, so social outlets involve each other.
received
Jesus framed the first mission very simply… “The one who receives you receives Me.” It was more critical that His messengers were received than believed. The gospel has always been more than a message; it is an introduction to life under Christ’s lordship. When His messengers have connected with others in significant relationships, Christ can be introduced in powerful ways. (Perspectives)
Because we are working in tribal societies, the key to sharing the gospel is forging personal relationships. Same-culture missionaries purposefully move to a village where Christianity has never been presented in truth and love and where less than 1% of the population are Christ-followers. Several villages boasted zero Christ-followers until the missionary moved there. They begin integrating their families into village life by inviting neighbors over for traditional coffee ceremony and helping neighbors with projects. The women visit and lend a hand with chores such as hauling water. They build friendships by sharing in the day-to-day life of procuring and preparing food and caring for children.
The evangelist will find a person of peace and, after building a friendship relationship, will begin talking to him about what the Q*ran says about Isa. A dialogue using the familiar Q*ranic “voice” breaks down barriers and biblical truth can then be sensitively introduced. If the person of peace is an influential man in the community, it is doubly good if he accepts Christ. Because of the group mentality of the people, a leader can impact his family and neighbors and can more easily win over groups of people.
When someone shows interest in learning more about Jesus, there are several booklets available to confirm initial conversations and to give more in-depth information. One is a discipleship book called Following Jesus and the others explain the origins and contradictions of the M*slim religion and M*hammad along with a testimony of a M*slim man who came to Christ. There is also the Jesus film available in their language, and battery-run projectors can be made available to show the film, which is very effective. Because illiteracy runs high, solar-powered audio bibles are available in every church plant and can be listened to individually with ear buds or groups can hear God’s word spoken through the amazingly good speakers.
When a person or a family group comes to know the Lord, personal discipleship is essential. The evangelist initiates prayer times and holds Bible studies for all the new Christians and has the great privilege of baptizing them in a nearby lake. In the smaller villages, converts meet in each other’s homes until they outgrow the available room. In M*slim-dominated areas the recent climate has become much more intolerant of allowing Christian churches to be built anywhere. To solve this problem, converts in the outlying areas are donating their own land as a place to build a center for worship when they outgrow the house church. Leaders from the converts are selected for special teaching and taught strategies to reach their people. The results are spectacular in some settings and agonizingly slow in others. When it is impossible to create a central worship center, house churches begat house churches and the church is multiplied in this way. It is not ideal, though, because corporate worship and Bible teaching is effective in this culture to build community and also to offer group encouragement when converts are initially ostracized or experience overt persecution. However, the new Christ-followers remain in their village and eventually find acceptance as before.
In a few days I leave for Ethiopia and will be visiting many of the church plants. I am especially eager to visit one town where 250 villagers have decided to follow Jesus and two generous donors have provided for a church to be built. In another area, family groups are coming to the Lord and they are receiving in-depth instruction for one week followed by baptism. They are then sent back to their homes with Jesus’ instructions, “Make disciples.” We are hoping to experience spontaneous multiplication of churches as these individuals reach out to their extended family and neighbors. We are working in areas where we are wonderfully over our head and anything that is accomplished for the kingdom is because of the Holy Spirit in partnership with obedient people. It is an exciting time!
If you would like to help us in reaching many more people with the Truth of the Jesus Christ, you can donate to support his work here.
Mission 1:27 supports indigenous, same-culture missionaries in thirteen villages throughout Ethiopia. The men serving come from M*slim backgrounds and are tireless in sharing the good news. The villages are patriarchal tribal communities and family and community relationships are highly valued. The villages have no books or libraries, no internet, few cell phones, no electricity and no place to go, so social outlets involve each other.
received
Jesus framed the first mission very simply… “The one who receives you receives Me.” It was more critical that His messengers were received than believed. The gospel has always been more than a message; it is an introduction to life under Christ’s lordship. When His messengers have connected with others in significant relationships, Christ can be introduced in powerful ways. (Perspectives)
Because we are working in tribal societies, the key to sharing the gospel is forging personal relationships. Same-culture missionaries purposefully move to a village where Christianity has never been presented in truth and love and where less than 1% of the population are Christ-followers. Several villages boasted zero Christ-followers until the missionary moved there. They begin integrating their families into village life by inviting neighbors over for traditional coffee ceremony and helping neighbors with projects. The women visit and lend a hand with chores such as hauling water. They build friendships by sharing in the day-to-day life of procuring and preparing food and caring for children.
The evangelist will find a person of peace and, after building a friendship relationship, will begin talking to him about what the Q*ran says about Isa. A dialogue using the familiar Q*ranic “voice” breaks down barriers and biblical truth can then be sensitively introduced. If the person of peace is an influential man in the community, it is doubly good if he accepts Christ. Because of the group mentality of the people, a leader can impact his family and neighbors and can more easily win over groups of people.
When someone shows interest in learning more about Jesus, there are several booklets available to confirm initial conversations and to give more in-depth information. One is a discipleship book called Following Jesus and the others explain the origins and contradictions of the M*slim religion and M*hammad along with a testimony of a M*slim man who came to Christ. There is also the Jesus film available in their language, and battery-run projectors can be made available to show the film, which is very effective. Because illiteracy runs high, solar-powered audio bibles are available in every church plant and can be listened to individually with ear buds or groups can hear God’s word spoken through the amazingly good speakers.
