Street Evangelists

Ethiopia, Tuesday July 20th 2010

After a day of training and countless hours of planning and praying, 9 of our graduated bible school students and disciples set out for their first day of strategic evangelism in their own city of Harar!

Our goal for these Ethiopian evangelists is to strategically invade the regions of Harar with the Kingdom of God, blanketing each street and home with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God… through preaching, salvation prayers, healing, practical help and casting out devils! We also desire to see contacts built for the sake of our own disciples as well as to promote and invite people to our Harar Church of Joy.

After a short morning gathering, the evangelists journey out in teams each Saturday from 9:30-12:30, followed by lunch and intercessory prayer in our church.

Their first day on the streets proved to be a success with the pure kiss of God upon their steps… 5 precious souls received Jesus and countless others heard the power of the Gospel for the first time! Thanks God for helping us reach the unreached in Harar!

Gabrielle Strandberg
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Graduation Weekend on the Horn of Africa

Ethiopia, Saturday May 15th 2010

Pride is really a beautiful thing when it's boasting of the hand and power of God upon a person's life. This praise and joy is exactly what we did here on the Horn of Africa 3 weekends ago over our incredible spiritual sons and daughters. It all began on a Saturday morning when our class of 8 gathered for an outreach among the unreached in our very own Harar. They were responsible for drawing the crowd, preaching, testifying, performing drama and leading the lost to prayers of salvation. They were truly remarkable.

Beza preached the raw gospel with fire as blood dripped from his face, mixed with sand and dirt from the drama he just preformed as Jesus. He was truly preaching the blood of life. After the crowds dispersed and the sound system was packed away, the sweet, sweet presence of Jesus continued to float through the atmosphere. Our once unreached disciples were making disciples of their own.

That Sunday morning in Harar Church of Joy was truly electrifying. Meles and Selam led the congregation in radical praise, the children performed a precious drama/dance, one of our Bible students, Daniel, testified about the transformation power of God, our hero Pastor Samuel preached a radical word about our vision and we also had the honor of handing out diplomas to some of Africa's greatest treasures!

The celebration of our students continued through the night with a barbeque of goat meat and injera. The pounding of plastic barrels filled the compound along with the steady beating of the thunderstorm as we shouted more praise songs to God and danced around the fire! Hallelujah!

Just one week after these second-class Bible school graduates had finished, 6 new warriors filed in to our compound for the transformation of a lifetime! Thanks God! Over these last 2 weeks they have been trained in salvation, baptism, faith, Holy Spirit, "Who You are in Christ", practical Bible knowledge and righteousness. The unreached people groups in Ethiopia are being saved!

Gabrielle Strandberg
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Visiting one of Harar Church of Joy's House Churches

Ethiopia, Saturday February 27th 2010

Finally we are there, slightly short breathed with muddy shoes and feet. We open the door to the small room that belongs to one of our current Bible School students, and sit down on the mattress on the floor. There is Ethiopian worship flowing from the loudspeakers of an old cassette recorder and the room is full of incense and the smell of freshly boiled tea.

Together with us is even the owner of the little house, 4 new saved and new baptized guys and a not yet saved young girl. Together we sit there, all eight of us on the floor and on the little bed in the room, laughing and mixing all kinds of languages. After having tea and something to eat, we praise Jesus and then our pastor and co-worker Ashagre shares the Word. After a while of teaching, we talk a little, share prayer subjects and then we start praying. The evening is drawing to its end and we finish the tea and the rest of the bread before we get up, hug everyone goodbye and everyone disappear in different directions into the dark African night.

It is in houses like these that we see new people bow their knees and say their first prayer to their creator. It's in houses like this one that we see people get baptized in the Holy Spirit, get their lives changed and experience the real love and peace given by Jesus. It's in houses like this that we see future Bible School students, missionaries and pastors being born.

There is no better place and there is nothing more beautiful than when you as a missionary get to sit there on the old mattress and see Mohammed sitting in the corner with his eyes closed, whispering together with his newfound Jesus.

This is life!

Maja Larsson
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Mini Festival in Harar

Ethiopia, Wednesday February 10th 2010

Daniel preaching in the traditional Oromo-skirt

During last week Harar Church of Joy had Daniel Elvelyck visiting from Sweden. Daniel is one of the leaders of Mission SOS International and the Director of SOS Missions Bible School in Stockholm.

