Mission Ethiopia Pretrip

Concordia Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, IN is once again "sending" a mission team out to witness the saving grace of Christ. This time an 8-person team is headed out on Oct 7, 2006 on a 10-day trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia again in partnership with Lutheran Hour Ministries. Team members include Bob Meyer, Joe Milledge, Loretta Sassmannhausen, Matt Spinks, Julie Kratzman, Katie Spinks, Anne Korte and Ellen Mann. Our itinerary includes ministering to HIV/AIDS patients and providing them a kilo each of pasta and sugar along with a bag of tea and soap, attending an Ethiopian wedding and light construction work on Geferssa Rehabilitation Center for the mentally handicapped along with visiting villages of Dukam, Deber Zeit, Mojo and Adama.

Ethiopia is the second poorest country in the world with an average per annum income of only $100. It is also among the countries that are highly affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Two million people in Ethiopia live and deal with AIDS daily. Life expectancy has dropped to 47 years, and, by 2009, 1.8 million children with be orphaned by the disease. The country is devastated every 7 years with drought which only adds to the famine, starvation and hopelessness of its population.


It is ministering to these people that our team feels called to serve. Team member Julie Kratzman give us her testimonial: "I grew going to a Lutheran church and school but do not really remember feeling really close with God. Just in the last year (since we began taking Discovery classes with Pastor Kevin) I feel I am starting to really know Him. I have always believed and trusted in Him but never talked about Him to others.

Two years ago I was very unhappy. I had a job that included a lot of travel and a horrible boss. I was always in a hurry to complete tasks at home and at work and never took much time to hang with my family. We did spend time together but I always had work hanging on me. So 2 years ago when my oldest son started Kindergarten, I quit. And today I know it was the best thing for me, my kids and my marriage.

Today life is fun and full of love. I feel better. I feel more secure with myself, with God, and with my family. The reason for this is not only because of quitting my job but because my husband and I found a new home. A new school and church home.

Before, I would go to church in spurts, but I never walked out feeling that I learned something. Now, I walk away each service with a feeling of warmth and a challenge. The feeling of warmth comes from knowing that God is with me and my family and the challenge is to be a better Christian. Along with joining Concordia, I started reading and searching for ways to keep my faith growing. I even started talking about God with others since joining Concordia. And I have to say it feels great! I want people to feel the peace that I have found in the last year. I have never believed so much in prayer as I do now.

So why am I going to Ethiopia? To share God’s love, and the importance of prayer. I recently I heard this on TV - “we are not here as human beings to lead a spiritual life, but we are spiritual beings living a human life”.

I want to go to Ethiopia to help people that are less fortunate. I want to go play with the children and tell/read them stories about God. They need to know they are never alone.
I also want to go and grow with God myself. Just knowing how great I feel in the last year with Him makes me want to do and learn more. More to serve Him, to share Him with others and to grow closer to Him."