When a person or a family group comes to know the Lord, personal discipleship is essential. The evangelist initiates prayer times and holds Bible studies for all the new Christians and has the great privilege of baptizing them in a nearby lake. In the smaller villages, converts meet in each other’s homes until they outgrow the available room. In M*slim-dominated areas the recent climate has become much more intolerant of allowing Christian churches to be built anywhere. To solve this problem, converts in the outlying areas are donating their own land as a place to build a center for worship when they outgrow the house church. Leaders from the converts are selected for special teaching and taught strategies to reach their people. The results are spectacular in some settings and agonizingly slow in others. When it is impossible to create a central worship center, house churches begat house churches and the church is multiplied in this way. It is not ideal, though, because corporate worship and Bible teaching is effective in this culture to build community and also to offer group encouragement when converts are initially ostracized or experience overt persecution. However, the new Christ-followers remain in their village and eventually find acceptance as before.
In a few days I leave for Ethiopia and will be visiting many of the church plants. I am especially eager to visit one town where 250 villagers have decided to follow Jesus and two generous donors have provided for a church to be built. In another area, family groups are coming to the Lord and they are receiving in-depth instruction for one week followed by baptism. They are then sent back to their homes with Jesus’ instructions, “Make disciples.” We are hoping to experience spontaneous multiplication of churches as these individuals reach out to their extended family and neighbors. We are working in areas where we are wonderfully over our head and anything that is accomplished for the kingdom is because of the Holy Spirit in partnership with obedient people. It is an exciting time!
If you would like to help us in reaching many more people with the Truth of the Jesus Christ, you can donate to support his work here.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Melkam Fasika!
Today is Easter Sunday in Ethiopia - called Fasika in Amharic - celebrating the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead. During the 56 days of Lent in Ethiopia, Orthodox Christians don't eat or buy any animal products. On Palm Sunday, people wear head bands and rings made of palm leaves with crosses marked on them.
The first Easter Orthodox church service actually starts at 8.00pm on Easter Saturday night and lasts until 3.00 am on Easter Sunday morning! Most people go to the whole service and wear their best clothes. These are often white and are called 'Yabesha Libs'.
After Easter services in all Christian churches, people go back to their homes for a breakfast to celebrate the end of Lent with a bread or dabo. It is traditional that the bread is cut by a priest or by the head man in the family.
The main Easter meal is eaten in the afternoon. The meal normally consists of injera and, for those who can afford it, it is eaten with a mutton or lamb stew called 'beg wot'.
We know that our staff in Ethiopia are celebrating Christ’s resurrection on this Sunday and we wish them and you a very blessed Resurrection Day!
The first Easter Orthodox church service actually starts at 8.00pm on Easter Saturday night and lasts until 3.00 am on Easter Sunday morning! Most people go to the whole service and wear their best clothes. These are often white and are called 'Yabesha Libs'.
After Easter services in all Christian churches, people go back to their homes for a breakfast to celebrate the end of Lent with a bread or dabo. It is traditional that the bread is cut by a priest or by the head man in the family.
The main Easter meal is eaten in the afternoon. The meal normally consists of injera and, for those who can afford it, it is eaten with a mutton or lamb stew called 'beg wot'.
We know that our staff in Ethiopia are celebrating Christ’s resurrection on this Sunday and we wish them and you a very blessed Resurrection Day!
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
The 'John Deere' of Dembidollo
Originally posted November 2014
Dembidollo is a rural area in Ethiopia where most people make a living by farming or raising livestock. Three very poor families were given a pair of oxen to cultivate their land, resulting in successful harvests that have set them on the path of self-sufficiency.
Mikiyas, his brother, two sisters plus two children live together in one room on a lush piece of property in the countryside that they could not farm because they did not have oxen. Their poverty was deep. The walls of their house were just sticks that let in the wind and the rain, and they all slept under tarps on the dirt floor. Mikiyas and his brother wanted desperately to improve their situation and provide for their sisters, niece and nephew but their earning power was low and without oxen, their property was worthless.
A year-and-a-half ago the couple who “adopted” this family raised $700 to buy a pair of oxen, the yoke, and hand plow so the brothers could cultivate their land. Gratefully, they worked hard planting maize (corn), sorghum, barley and onions. The men also plowed their neighbor’s land, sharing 50/50 in that harvest. Their trusty oxen plowed seven acres, and the profit from the first harvest allowed them to mud the walls of their house and replace the broken door, but most profit went back into their second planting. After harvest in 2014, their profits were ensured and they no longer needed monthly help from Mission 1:27.
Debela was one of Etana’s 10 children who, for awhile, was farmed out as a servant because his father did not have enough food for his large family. After Etana’s family was identified for help through Mission 1:27, Debela was reunited with his family, but school was out of reach for the eight school-aged children. Etana’s family lives quite a distance from Dembidollo town in a beautiful valley on a fertile piece of property, but Etana had no way to plow it. He had a few sheep that he sold for a little profit, but without the supplement of monthly food that M1:27 gave him, his large family would be hungry most of the time.
It was a gift almost beyond Etana’s comprehension when their sponsor offered to buy him the equivalent of a John Deere: a set of oxen. As is often done in Ethiopia, Etana cultivated his land and also a neighbor’s property to share 50/50 in that harvest. He planted maize, sorghum, wheat, teff and chickpeas. After the first harvest Etana bought a pregnant cow and the eight older children were enrolled in school. After a successful second harvest, it was determined that his family no longer needed outside help. The boost of oxen was just what was needed to set this hard-working man on his feet to proudly provide for his family.