Daniel had two days together with our bible school students, teaching them on the subject of the Blood Covenant. After the first day the students were in awe. At the end of the second day many sat with tears in their eyes as the pieces came together and they saw a whole new dimension of what God has done for us. It is amazing when revelation hit people!

For the weekend we had a Mini-Festival in Church of Joy. We announced it with flyers, posters and loudspeaker cars and many got to hear the salvation message for the first time. 17 people gave their lives to Jesus and sick were healed. One girl had suffered from stomach problems for a long time. When coming back to church the night after she had been prayed for, she was glowing with enthusiasm, explaining that there was no more pain, Jesus had taken it!

Pray with us for many more salvation and healing miracles in the months ahead.

Katrine Drevon
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Christmas Show in Harar Church of Joy

Ethiopia, Thursday January 7th 2010

Sunday the 3rd of January was a special Sunday in Harar. 75 tickets had been handed out to old, homeless, blind and crippled people throughout the city. The tickets invited them to Harar Church of Joy's Christmas Show, including lunch for everyone!

For two whole days, until late Saturday night, we had church members, former Bible school students and future ones preparing food everywhere on our compound. Some were cutting onions outside the kitchen, some cutting potatoes in front of our bedroom doors, some mixing spices on the front yard, others mixing the different ingredients in huge pots over open fires just inside the gate. It was amazing to see everyone at work like this, feeling the expectation... Our goal was to cook the best meal these people had ever had! And I think we made it. For about 150,- USD we bought the best ingredients and made a fabulous lunch, packed separately for 100 people!

In addition to preparing lunch for the homeless, we had prepared a drama going through the whole life of Jesus, from birth to death, and even showing His healing ministry. It was powerful!

In the morning the Church of Joy had its normal service with Christmas theme, and at 2 pm the lunch service for the homeless. It was such a joyful time! Getting to share the gospel with so many people in one day! Getting to share the love of Christ and reach out to our community... Ashagre, one of our pastors, shared the message of salvation and more than half of the gathered people responded! After Samuel preached a brief message of healing, we got to pray for many of the sick people that had come, and a deaf ear opened! What a blessed Christmas!

Katrine Drevon
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Harar Church of Joy Taking New Leaps!

Ethiopia, Tuesday November 17th 2009

Harar Church of Joy is a young church in the city of Harar, which is located in eastern Ethiopia, on the Horn of Africa. The church has just passed a year since the beginning and is growing faster than anyone could ever have dreamed of. A year ago the first services were held in the teamhouse with 1-2 visitors. Now Harar Church of Joy has its own church facilities, we have prayed with more than 200 people to salvation, baptized 85 and 5 stable house churches are meeting every week. God has done miracles in an area and among a people group that many thought was impossible, and it doesn't end there! Still it is just the beginning of what God has for Harar Church of Joy, for Harar and for the Horn of Africa.

Not long ago, Harar Church of Joys vision was proclaimed. After many hours in prayer, the vision was written down not only on paper, but also on the middle of the front wall in the freshly painted church. Expectations were high both among the missionaries and the church members when the Sunday morning finally came and the vision were to be proclaimed in front of the people and in front of God.

The Sunday went from regular Sunday to Super Sunday! The Holy Spirit took over the service and led it with a strong presence of joy, happiness and peace. There was joy in worship, dance, drama and preaching! It exceeded all expectations and we could really feel how Harar Church of Joy took a new leap in the direction of the vision that God has given us.

Harar Church of Joy - Among the people, for all people!

To liberate, transform and equip a generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ... In Ethiopia, on the Horn of Africa and to the ends of the earth.

For the Sake of The Unreached.

Still it is just Harar, but the church planting has just started. There are lots of unreached areas left among the Afar, the Oromo and the Somalis, that are just waiting for daughter churches to be born and become tools for the salvation of whole regions. We are dreaming, praying and longing, and in the horizon we can see a daughter church being born and the voice of the Holy Spirit whispering: It's time!

Join us in prayer for the Horn of Africa and the unreached people that in their hearts are longing to hear the delivering gospel of Jesus - the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Maja Larsson
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Gods chosen ones in Harar

Ethiopia, Tuesday October 20th 2009

Saturday it was the premiere of something new, fresh and very natural. Saturday we started a new house church in one of the toughest areas of Harar. Not just any, but a very unique house church that have been growing under the surface for a long time, just waiting to bloom out, a house church for women and young girls. On the premiere night we gathered 9 women plus children. The atmosphere was open, it was no church service, no union meeting, it was the family gathering. A sisterhood sitting down, eating together, washing each others feet, praising God and reading the Word together, encouraging each other and strengthening each other in conversation, lots of laughter and loud worship.

