237 The Prophet Goes To Somaliland

...You shall go to all to whom I send you... I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord (Jeremiah 1:7,8).

In all these ventures, Kassahun holds or has in his clothing a Faith booklet. For reasons that should be obvious, God chose that publication, Faith: Raising Our Level of Expectation, to be the ‘talisman’, a sign of God’s presence and approval, pointing people to treasure MM literature.

10^th Week: 22nd - 28th September 2019.

Togo Chale (Togo Wajjale): On Monday morning we started the long trip to the border of Ethiopia and Somaliland. We travelled for 9 hours and arrived in the town called Togo Chale (Togo Wajjale). It is a busy town, filled with traders. While in this side of the town (Ethiopian Somali), we saw a checking point and went there. There was no problem, so we crossed to the other side of the border, that is Somaliland. The Holy Spirit prompted me to spend the night there so we searched for a guest house and got one. The town is very hot.

While we were walking in the streets, the town’s police asked us to show our temporary permit to stay in Somaliland. I told him that we didn’t have it so he took us to the local municipal office and we got a permit to stay in the town. They gave us a 3 month permit. I was thinking how I can contact people and share the message of Jesus. We spent the day looking around the town carefully.

On Tuesday, we started our work and on our way God sent a man to us. He knew we are Ethiopians. We chatted with him. This was a good opportunity to tell why we came to Somaliland and I told him about the message of Jesus with boldness of the Spirit. He didn’t oppose us but listened attentively. I gave him Islam, the Koran and God. He thanked us and said that he is willing to guide us if we are staying. That was good because we are strangers in the country. I believe that this man was sent by God as our guide.

Berbera: On Wednesday, we travelled with our guide to Berbera, a port city. The people were friendly. Most of them are Muslims. Question upon question were thrown at us. Most of the questions were focused on what religion we are in and how we came to their town. They wanted to hear that we are Muslims like them. This was a testing question.

While I was thinking how to answer, the Holy Spirit told me to tell them the truth, and nothing but the truth. It gave me boldness and I started sharing why we came to Somaliland and the message from Jesus. Words were pouring out of my mouth like floodwaters. They couldn’t resist what I was saying; they stood still and listened. I saw amazement on their faces. When I finished they walked home silently. I sensed that the fear of God gripped them and paralyzed their human resistance. Our guide was also amazed by the people’s calmness.

Early Thursday we went back to base. In the evening we arrived safely. I had tested the waters so to speak inside Somaliland. The people of that country need deliverance from idols and false religion that can’t give them salvation.

I await God’s guidance for our next trip. Praise His name forever.

Many People Were ‘Slain’ By The Spirit

The Marketplace Was Filled With God’s Spirit!

11^th Week: 29th September - 5th October 2019.

On Monday (September 30/19) we started our trip to Asha Ado in Somaliland. It was a long journey. We arrived in the town before noon. We had a 3 month permit to go in and out of Somaliland so we didn’t encounter any problem. The people were friendly. We met a couple of Ethiopians in the town. They invited us to eat lunch with them. To me, they were God-sent. We were strangers in the town. God knew that and sent them. After we finished lunch, I explained briefly why we came to Somaliland and the message Jesus gave to save the people of the land from the coming wrath. Jesus wants all to turn away from the worship of idols and from empty religion to Him. They were convinced by what I told them and gave their right hand to help us in our outreach. Because we don’t know the language of the town’s people, I asked them if they can help us in translating the message of Jesus to the people. They were willing.

Then they told us that the right time to share our message is in the evening. People come out of their houses when the heat of the day cools, so we took some rest in the guesthouse we rented. In the evening we met our Ethiopian friends and started sharing the message of Jesus to passers-by. People were willing to hear what we said. We shared the message of Jesus till midnight.

The next day, Tuesday, was a market day. We shared the message of Jesus inside the market. People gathered to listen. I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit and demon-possessed men and women started falling on the ground. Commotion filled the air and more traders moved to the scene. I was rebuking the demons to come out of the people rolling on the ground. While I was doing this, more people were falling on the ground, slain by the Spirit of God. Demons left people and those slain by the Spirit started speaking in tongues. The marketplace was filled by the Spirit of God. The power of God was witnessed by those who were gathered at the scene. The amazing thing was that those delivered from demons were all Muslims. Hundreds accepted Jesus.

After this incident, the talk of the town was the miraculous deliverance of people from demons and those who were slain by the Spirit of God. We were busy walking from one village to another with great freedom witnessing God’s message. We met in one of the houses with those delivered from demons. They turned from their Muslim religion to Christianity and vowed to live and witness for Jesus from then on. They vowed to sacrifice even their lives for Jesus. What a testimony! Jesus was glorified in the midst of them. What a wonderful day!

The Devil Tries To Kill Them!

On Wednesday, we started our journey to Borama, deep in Somaliland, after we said farewell and promised to visit again the newly converted. I know that persecution will come to them but Jesus will be a shield to them. I was praying silently while we were travelling. We arrived in the town of Borama. Militants with their AK-47 guns were moving here and there. The two Ethiopians who we met in Asha Ado were with us. We were asked by two militants to show our permit to be in this town and I showed them. When they knew we are Christians they became angry and started insulting us. Then they took us to the nearby police station. I didn’t know what they were discussing with the officer. A military vehicle came and they put us in the vehicle at gunpoint. I knew then that they were taking us hostage.