Galalcha and Sanaye have three children, and their son, Fedesa, is a strong young man who, with the help of his mother, has the responsibility of doing the hard labor required to be a farmer in Ethiopia. Galalcha is a personable older man who has been significantly weakened with leprosy. Before Galalcha contracted leprosy, he was a laboratory technician in a hospital and through his good salary bought a nice piece of property. However, life after leprosy has not been easy for him or his family.
Eighteen months ago, Galalcha’s family received a set of oxen, a gift from their Mission 1:27 sponsor. Fedesa was ecstatic and promised to work hard to farm their property. He made plans to hire his oxen out to plow neighboring property as well. The farm has produced brilliantly under the competent hard work of Fedesa and Sanaye. The daughters are going to school and they now have a milk cow. We join Galalcha and his family in rejoicing over the amazing provision of oxen that has made the difference between dependency and self-sufficiency.
Read more stories of people like these - families who someone just like you invested in and who are now operating successful businesses - on our website here!
Dembidollo is a rural area in Ethiopia where most people make a living by farming or raising livestock. Three very poor families were given a pair of oxen to cultivate their land, resulting in successful harvests that have set them on the path of self-sufficiency.
_____________________________________________________
Mikiyas, his brother, two sisters plus two children live together in one room on a lush piece of property in the countryside that they could not farm because they did not have oxen. Their poverty was deep. The walls of their house were just sticks that let in the wind and the rain, and they all slept under tarps on the dirt floor. Mikiyas and his brother wanted desperately to improve their situation and provide for their sisters, niece and nephew but their earning power was low and without oxen, their property was worthless. 
A year-and-a-half ago the couple who “adopted” this family raised $700 to buy a pair of oxen, the yoke, and hand plow so the brothers could cultivate their land. Gratefully, they worked hard planting maize (corn), sorghum, barley and onions. The men also plowed their neighbor’s land, sharing 50/50 in that harvest. Their trusty oxen plowed seven acres, and the profit from the first harvest allowed them to mud the walls of their house and replace the broken door, but most profit went back into their second planting. After harvest in 2014, their profits were ensured and they no longer needed monthly help from Mission 1:27.
_____________________________________________________
Debela was one of Etana’s 10 children who, for awhile, was farmed out as a servant because his father did not have enough food for his large family. After Etana’s family was identified for help through Mission 1:27, Debela was reunited with his family, but school was out of reach for the eight school-aged children. Etana’s family lives quite a distance from Dembidollo town in a beautiful valley on a fertile piece of property, but Etana had no way to plow it. He had a few sheep that he sold for a little profit, but without the supplement of monthly food that M1:27 gave him, his large family would be hungry most of the time. 
It was a gift almost beyond Etana’s comprehension when their sponsor offered to buy him the equivalent of a John Deere: a set of oxen. As is often done in Ethiopia, Etana cultivated his land and also a neighbor’s property to share 50/50 in that harvest. He planted maize, sorghum, wheat, teff and chickpeas. After the first harvest Etana bought a pregnant cow and the eight older children were enrolled in school. After a successful second harvest, it was determined that his family no longer needed outside help. The boost of oxen was just what was needed to set this hard-working man on his feet to proudly provide for his family.
_____________________________________________________
Galalcha and Sanaye have three children, and their son, Fedesa, is a strong young man who, with the help of his mother, has the responsibility of doing the hard labor required to be a farmer in Ethiopia. Galalcha is a personable older man who has been significantly weakened with leprosy. Before Galalcha contracted leprosy, he was a laboratory technician in a hospital and through his good salary bought a nice piece of property. However, life after leprosy has not been easy for him or his family.
Eighteen months ago, Galalcha’s family received a set of oxen, a gift from their Mission 1:27 sponsor. Fedesa was ecstatic and promised to work hard to farm their property. He made plans to hire his oxen out to plow neighboring property as well. The farm has produced brilliantly under the competent hard work of Fedesa and Sanaye. The daughters are going to school and they now have a milk cow. We join Galalcha and his family in rejoicing over the amazing provision of oxen that has made the difference between dependency and self-sufficiency.
Read more stories of people like these - families who someone just like you invested in and who are now operating successful businesses - on our website here!
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Out of the King’s Storehouse
by Joy Casey
Then there is a smaller sub-category of good people whose lives focus on Kingdom work and everything about them reflects a worldview that God is in charge, God is our provider, and God receives all glory. Bob Warren and his wife Pat are a couple that shine as an example of people in this category.
Bob’s organization is called The King’s Storehouse and his focus is God’s Word and clean water. He provides high quality solar-powered personal audio Bibles in many different languages to Christian organizations who will get them out to indigenous churches and pastors.
For years, Bob has provided Mission 1:27 with audio Bibles in the Orominya and Amharic languages. I have 20 sitting in my office right now that will go to Ethiopia with a team next month. These precious tools are used in places where illiteracy is high or it is dangerous to carry around a bible. The audio bibles look like an iPod or some other innocuous device with ear buds. Our goal is to have one or two audio bibles available in all the new church plants so anyone can come to the church and listen to God’s word whenever they can. I cannot overstate what an invaluable tool these solar powered Bibles are!
The King’s Storehouse has also provided us with Sawyer Point One water filters that are effective, portable, and easy to put together and to keep up. We have given out hundreds of these and have seen waterborne illnesses drop dramatically when people use them.