These women are not just any women, they are my role models. They are single mothers and hard working girls. They are alone in a city where girls are often pushed aside and underestimated. But they have fought on in their loneliness, stood strong and refused to give in. Then they met Jesus and then everything changed. Suddenly they were not alone anymore. They threw all their worries on the Lord and now they have a strong faith in a good future both for themselves and their children.

The world might underestimate them but God has chosen them. They are pillars in the church and mothers for a lonely and orphan generation. They are carrying the responsibility that few can bear and they do it with integrity and their heads high.

As I said, role models! It is an honor as missionary to be included in their family! The will, strength and devotion is enormous, and with these women in Harar, the vision about a transformed Horn of Africa is not a distant dream.

Maja Larsson
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Festival in Harar Church of Joy

Ethiopia, Thursday October 15th 2009

It started a warm Friday afternoon. In Harar you could hear the sound of a loudspeaker-car announcing that: It's Festival Time! In Harar Church of Joy there was going to be a festival with drama, dancing, miracles and the preacher for the weekend: Johannes Amritzer. The expectations in the entire team were high when the afternoon came and the first people started coming to church. The church was full When the first service started! It was an excited crowd of people that was squeezed together on the benches. The first night around 250 people were gathered inside the church and even in the sand piles outside. It was a service breathing Jesus, joy and freedom! Johannes preached a radical and pure message about Jesus and many people responded. People gave their lives to Jesus, were baptized in the Holy Spirit, were set free from depression and sicknesses. Jesus touched people on all levels according to their needs.

The weekend continued in the same path. The rumors of the festival spread quickly and the church was full even Saturday night and Sunday morning. Around 50 people gave their lives to Jesus during the festival, many were baptized in the Holy Spirit and hips, knees and eye diseases were healed in the name of Jesus.

A new chapter was written in the history of Harar Church of Joy. The church got to live up to what it is created to be - a church of joy and freedom! A church where all kinds of people can come and have their lives changed. Everything from taxi drivers, coffee ladies, builders, street kids, educated people, single mothers and wild teenagers...

The week after the festival, we started a baptism party that is still ongoing. The team is actively teaching baptism in water, Holy Spirit and fire, and the life of Acts together with Jesus. We see the results of the festival in people on the streets, in the house churches, in the bibleschool and in the church.

Thank you Jesus for what You are doing among Your people on the Horn of Africa! No place, no peoplegroup, no circumstances are too great for You.

Maja Larsson
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

It's Pioneer Time in Harar!

Ethiopia, Wednesday September 2nd 2009

It is September in Harar, Ethiopia. The streets look like they usually do, the weather is the same, but there is excitement in the air, there is something special going on. Both the disciples and the team are full of expectation. There is something exciting going to happen. It is another big step in the history of Harar Church of Joy. It is of Jesus, it is a pioneer project, it's new and it's happening now. In a little more than a week the first class of Harar Church of Joy Discipleship Training School will start! A school with a vision to train disciples in the Word of God, prayer, street evangelizing etc and to help them into what God has called them to do. One person that is looking very much forward to this is our own pastor and dean for the Discipleship Training School, Samuel Strandberg. This is something he has been carrying in his heart for a very long time.

Samuel says:
-I really believe in this Discipleship Training School! It feels like I will explode if we don't start soon. This school is something that is very close to God's heart. We can read in the Bible about how Jesus took care of His disciples, taught them, shared life with them and challenged them. That is exactly what He has called us to do. I am dreaming about one day seeing those that will go to this school, pass us as better evangelists, church planters and discipleship trainers, that is our goal.

The Discipleship Training School is starting now in the beginning of September and graduates in the middle of December. This first class will have 12 students, from newly saved to those saved 1 year ago or more. They are construction workers, teachers, couples with small children, guards, young and old. A group of regular people, ready to give all their life to Jesus and with a desire to come out and learn how to share their faith and be a part of seeing the Horn of Africa changed.

