Tuesday, 25 March 2008
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Holy Week
Tuesday, March 18
I went with Pastor Lanny Westphal, Assistant to the Bishop, to Minneapolis to visit the Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Church of Minnesota, a member of the ELCA. I had very blessed time with the Associate Pastor of the congregation, Chala Gabisa, and his family for about 5 hrs. The congregation has about 500 members and also has its own building, the former Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. They worship in Afaan Oromo and also plan to commence a worship program soon in English in order to evangelize others. I am very much grateful to Pastor Lanny Westphal for providing me such a visiting opportunity.
Wednesday, March 19
According to my schedule, I went to Lower Coon Valley Lutheran church with Pastor Donald Fox for the evening service. I am very much thankful to Pastor Fox for arranging a special Holy Communion program. He made available the Ethiopian traditional food "Teff" which I prepared as the bread for the Holy Communion service. Further, the choirs sung a song in Afaan Oromo, "Galata kee Yesuus", which was well prepared and presented.
Thursday, March 20
I met with a group that prays at a monthly Prayer Vigil for Peace in the Middle East at English Lutheran Church.
During the evening I went to Trinity Lutheran Church to attend the Holy Communion service.
Friday, March 21
The day was Good Friday and I went with Bishop April Larson to West Prairie to preach with six other preachers on the last words of Christ on the cross. Accordingly I preached on the fifth word, "I thirst," underlining that Jesus’ greatest thirst is to save all humankind from sin and eternal death.
Saturday & Sunday, March 22-23
On Saturday I went to Viroqua with Pastor Lindsay Jordan to serve Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Viroqua. In the evening we had family fellowship at Pastor Meg’s home (she is the Associate Pastor of the church) which was very similar to the Ethiopian tradition of Holy Days.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church had three shifts for Sunday morning Easter services accompanied with wonderful music by the choir. Further, the church was decorated with flowers and also the today’s flowers, the children, were hunting for 400 Easter eggs-it was a new event for me. For the first time I preached three times at Sunday morning services.
Pastor Lindsay Jordan invited me for a special dinner service which really made me feel at home. Ms Marlys, who was at Nekemte as one of the synod delegates, was there with her family to have time with me as a special guest. I was reminded that Christianity means testing the fellowship and unity we have under the foot of His cross regardless of distance, culture and color. For the first time I celebrated Easter without my family.
For my family, especially for my wife, it is a hard time as her mother died 2 months ago and now also her father died last Monday, March 17/2008. Therefore your prayer for my family is vital at this moment.
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