As people purchase portable water filters and audio bibles through our gift catalog, we send Bob a check, but he typically doesn’t wait for the money. He calls and asks me, “Can you take God’s Word to Africa any time soon?” And then he sends me what he can in the languages we need. If I can reimburse him at some point, fine. If I cannot, he is unconcerned because God will provide another way.
Bob and Pat keep their eyes on the goal: serving God well until they are with Jesus for eternity. They are the genuine deal and we are so grateful to partner with them!
If you would like to help us deliver clean water and the Good News to many in Ethiopia, each costs only $50 and can be donated with a click below…
How sweet are your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119:103
There are a lot of good people in the world and I think I have been ultra-blessed to have a lion’s share of them in my life. Nice people. Kind people. Thoughtful people. 
Then there is a smaller sub-category of good people whose lives focus on Kingdom work and everything about them reflects a worldview that God is in charge, God is our provider, and God receives all glory. Bob Warren and his wife Pat are a couple that shine as an example of people in this category. Bob’s organization is called The King’s Storehouse and his focus is God’s Word and clean water. He provides high quality solar-powered personal audio Bibles in many different languages to Christian organizations who will get them out to indigenous churches and pastors.
For years, Bob has provided Mission 1:27 with audio Bibles in the Orominya and Amharic languages. I have 20 sitting in my office right now that will go to Ethiopia with a team next month. These precious tools are used in places where illiteracy is high or it is dangerous to carry around a bible. The audio bibles look like an iPod or some other innocuous device with ear buds. Our goal is to have one or two audio bibles available in all the new church plants so anyone can come to the church and listen to God’s word whenever they can. I cannot overstate what an invaluable tool these solar powered Bibles are!
The King’s Storehouse has also provided us with Sawyer Point One water filters that are effective, portable, and easy to put together and to keep up. We have given out hundreds of these and have seen waterborne illnesses drop dramatically when people use them.
As people purchase portable water filters and audio bibles through our gift catalog, we send Bob a check, but he typically doesn’t wait for the money. He calls and asks me, “Can you take God’s Word to Africa any time soon?” And then he sends me what he can in the languages we need. If I can reimburse him at some point, fine. If I cannot, he is unconcerned because God will provide another way.
Bob and Pat keep their eyes on the goal: serving God well until they are with Jesus for eternity. They are the genuine deal and we are so grateful to partner with them!
If you would like to help us deliver clean water and the Good News to many in Ethiopia, each costs only $50 and can be donated with a click below…
Monday, April 4, 2016
HerStory videos
Last year, the US Embassy in Addis Ababa invited people
to submit a 3 minute film about women and girls' issues in Ethiopia. All were made by Ethiopians and all of
them highlighted the extreme challenges faced by women there - access to
education, violence and the burden of domestic work. Many are difficult to watch but they reflect a reality that can't be ignored.
Here are several of the top ten winners...
Here are several of the top ten winners...
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Birth Family Talks
"Am I like my Ethiopia mommy?"
"Did my tummy mommy love me?"
"Why didn't she keep me?"
These questions can pop up any time but birthdays and holidays are sometimes a trigger and provide a special opportunity to process the grief that is part of every adoption. Here is a beautiful way to help your adopted son or daughter honor their birth parents on their birthday – a time when lots of questions and feelings may come to the surface and grief is revisited…
How to Honor Birth Family on Birthdays (and why)
@onethankfulmom
@onethankfulmom
We have some other links to articles and posts that may be helpful below.
Talking to Your Kids About Adoption
11 points to help get you started
11 points to help get you started
Please leave a comment and share your own ideas for ways to help kids process their emotions about their birth family.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Exquisitely Beautiful Ethiopia {a re-post}
by Joy Casey in Ethiopia
(originally written in May 2014)
Jeff and I have spent five days traveling out west to an area called the Wollega in Ethiopia. Going to the countryside is like entering a time warp of sorts. We are transplanted to an agrarian lifestyle with farming, cattle, and other livestock the bedrock of life.
Market days are crowded and noisy with people walking miles either to sell their wares or to buy necessities. Cooking is done outdoors over open fires, and laundry is washed by hand and laid on bushes to dry.
Women dress in long dresses with scarves around their shoulders and their heads covered with bright colored cloth. Some carry umbrellas to ward off the sun.
It is not uncommon to see men and women and boys and girls walking with baskets loaded with papaya on their heads.
It is normal to see women working or visiting with babies on their back and toddlers running around barefoot with nothing on but a shirt and sometimes not even that. In the markets and along dusty paths, bananas, avocados, pineapples and papayas are readily available... and so very fresh and yummy.
Hungry and want some fast food? Roasted maize is available for a very small price.
I know I am in “real” Africa when I see villages dotting the countryside comprised of mud houses topped with thatched roofs. Now is planting season, and the fields are being tilled and the dark, rich soil readied for planting in anticipation of the rains that will arrive soon.
Farmers walk to their fields carrying their plow or hand spades. It is amazing to me to watch the oxen pull hand plows and to know that field after field is tilled by the strength of oxen and the man walking behind, guiding the crude plow.
As we sit at a small buna stand taking a break from our work, I love watching the colorful and friendly people as well as watching and listening to the brightly feathered birds flitting among the trees and exuberant flowers. But what always captures my full attention are the beautiful children!
Years ago I fell in love with the children of this great land and the love affair has not waned. I am charmed by the innovation of the children to make toys out of nothing.
Ethiopians are hospitable to the extreme, and Jeff and I are honored when we are invited into a home for coffee ceremony.