-We will pray a lot together. Make the students understand the importance of prayer and the closeness with Jesus that is so important. Without prayer we cannot grow as Jesus disciples. To become strong we need to pray and live in the word of God. Mission and evangelization is obviously something that will also appear often on the schedule. Practicing how to share their teastimony, how to pray a salvation prayer with someone, baptize, pray with people to healing. When the students graduate in 3 months, I think we will have a group of disciples that are stronger and more full of faith, ready to take more responsibility in Harar Church of Joy and in their turn start to practice out in the streets. It's all about multiplication, to give what we have received.

The excitement and expectation is total. Is there anything more beautiful than to see people give themselves to Jesus, dreaming of being a part of building the kingdom of God? As missionaries we can do nothing but enjoy and through tears of joy see how God is restoring a people group that in the eyes of the world is without hope. But the last word has not been said, we are seeing the start of a changed Harar. God has a plan for the Oromo, Afar, Somali, Adheri and all the other people groups on the Horn of Africa!

For the sake of the unreached!

Maja Larsson
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Upcoming Events!

Ethiopia, Tuesday July 14th 2009

There is a lot of things happening on the missionbase in Ethiopia. One of the good and joyful news is that our dear Samuel Strandberg, field director and pastor in Harar Church of Joy is getting married!

Samuel & Gabrielle

In September Samuel is flying to USA to get married to Gabrielle Rae Redmond, and one week later they will return to Harar together. Gabrielle is a pioneer, Jesus-loving girl from Youngstown, Ohio. Since the autumn of 2008 Gabrielle has worked with Mission SOS and has visited SOS in Sweden and the mission bases in Bulgaria, Ethiopia and Thailand. She has a true heart for mission and unreached people groups and together they will continue to work for the salvation of the unreached on the Horn of Africa.

Johannes Amritzer

As if that was not enough, our beloved Johannes Amritzer will come and visit us in the end of September, something that we have been longing for! While Johannes is here, Harar Church of Joy will have its first campaign with Johannes Amritzer as main preacher. This is something we all are looking very much forward to!

Yes, September will be a busy month. But imagine how blessed we will be to have Samuel and Gabrielle as field director-couple and also have our beloved Johannes with us for one whole week. Together we will have a wild Jesus campaign for those who normally don't go to church. It will take place in downtown Harar!

Everything for the sake of the unreached people!

Maja Larsson
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

The Base at the Horn of Africa Proudly Presents our two new missionaries!

Ethiopia, Saturday June 27th 2009

Filip Gustafsson is originally a fisherman from Fotö, close to Gothenburg in Sweden. He is still a fisherman, but now a fisher of men among Oromo, Somali, Amhara and Adheri people on the Horn of Africa! He has already been in Ethiopia as a missionary twice, on the base in Dire Dawa, but now he is a pioneer missionary in Harar!
Katherine Romo have roots from Chile, speaks Spanish fluently and have already after a week in Harar picked up a lot of the local languages! It is her first time in Ethiopia and her first time out as a missionary.
We thank God for reinforcements in the work!

Now we have passed 200 people that have prayed a salvation prayer here in Harar Church of Joy! We have baptized 69 people and most of the time we gather between 40-60 people in the meetings. The housegroups are growing and at the follow up night for the new saved we have 10-15 every week.

The new church is ready. The ceiling has been put up, the walls have been painted and we even built a stage. Now it is weekend time... We have two meetings, one on Saturday night for those that have never heard about Jesus, where we explain the gospel with dramas and illustrations. Sunday night we celebrate Jesus together with our disciples, teach the church and preach faith into the new believers.

Katrine Drevon
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Grand Opening!

Ethiopia, Thursday May 21st 2009

Harar Church of Joy moved into the new building this weekend. Everything is not ready yet, but there are walls and a roof - and a lot of space! The coming weeks there will be fitted windows, electricity will be installed, we will paint, fit a ceiling and build a stage.

The new church

Saturday on the Miracle Night one of our guys, Fitsum age 15, came with great pain in his left knee. He's had problems with this on and off since he was 3 years old, but now it was really bad. We prayed for him and he was healed. All the pain disappeared!

The first meeting in the new building

Fitsum was healed

Thank you God for our new church building! Here many will hear the gospel for the first time, many sick will be healed, many lives will be changed... Many people will meet Jesus here!

Katrine Drevon
Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Miracle Night in Harar Church of Joy is a Blast!

Ethiopia, Tuesday May 19th 2009

We had the opportunity to open up our old church and make it twice the size as usual. We decided to take that offer and wait until next weekend to have the grand opening in the new place. But this weekend did not become less of a blast for that reason, instead it became a great success! We had a goal to gather 100 people for the Saturday night meeting, and when counting we had more than 120 visitors!