After an hour we reached a deserted place. The heat was unbearable. They took us into a warehouse and locked us in. They snatched our Bibles and tore them up in front of our eyes. They pointed their guns at our heads to kill us but they couldn't. I was telling them that if they try to harm us, they will be struck right there by Jesus. The wrath of Jesus will pour not only on them and their families but also on the people living in that town. They were afraid. So they put us into a prison house. They took our cell phones.

Together with the heat, it was a living hell inside that warehouse.

For the next five days, no one came. We didn’t have food or water. God gave us strength. We felt forsaken. Our faith was tested to the limit. The hunger and thirst together with the unbearable heat made us exhausted and pushed us to death. I tried to exhort my friends to be strong. I was praying silently to Jesus to deliver us from this hell. When our thirst became unbearable we even drank our urine. (I know that is disgusting, but unless you are in our shoes, you can’t understand it.)

On Sunday, the warehouse opened suddenly. 4 militants came and took us out. We couldn’t stand on our feet. We had no strength left. They told us that we are free to go wherever we want. Fear was on their faces. The translator heard them whispering to each other about the sudden death of a family member of their leader who first pointed his gun at our heads. They related this death to Jesus' wrath on him. I had told them that they would surely pay a price for arresting us. They tried to be polite to us. The leader ordered the other militants to take us by car and leave us in the town. We managed to get a guesthouse and some food and water.

This experience seems a counterattack from the devil because of the Asha Ado victory and Borama. But he didn’t break our spirit. Thank God for His miracles. We are gearing up for the next trip. The battle is raging but we will be victorious in the end. Please pray for us.

Monday: We are now in Togo Chale, the border between Somaliland and Ethiopia.

The Sick Are Healed And Demons Cast Out

12^th Week: 13th - 19th October 2019.

Badhan: We started our trip on Sunday (October 13) to Somaliland. God prompted us to go to the town Badhan, a 9 hour trip. We took another transport from the border of Ethiopia to Somaliland, then transport from inside Somaliland to Badhan. The whole trip took 9 hours. Because it was late, we had to search for a guesthouse for the night. After we got a guesthouse, we went out to see the town and the people living there. Most of the people are poor but friendly. Their hospitality was great. We met with a few people and shared the message of Jesus. They listened attentively with an open heart. We were tired from the trip so we couldn’t go further. We had to take a rest.

On Monday we ministered to the people of Badhan with fresh strength. We went here and there sharing the message of love from Jesus to people who were willing to hear. We prayed for sick people and healing was witnessed. Demons left the people. Some of them looked at us as if we had descended from heaven. We told them that we are just like them but Jesus is showing them that He wants them to be close to Him and believe in Him. Several accepted Jesus as their Savior. We told them to stand firm for their new faith. I promised to visit them again. We appointed two men to lead a home study. I promised to send Bibles from Ethiopia.

Beki: On Tuesday, we went to a small town called Beki. We arrived there at noon. As usual we went here and there to find a guesthouse. To our consternation, no one was willing to accommodate us. Something was wrong. We saw anger on the people’s faces. I knew that demons controlled the people so I determined to stay there and fight those demons. I started praying silently to clear them. When evening came, we again went to a nearby guesthouse. To our surprise, the owner accepted us like kings. The demons had fled.

On Wednesday we started our work of sharing the message of Jesus. Unlike the previous day, people came to hear us. Wherever we went, crowds gathered to listen. Demons were leaving the people. The presence of Jesus was literally seen in the work we did. Healing was accomplished. A woman who was sick for several months was healed from kidney problems. After the healing, she started walking without any pain. She told us the pain in her kidney had been excruciating but now the pain was gone completely. We praised Jesus for her healing.

A man who had a problem in his voice box was also healed. For several years, his voice was not good. After the healing, his voice returned to normal. He wept and wept and praised Jesus. There were several healings. After this wonderful experience, those who received Jesus and their healing made a great feast in one of the people’s houses. I exhorted them to stand by the side of Jesus and share to others what He has done. We spent the night praising and praying in the house of the newly converted man whose voice returned to normal.

We spent Thursday with them. The news had spread like wildfire and we were busy sharing the message of Jesus to the rest of the townspeople. More people accepted Jesus as their personal Savior and turned from their idolatry. The fear of Jesus gripped the town. Even though the town’s people are mostly Moslems, no one opposed us. The imams couldn’t confront us for fear of our God. Besides, the healing seen the previous day made them stay silent.

I know that those who have come to Jesus will encounter persecution in the coming days. Before we left them, I gathered them together and encouraged them with the words from the Bible. I then prayed for them and entrusted them to Jesus. Around 80 people turned to Jesus and accepted Him as their personal Savior. Because I don’t have a cell phone [it was stolen by Muslims previously], I couldn’t take their pictures. They need Bibles so I am thinking how I can get Bibles to them. I have decided to get one Bible for 10 people for the time being.

In the afternoon we started our return to Ethiopia. We arrived at midnight.

The trip was a success. I am overjoyed. Demons fled, many were saved, and Jesus was glorified in those towns. Praise the name of God!! Kassahun