Coffee in Ethiopia is not a quick cup. There is an order and meaning to each step, and it is a time to relax and visit. You cannot hurry coffee ceremony. The strong coffee smell mingles with the incense as our hostess roasts the coffee beans over a charcoal fire. When they are perfectly roasted, she carries the beans around the room and the guests appreciatively inhale the rich coffee smoke. Then she puts the beans in a mortar and crushes them while a pot of water is set on the coals to boil. She carefully puts the ground coffee in a beautiful coffee pot and slowly adds hot water until she gets the just right taste and consistency. Then, the coffee is carefully poured into small cups and served to her guests. Three cups of coffee are the norm. We are also offered handfuls of popped corn that surprisingly is just the right compliment to the coffee.
After church on Sunday, we went to a traditional Ethiopian restaurant… one where the locals congregate. This place is known for its meat, and our friends ordered the delicacy of raw meat. The meat is fresh and the men were given sharp knives and they sliced off hunks of meat and ate it with injera (Ethiopia’s cultural bread) dipped in berbere spices. They said it was yum.
Jeff and I declined to go “Ethiopian” and instead had roasted lamb tibs. That, I can tell you, is delicious!
As if all of these sights and sounds are not enough, Ethiopia closes out its day with spectacular sunsets. I love to be outdoors around 6 p.m. and watch the sky turn vivid orange and reflect its benediction on the land below. My work here entails bringing relief to desperate situations, families to orphans, and the Good News to unreached people. But never do I feel sorry for these proud people. They have a rich culture and a society that by and large is centered around family and where relationships are given top priority.
Last night, four of us took a walk around Nekemte in the balmy evening air, and the streets were packed with people greeting each other with kisses, laughing over coffee, friends looking over wares in tiny shops along the street, and people generally enjoying each other’s company at the end of the day. With all our material advantages and technical superiority, I yearn for this kind of camaraderie that takes time for people and values friendships. I am enriched by my experiences in exquisitely beautiful Ethiopia.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Intercessary Prayer
by Joy Casey,
Executive Director, Mission 1:27
I am in the midst of taking a fantastic class called Perspectives that gives an in-depth teaching on the world Christian movement. Spurred by one of the teachings, I have been mulling over something about prayer that brought up some interesting aspects I had not thought of before. You, too, might be interested since prayer is essential to Christ-followers but there is so much about prayer that is a mystery.
Rebellion Against the Status Quo
Have you ever looked at prayer as rebellion? I usually recoil from the word ‘rebellion’ because it has many negative connotations and I am basically a rule follower… but in the area of intercessory prayer rebellion is vital. How? Intercessory prayer is essentially rebellion against or the non-acceptance of the status quo. It is refusal to accept as normal that which is abnormal and completely opposite to God’s ways. Rebellion is wholehearted rejection of every scheme and agenda that stands against God. And we must be diligent to recognize the sometimes subtle acceptances that creep into our psyche. Becoming resigned to “life as it is” will cripple our prayer lives. Although we may feel powerless to change our broken society, we must remember that God’s power, realized through prayer, will overcome evil with good.
Do we accept the politically correct version of our world?
Other religions have taken resignation and incorporated it into their doctrine. Could it be because experientially they have found their gods powerless to affect change? Religions which stress quiet acceptance of the status quo disparage petitionary prayer. The Stoics believe in total acceptance of the existing world and asking for change is a bad thing. Buddhists and other Eastern religions hold a similar view, and the idea of “fate” in Hinduism imprisons millions of people in spiritual and economic poverty. Secularism, which we perhaps are more familiar with, says that life is disconnected from a relationship with God. We must come to terms with life and accept things as they are. Some believe God may be present and active in the world, but it is not a presence that changes anything. It is easy to adjust to the PC version of our world.
If we accept, however despairingly, that the situation is unchangeable, why would we pray? It is not that we are unaware of what is happening around us, but a sense of impotence leads us to resignation and acceptance of what is wrong. It is a truce with the world that is deadly to intercessory prayer.
Two huge impacts on people… let’s pray!
In a substantial area in Ethiopia where we are engaged in orphan care, family sponsorship, small business starts, kindergartens, church plants and evangelism, two devastating things have happened… one is man-made and one is the fault of El Nino. In very broad strokes, the Oromo tribe (Ethiopia’s most populous people group) is at odds with the prevailing government and their dissatisfaction has resulted in attacks on non-Oromo people living in Oromo territory. Just one week ago, anger erupted violently erupted in two areas where Mission 1:27 is heavily involved. The Federal police were called in to suppress the uprising, but not before non-Oromo people were threatened. Fundamental Muslim agitators took this opportunity to strike against Christian churches, non-Oromo Christian individuals and Christian-owned businesses. Many churches, businesses and homes were burned.
Prayer points
80% are farmers
Farmers plant in the late spring just in time for the rainy season. However, this year the rainy season did not materialize and maize and teff (Ethiopian wheat) stood stunted and dry in the fields. There is little food for the table and even less for the animals. Harvest in the fall was bleak leaving no currency with which to purchase needed staples. Shortage of food caused by the drought brings a sharp increase in malnutrition, secondary ailments from malnutrition, escalating food prices, and a higher rate of school dropout. Household debt has risen sharply and dietary diversity has narrowed significantly. Children are separated from their families to either work as a servant in someone’s home or to live with a relative who is better off. Livestock, if they live, command lower prices at the market because of their deteriorated physical condition due to lack of water and pasture. To put inflationary food prices in perspective, the food budget for our orphanage increased 178% this past month.