Dance to Ethiopian worship is always a hit!

The worship lifted under the low ceiling!

Samuel preached Jesus and people met God!

24 people were saved during the weekend! Tuesday we had follow up class with the new believers and today we baptized in our front yard again. This time we baptized three and next week there will be more...

Happy, just baptized disciples!

Katrine Drevon
Mission SOS,
Horn of Africa

Harar Church of Joy in a Brand New Building!

Ethiopia, Sunday May 3rd 2009

The contract is signed. In the beginning it was just a building site, but now the Church of Joy is slowly but surely growing forth. The construction work on the new building is on.

3 weeks left

2 weeks left

1 week left

In one week we have the Grand Opening…

Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Update from the Horn of Africa

Ethiopia, Sunday May 3rd 2009

At the Horn of Africa the work is going on, the church is expanding, the housegroups are growing stronger every week and the disciples are leaping forward in their walk with God.

It's a big party every time we get to baptize someone!

The past month we have prayed with around 20 people to salvation. Last week we baptised four and next week we start a followup class with 10-15 new believers. Next week it is also time for "big-housechurch". Then we gather everyone in the teamhouse and celebrate communion together!

Things are happening on the Horn!

Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Miracle on the Girls Group

Ethiopia, Sunday April 5th 2009

On the girls group this week, it was Anna Loyal who taught from the Bible on how God looks at us and how we should be looking at ourselves. She testified about how God has changed her self image after she got saved. Afterwards we got to pray for several of the girls and the presence of God was there in a wonderful way. One of the women present had her 9 year old daughter with her. The young girl had got a lump on her head and they were very worried. Now she wanted us to pray for her daughter, so Anna put her hands on the girls head and commanded the lump to disappear in the name of Jesus and assured them that "Now Jesus will perform a miracle". The day after Anna met the mother in the street and she excitedly told her that the lump had disappeared!

God is good! He is doing miracles, healing and saving. Nothing is impossible for Him!

Katrine Drevon
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

Salvation on the Football Field

Ethiopia, Thursday April 2nd 2009

The mission base on the Horn of Africa always do sports on Saturday mornings. This time the team gathered on a local football field and took out bats and balls to play some baseball. While some were putting out stones to mark the field, curious youngsters were gathering to see what was happening. Some just wanted to watch, while others were eager to join the game. Bats and shoes were flying through the air and the dust cloud grew as the bases were rounded. This day a new sport was born in Harar.

When the last round finished, everyone gathered curiously around the referee to hear who had won, but there was one important thing left to be done first. A dusty and sweaty field director entered the core of the expectant young people gathered, everyone was pushing around to get close enough to hear. In the middle of a local football field in Harar, on a perfectly normal Saturday morning when the team was out to do some sport, salvation was preached and 7 people chose to give their lives to Jesus.

We want to take every opportunity we get and continue preaching the gospel everywhere until Jesus comes back!

Katrine Drevon
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

Jesus visited the bar on the corner

Ethiopia, Monday February 2nd 2009

Some members of the church going out to invite people to the bar

With dancing to well-known Ethiopian tunes and singing by Anna Loyal we were trying to get people to come to the local bar. It was the perfect environment for the first outreach of Harar Harvest Center Church of Joy.
7 people decided to follow Jesus that day, and several others were interested and had a lot of questions. One of the guys who were saved was also baptized the next week.

The day after the outreach, on the Sunday afternoon service, Ashagre (one of the leaders in the church) was preaching that we need to be like Jesus.
During the meeting one girl and two guys were saved.

Wonderful days, what a victorious weekend!

Linda Jonsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

The whole family is transformed!

Ethiopia, Monday February 2nd 2009

In some earlier news we wrote about our church member Fitsom, who was saved and baptized in our church, and his mother who was saved later and was baptized here as well.

During the Ethiopian Christmas Holiday, which occurs two weeks after ours, Fitsom's father Gabri showed up. He had been gone for 4 years but decided to celebrate Christmas with his son and ex wife. Fitsom is one of our most devoted disciples and brought Gabri to a meeting where he was saved and his life was transformed. Before Gabri left to go back to his home city, he was baptized and was also part of our follow-up classes.

The last thing he said before he left was that he will now go home to start a house church in his house, just as Fitsom and Martha have.

Linda Jonsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

Back home, now with reinforcements!

Ethiopia, Saturday January 17th 2009

After a wonderful vacation we were longing for home, to come home to our family and home to our friends. We had a great week with lots of rest, fun and good food, but the longing for Harar was so big. So being back here now we can sincerely say "home sweet home".
The day after we came home the rumor had already spread to our friends; one by one they came to welcome us back. There was lots of hugging and joy to see us again.

We really felt appreciated and needed, as well as it being a confirmation of our work having an impact on our friends. What we are doing here on the horn of Africa is important and life transforming. Imagine that we can be here at God's disposal, to do what he wants.

With the church growing and more and more people being saved, it was with great joy we welcomed the new team members that recently arrived from Sweden.
It's always great with new harvest workers willing to give six months or more of their lives to work on the horn.

The new team members; Dan, Anna, Maja and Anna-Carin

Linda Jonsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

Christmas celebration with baptism!

Ethiopia, Tuesday December 30th 2008

Five old lives buried, five new coming to life

Four days after Christmas Eve, five young men decided to bury their old lives. On the day before, the young men were invited to the Saturday "Miracle Night". A simple message was preached, that we should look to Jesus and only through Him will we get life. They all wanted to receive Jesus as their savior immediately.
On the Sunday meeting two other men were saved, and some of the men we baptized earlier were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
It is not Christmas food, a plastic christmas tree or a pile of snow outside our door, that makes us happy this Christmas, it is the knowledge that the Kingdom of God is expanding that makes us truly happy.

What a party we had, with salvation and baptism! Now we believe that 2009 will be filled with even more salvation and miracles. Stand with us in prayer for "the Horn".

This week we are going away for vacation, we will come back filled with energy and even more will and passion to see the people of Harar saved.

See you!

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year, from the missionaries at the Horn of Africa!

Samuel, what is happening?

Ethiopia, Tuesday December 30th 2008

Samuel and Jamal

Samuel, base leader on the Horn of Africa, can you tell us what is
happening at the base right now?

-It is a very exciting time at the base right now. We have just moved into a new team house, and with that there has been a lot of practical work. It is a great house and I think we will like it here. Because of this move we lost our church assembly hall, so we are praying to God for a new permanent church in a good area where we can reach lots of people and people groups. The coming meetings will be held in our living room at the team house; it will be very crowded but also a lot of fun when 30 people try to squeeze in there. We have also come to a point where we are training a lot of disciples, 26 people have been baptized and we are teaching and praying with them. During the weeks we also meet people in the 4 house churches we have with our new believers.

The sisters in-law are baptized

Ethiopia, Monday December 15th 2008

Everything started off with two boys, Fitsom and Jitaowes, coming to one of our meetings two months ago. They were so impacted by the message that they decided to bring their neighbor Lydiya to our team house four days later. They thought she should also hear the message of Jesus just like they did. Lydiya was saved that day, and just a couple of days later they were all baptized. And after that it has just continued.

A Blessed and Intense Weekend with Swedish Visitors

Ethiopia, Saturday December 6th 2008

This weekend we had a wonderful surprise, visitors from Sweden! Samuel Willkander and Filip Redéen from Mission SOS base in Sweden come down for a couple of days to encourage, bless and work with the team.

They came mostly to film the base and the work here, but also had time to share the word of God with the team and be part of the Saturday service. Samuel Willkander witnessed about how a girl was healed this fall from severe back pain, after he prayed for her. It was a wonderful testimony that touched the visitors deeply. After the testimony Samuel Strandberg started to preach that "Jesus wants to move into your house", a message that made two guys decide to receive Jesus.

Late nights, lots of laughter, good food, intense filming and powerful encounters with God are words that conclude a wonderful blessed and intense weekend with visitors from Sweden.

Samuel, Samuel and Filip in the middle of filming.

Linda Jonsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

The Women's Ministry is growing

Ethiopia, Saturday December 6th 2008

A few weeks ago we received a vision to start a women's ministry. Now we have had gatherings each week for a month and we have already started to see that this is the right place for our girls to grow, develop and connect with each other. At each gathering we talk, share the word of God and pray together. This is a wonderful group of girls that doesn't want anything else than getting closer to God.

Linda Jonsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

Guard made a Whole Hearted Decision

Ethiopia, Tuesday November 18th 2008

Samuel and Daniel

Our new guard, the former police officer Daniel, started asking questions about Jesus already at the job interview.
-I want what you have, he said.
Five months before a former colleague had witnessed to Daniel about Jesus and he decided to be saved. Sadly other things were also pulling at him; the local drug chat, alcohol and his work took up most of his time.