Prayer points
Executive Director, Mission 1:27
I am in the midst of taking a fantastic class called Perspectives that gives an in-depth teaching on the world Christian movement. Spurred by one of the teachings, I have been mulling over something about prayer that brought up some interesting aspects I had not thought of before. You, too, might be interested since prayer is essential to Christ-followers but there is so much about prayer that is a mystery.
Rebellion Against the Status Quo
Have you ever looked at prayer as rebellion? I usually recoil from the word ‘rebellion’ because it has many negative connotations and I am basically a rule follower… but in the area of intercessory prayer rebellion is vital. How? Intercessory prayer is essentially rebellion against or the non-acceptance of the status quo. It is refusal to accept as normal that which is abnormal and completely opposite to God’s ways. Rebellion is wholehearted rejection of every scheme and agenda that stands against God. And we must be diligent to recognize the sometimes subtle acceptances that creep into our psyche. Becoming resigned to “life as it is” will cripple our prayer lives. Although we may feel powerless to change our broken society, we must remember that God’s power, realized through prayer, will overcome evil with good.
Do we accept the politically correct version of our world?
Other religions have taken resignation and incorporated it into their doctrine. Could it be because experientially they have found their gods powerless to affect change? Religions which stress quiet acceptance of the status quo disparage petitionary prayer. The Stoics believe in total acceptance of the existing world and asking for change is a bad thing. Buddhists and other Eastern religions hold a similar view, and the idea of “fate” in Hinduism imprisons millions of people in spiritual and economic poverty. Secularism, which we perhaps are more familiar with, says that life is disconnected from a relationship with God. We must come to terms with life and accept things as they are. Some believe God may be present and active in the world, but it is not a presence that changes anything. It is easy to adjust to the PC version of our world.
Petitionary prayer expresses the hope that life as it is encountered can
and should be different.
and should be different.
“At all times we should pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1)
Two huge impacts on people… let’s pray!
In a substantial area in Ethiopia where we are engaged in orphan care, family sponsorship, small business starts, kindergartens, church plants and evangelism, two devastating things have happened… one is man-made and one is the fault of El Nino. In very broad strokes, the Oromo tribe (Ethiopia’s most populous people group) is at odds with the prevailing government and their dissatisfaction has resulted in attacks on non-Oromo people living in Oromo territory. Just one week ago, anger erupted violently erupted in two areas where Mission 1:27 is heavily involved. The Federal police were called in to suppress the uprising, but not before non-Oromo people were threatened. Fundamental Muslim agitators took this opportunity to strike against Christian churches, non-Oromo Christian individuals and Christian-owned businesses. Many churches, businesses and homes were burned.
Prayer points
- A mighty move of peace and rest by the power of the Holy Spirit
- That the Good News would spread rapidly in the midst of crisis
- Protection and favor over each individual situation (Psalm 5:11-12)
80% are farmers
Farmers plant in the late spring just in time for the rainy season. However, this year the rainy season did not materialize and maize and teff (Ethiopian wheat) stood stunted and dry in the fields. There is little food for the table and even less for the animals. Harvest in the fall was bleak leaving no currency with which to purchase needed staples. Shortage of food caused by the drought brings a sharp increase in malnutrition, secondary ailments from malnutrition, escalating food prices, and a higher rate of school dropout. Household debt has risen sharply and dietary diversity has narrowed significantly. Children are separated from their families to either work as a servant in someone’s home or to live with a relative who is better off. Livestock, if they live, command lower prices at the market because of their deteriorated physical condition due to lack of water and pasture. To put inflationary food prices in perspective, the food budget for our orphanage increased 178% this past month. Prayer points
- Rains will come in their proper time to soak the earth
- Provision for the hungry
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right side, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8
Friday, February 12, 2016
Drumroll please...
Today we're excited to announce our brand new name… Mission 1:27!
You may have noticed this name appearing on our Facebook, Twitter and websites in the last week or two and perhaps you’ve wondered what this is all about.
The work being done in Ethiopia – family preservation, small business starts, orphan care, adoption and Muslim evangelism – encompasses so much more than our old name implied.
Mission 1:27 more accurately represents who we are in Ethiopia... bringing care and support in a variety of ways to the orphan and widow as commanded in James 1:27.
The people, the focus, and the motive for all we do remains the same.
For our ministry partners who give via credit card, nothing will change.
For those of you who send support with a check, please make payments to Mission 1:27 from now forward.
Our new website is currently under construction and we can’t wait to roll that out in the near future. In the meantime, our ywamethiopia.com and adoptionministry127.com websites will remain active. Family sponsorship and Gift Catalog purchases will be available as usual.
We are eagerly looking forward to following God and implementing His plans in 2016.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Thank You for Giving!
It’s really an honor to promote our Gift Catalog as a way for folks to give. What more meaningful way to spend your gift-giving dollars than on someone you’ll never meet but who will appreciate the gift more than most?
I thought you might be blessed to see what was donated via our Gift Catalog in the month of December:
15 portable water filters mean water free of parasites and bacteria
14 complete bed sets – frames, mattresses and bedding
5 bags of charcoal, used for cooking fuel
2 solar light bulbs
8 goats
4 new houses to replace dilapidated ones
6 soccer balls and 2 pumps
3 financial packages to help an Ethiopian family to adopt a child
1 surgery for a widow for things like cataracts or fistula repair
9 sets of food staples for a month
1 new set of clothes
1 new pair of shoes
5 bibles
1 audio bible
9 school packages – fees for one year, supplies and backpacks
1 Jesus Film dvd
$150 in emergency medical help
$250 in evangelist support
For our orphanage:
1 crib and mattress
15 cans of formula
4 baby swings
4 packages of cloth diapers
$540 general orphanage support
Several people chose to give toward the ministry’s ‘Greatest Need’, which is a huge blessing that allows us to address a variety of urgent needs. We received $3595 in this category!