Daniel says it is not a coincidence that he came to the job interview, it must have been God. On his first shift, the day after the interview, he made a new decision to follow Jesus, this time with all his heart.
A few days later he was baptized and received the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
- I feel I've gotten my life in order and I just want to get to know God more and more. I want to do what God wants me to do, and go where He wants me to go, Daniel says with a big smile.

Linda Jonsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

Two Saved at Fellowship Evening!

Ethiopia, Tuesday November 18th 2008

About 30 of our new believers showed up when we invited them to our house. The usual follow up class outside the house was changed to an evening of fellowship in our living room. We rolled out our big Persian rug on the floor and people were sitting and laying everywhere. We had biscuits, coffee, popcorn and cookies for this occasion.

Ashagre, our interpreter, held a simple, and much appreciated, teaching of prayer. Afterwards Samuel also made an invitation to salvation. Two new people responded to it and are now part of a follow up class.
We had a wonderful evening where we got to know our disciples ever better.

This is how we are building a strong tight church on the Horn of Africa

Linda Jonsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

The Fever Disappeared!

Ethiopia, Friday October 31st 2008

Efesio was healed!

When one of the missionaries came to the house of Tigist to do some follow up work, her daughter was lying under a blanket with high fever and a severe cough.

The missionary prayed for the girl and then started teaching. A couple of minutes later the girl kicks the blanket off and jumps up. And as if nothing had happened she started running around and playing as usual. The fever and the cough was gone!

Linda Jonsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

Salvation, Baptism and Healing in Harar!

Ethiopia, Monday October 13th 2008

Jesus has really touched Harar today! When "Miracle Night" started about 25 people were gathered to experience the power of God. Our Field Director Samuel Strandberg was preaching a straight message about not being proud, but to humble yourself before God and show that you need Him. 3 men wanted to be saved and gave their lives to Jesus. Earlier in the afternoon Samuel's language teacher had been saved in an Amharic class. The night continued with prayer for the sick, it really felt like a breakthrough when six people came up to be healed. An elderly man came with pain in his leg, and was healed instantly and started to move without any problem.

After the meeting was over one new believer was baptized in our bathtub and an enthusiastic crowd was gathered in the hallway of our house to get a glimpse of the baptism. Afterwards a group of happy missionaries sat down with a coke in their hand to wind down after the adventures this day brought.

Mathias Folke baptizing a new believer.

Harar Church of Joy is being born. Thank you Jesus!

Mission SOS Horn of Africa

Miracle Nights!

Ethiopia, Wednesday October 8th 2008

Wednesday and Saturday nights are "Miracle Nights" in Harar! That's when we gather people in the yard in front of our team house. Our contacts, people we have spoken to in the city, met in stores and cafés - everyone is welcome!

"Miracle Nights" are filled with great joy and expectation of the power of God. The great message of Jesus Christ is preached. We pray with people to salvation and baptism in the Holy Spirit - and pray for everyone who is sick! We believe that these meetings will draw attention in Harar and that people will meet Jesus as their saviour, liberator and healer!

We pray that the grace of God shall be upon us to preach the gospel in a simple way that people can understand and that we shall be open channels that God can use to meet people.

Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

New Team on the Horn of Africa

Ethiopia, Monday September 22nd 2008

The new team has now arrived to Harar, Ethiopia and the base is up and running! Enthusiasm, expectation and joy are words that reflect the team. Enthusiastic to do what God has called us to do, expecting to see God manifest His word with signs and wonders and incredibly happy and thankful to finally be here!

The first week has been exciting and full of events. At the same time we are planning and working practically we are also preaching, praying and inviting people to our services. We are moving in the city a lot to get to know people, to take the city into our hearts and to get connections. What we see are many people in need of Jesus, that is why Mission SOS is here!

Mission SOS
Horn of Africa

Samuel Strandberg, Katrine Drevon, Mathias & Maren Folke

Healing on the Job

Ethiopia, Tuesday June 17th 2008

Biruks colleague was healed

Biruk is one of our disciples since a year back. He works as a waiter in one of the hotels in Dire Dawa. From the first day he has been preaching to colleagues and managers at his job. At first no one was positive. Everyone ignored him.