It doesn’t take us very long to distribute these wonderful gifts and we are always in need of your generous donations via the Gift Catalog. If you’d like to give, you can do so easily and securely on our Gift Catalog webpage:
We know that for many of you, this giving is sacrificial. “Thank you” seems a very inadequate way to express how much your generosity means to those we serve in Ethiopia. We are grateful that God, above anyone else, sees your hearts and blesses you!
I thought you might be blessed to see what was donated via our Gift Catalog in the month of December:
15 portable water filters mean water free of parasites and bacteria
14 complete bed sets – frames, mattresses and bedding
5 bags of charcoal, used for cooking fuel
2 solar light bulbs
8 goats
4 new houses to replace dilapidated ones
6 soccer balls and 2 pumps
3 financial packages to help an Ethiopian family to adopt a child
1 surgery for a widow for things like cataracts or fistula repair
9 sets of food staples for a month
1 new set of clothes
1 new pair of shoes
5 bibles
1 audio bible
9 school packages – fees for one year, supplies and backpacks
1 Jesus Film dvd
$150 in emergency medical help
$250 in evangelist support
For our orphanage:
1 crib and mattress
15 cans of formula
4 baby swings
4 packages of cloth diapers
$540 general orphanage support
Several people chose to give toward the ministry’s ‘Greatest Need’, which is a huge blessing that allows us to address a variety of urgent needs. We received $3595 in this category!
It doesn’t take us very long to distribute these wonderful gifts and we are always in need of your generous donations via the Gift Catalog. If you’d like to give, you can do so easily and securely on our Gift Catalog webpage:
We know that for many of you, this giving is sacrificial. “Thank you” seems a very inadequate way to express how much your generosity means to those we serve in Ethiopia. We are grateful that God, above anyone else, sees your hearts and blesses you!
The generous will themselves be blessed
for they share their food with the poor.
Proverbs 22:9
for they share their food with the poor.
Proverbs 22:9
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
One Woman Can... Change Her Future
Monday, January 18, 2016
Adoptive Parenting Links You’ll Like
Perspectives in Parenting is a website/blog written by an adoptive mother of eight children who is also a missionary. Selina writes about many adoption topics, with a goal of sharing experiences, encouraging other adoptive parents and bringing God’s word to bear on all of life as a parent. Below are a few links to some very insightful posts but be sure to spend some time on the website looking at all the topics available!
Dear Parent of a Newly Adopted Child
”You’ve spent months (maybe even years!) dreaming of bringing home your child. Somewhere in the midst of the excitement of choosing a name and the fun of decorating a bedroom, you lost sight of the one truth that you so desperately need in order to survive this adoption…”
For the Parent Ready to Quit
”Maybe you’re struggling with a special needs kiddo and you’re feeling stretched beyond what your body feels it can stretch. Maybe you’ve adopted a trauma/RAD child, and you are just TIRED of cleaning up poop. (Figuratively and literally.) Maybe you’re a mama who thought you could trust God with the children (both number and needs) He felt you could handle—but you’re pregnant again and the little ones aren’t listening and the laundry has turned into Mt. Everest and your friends and family keep asking you “Don’t you think you have ENOUGH children?”…and you’re wondering if HE really can be trusted?”
10 Things You Wish You Knew About Older Child Adoption
Really good, practical and eye-opening truths about what it’s like to adopt older children – both before coming home and the journey of healing and bonding afterward.
Really good, practical and eye-opening truths about what it’s like to adopt older children – both before coming home and the journey of healing and bonding afterward.
Friday, January 8, 2016
A Wonderful Challenge
by Joy Casey
“The world is going to hell in a handbasket” and “Things are spinning out of control,” are phrases I hear often these days. And, if headlines are the indicator, I might tend to agree. But when I meet with my Savior in the quiet of morning and open His Word and listen, He confirms that things are not spinning out of His control. He also continually challenges me to persevere in the work He has set before me that prevents many from going to hell.
Some of the most important aspects of Adoption Ministry’s work in Ethiopia are done behind the scenes and the details cannot be communicated for security reasons. In various pockets in Ethiopia, God has raised up warriors in unlikely places using unorthodox means. These warriors are assigned to the front lines and live uncomfortable lives in the trenches. They are severely beaten, threatened with eviction, their cattle are poisoned, their houses burned, they have minimal food and shelter, and suffer under unfair practices of the local government. These men and their wives give what little they have to their converts who face immense persecution, sometimes losing their jobs and homes because of their newfound belief in Christ.*
And they cannot take a breather and get re-fortified during a furlough!
Yet … God’s hand is clearly seen! In 2015 six churches were planted in areas where the Christian faith has never been before. They are crude buildings, nothing fancy at all … they don’t have electricity, most don’t have benches to sit on, and the people are packed tightly together, hungry for God’s Word. Some converts are illiterate and when we can supply audio Bibles in their language, they will memorize the Word and be transformed by the renewing of their mind (Romans 12:2).
* Did you know that Ethiopia is #22 on the World Watchlist for Persecuted Christians, right after India and ahead of Egypt, Djibouti, Myanmar and China?
Support strategies for the frontline troops
A man from Saudi Arabia has written three pamphlets and two books in the Amharic language that are incredible tools for evangelism. Trainings have been facilitated throughout Ethiopia and the pamphlets distributed to Christian college students, pastors, and, of course, the warriors in the trenches. Adoption Ministry has facilitated two workshops for evangelists and many more are needed on college campuses and in churches. More copies of the pamphlets (about 21 pages) and books (about 200 pages) need to be printed. Will you help?
· The first booklet Uncovered Truths is just that … uncovering the true roots of the Islamic faith. It provides answers to questions posed by Muslims.
· The second booklet, The Question of My Soul, is described by the author as a drill machine that breaks apart the big mountains of Muhammad and the Quran.
· The third booklet, The Question of My Dear Ahmed is a testimony of a converted Muslim and shows there is no salvation through Islam and the only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ.
These booklets cost $ .25/each to print
· A 100 page book was written as a response to a book written by an Islamic cleric 5 years ago called Who is Christ? 303 Questions; 303 questions directed against the person of Christ and the Holy Trinity. The response refutes every argument and equips Christians to meet the challenges the Muslim community is bringing.
This book costs $ .50 to print
· The Muslims have been aggressively criticizing the Christian faith and because most Christians are not equipped to understand and respond to these accusations, fear has spread among Christians resulting in avoidance of Muslims or conversion to Islam out of ignorance. This publication is an apologetic and has changed the atmosphere. Once the Christian man nor woman understands the question and has a good grasp of the truth, they boldly challenge the Quran and Muhammad and are prepared to joyously share the Good News. Especially on college campuses this book is equipping Christian students to easily defend their faith and their witness is winning over their Muslim neighbors. The book has four chapters and 192 pages.
This book costs $ .80 to print
If you would like to make a donation to help us print these materials or for bibles (either audio bibles or print versions), please go to our website here. THANK YOU for helping us meet this great challenge and spread the Good News of Christ throughout the country!
“The world is going to hell in a handbasket” and “Things are spinning out of control,” are phrases I hear often these days. And, if headlines are the indicator, I might tend to agree. But when I meet with my Savior in the quiet of morning and open His Word and listen, He confirms that things are not spinning out of His control. He also continually challenges me to persevere in the work He has set before me that prevents many from going to hell.
 |
| Source: Creative Commons |
Some of the most important aspects of Adoption Ministry’s work in Ethiopia are done behind the scenes and the details cannot be communicated for security reasons. In various pockets in Ethiopia, God has raised up warriors in unlikely places using unorthodox means. These warriors are assigned to the front lines and live uncomfortable lives in the trenches. They are severely beaten, threatened with eviction, their cattle are poisoned, their houses burned, they have minimal food and shelter, and suffer under unfair practices of the local government. These men and their wives give what little they have to their converts who face immense persecution, sometimes losing their jobs and homes because of their newfound belief in Christ.*
And they cannot take a breather and get re-fortified during a furlough!
Yet … God’s hand is clearly seen! In 2015 six churches were planted in areas where the Christian faith has never been before. They are crude buildings, nothing fancy at all … they don’t have electricity, most don’t have benches to sit on, and the people are packed tightly together, hungry for God’s Word. Some converts are illiterate and when we can supply audio Bibles in their language, they will memorize the Word and be transformed by the renewing of their mind (Romans 12:2).
* Did you know that Ethiopia is #22 on the World Watchlist for Persecuted Christians, right after India and ahead of Egypt, Djibouti, Myanmar and China?
 |
| Source: Creative Commons |
Support strategies for the frontline troops
A man from Saudi Arabia has written three pamphlets and two books in the Amharic language that are incredible tools for evangelism. Trainings have been facilitated throughout Ethiopia and the pamphlets distributed to Christian college students, pastors, and, of course, the warriors in the trenches. Adoption Ministry has facilitated two workshops for evangelists and many more are needed on college campuses and in churches. More copies of the pamphlets (about 21 pages) and books (about 200 pages) need to be printed. Will you help?
· The first booklet Uncovered Truths is just that … uncovering the true roots of the Islamic faith. It provides answers to questions posed by Muslims.
· The second booklet, The Question of My Soul, is described by the author as a drill machine that breaks apart the big mountains of Muhammad and the Quran.
· The third booklet, The Question of My Dear Ahmed is a testimony of a converted Muslim and shows there is no salvation through Islam and the only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ.
These booklets cost $ .25/each to print
· A 100 page book was written as a response to a book written by an Islamic cleric 5 years ago called Who is Christ? 303 Questions; 303 questions directed against the person of Christ and the Holy Trinity. The response refutes every argument and equips Christians to meet the challenges the Muslim community is bringing.
This book costs $ .50 to print
· The Muslims have been aggressively criticizing the Christian faith and because most Christians are not equipped to understand and respond to these accusations, fear has spread among Christians resulting in avoidance of Muslims or conversion to Islam out of ignorance. This publication is an apologetic and has changed the atmosphere. Once the Christian man nor woman understands the question and has a good grasp of the truth, they boldly challenge the Quran and Muhammad and are prepared to joyously share the Good News. Especially on college campuses this book is equipping Christian students to easily defend their faith and their witness is winning over their Muslim neighbors. The book has four chapters and 192 pages.
This book costs $ .80 to print
If you would like to make a donation to help us print these materials or for bibles (either audio bibles or print versions), please go to our website here. THANK YOU for helping us meet this great challenge and spread the Good News of Christ throughout the country!
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
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