One Friday night he had to work late. He fell asleep sitting on a chair. After a few hours he woke up because someone was coughing and was suffocating. One of his colleagues was on the floor and next to her was an empty bottle of chlorine.

Biruk and two of his colleagues tried to help her in different ways, but she only got worse. She was unconscious, had high fever and saliva around her mouth.
- You have to pray for her! one of his colleagues shouted, if someoe can help her it is your God.

He prayed several times, and after each time his colleagues shouted;
- You have to pray more!
He prayed that God would do a miracle and transform the young woman's life, and was thanking God for the miracle that was about to happen.

God made a miracle! The fever went down and she was now conscious. The next day she was much happier. Biruk now continues to preach and witness to her.

Anna-Karin Carlsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

Under the East-African Sky

Ethiopia, Tuesday May 6th 2008

Hanging out at the missionaries' house.

There is a lovely smell from the kitchen, in the background you hear Ethiopian worship. Lights are shining in the otherwise dark East-African night. The vines are decorated in different colors.

One by one they come and sit on the Arabic rug. The disciples who have been saved the last few months are invited to our home to hang out and to listen to the Word of God.

Many of them are making new friends, eating cookies and popcorn. After a while Samuel Strandberg speaks up and preaches a simple message about building your life on the rock, Jesus.

Two of our Etiopian friends having coffee.

20 of our disciples, most of them baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit, came to be filled with the Word of God, candy and a lot of love.

About a month ago we had a similar night, where we invited the new believers to our home to spend time with them and to encourage and teach them. This night was also a success.

Filip Gustafsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

13 Disciples Baptized!

Ethiopia, Wednesday April 30th 2008

Ready to be baptized.

Asagged being baptized.

Our beloved disciples are growing and becoming stronger in their faith. Now we are teaching about 20 people individually each week.

During the spring we have had several baptisms in our church, the last time was about a week ago. 13 of our disciples chose to be baptized at that time.

Asagged, who we written about earlier, was one of them who were baptized.

Anna-Karin Carlsson
Mission SOS Horn of Africa

Our Guard Speaks in Tongues now!

Ethiopia, Wednesday April 9th 2008

One of our guards at the base, Serawit, had been wondering for a long time what "strange noises" he heard when we missionaries were praying in the morning. Last week he came to one of us and asked if he could speak in tongues too. So we taught him about the baptism in the Holy Spirit and that it is something for everyone who believes.

Serawit, who was longing to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, started speaking in tongues as soon as we laid our hands on him.

Jonatan Sjöstedt

Three short Testimonies

Ethiopia, Wednesday April 9th 2008

Here is a glimpse of a few people who go to the follow-up classes. Their life stories are very different, some where just saved others have been saved for a while but has not received any teaching. Someone heard about Jesus at a service in church, another in a prison.
Read what Jesus has done in their lives!

Asagged

Asagged is 40 years with an Orthodox background. He was saved at an outreach we had three weeks ago. The day after he came forward in our church as well to give his life to Jesus, and shortly after he was also baptized in the Holy Spirit. Asagged left a life of drugs behind him and has a great hunger for God.

Adide

Adide, a 13 year old girl was saved two weeks ago at a meeting in our church. Jesus set her free from depressions and headache.
- Immediately when I prayed the salvation prayer, my depression was exchanged with joy she says.

Biruk

Biruk is a man who was saved three years ago during Mission SOS' festival in Dire Dawa. He did not get in contact with a church after the festival, but took the opportunity now to join a follow-up class. Biruk had a chat addiction he was smoking and also had a drinking problem. Now he witnesses he is free from all addictions!

Jonatan Sjöstedt

Nine People Saved on Outreach

Ethiopia, Tuesday April 8th 2008

Outreach in Sabian

Linda Berg, one of our missionaries preaches healing for the people.

Equipped with a megaphone, an i pod and the gospel we went to a part of Dire Dawa called Sabian. On site we preformed a drama and preached about how Jesus took all our sin and all our diseases in His body when He died on the cross. Nine people chose to receive Jesus and the church there is now discipling and taking care of these nine precious men and women.

Anna-Karin Carlsson

Baptism in our Backyard

Ethiopia, Tuesday April 8th 2008

Last Tuesday we had the privilege to baptize one of our disciples.
When she was baptized the entire missionary team was gathered around our home made baptismal basin.

Baptismal-Feast and Creative Norwegians

Ethiopia, Thursday March 13th 2008

Zinawoa being baptized.

Last Saturday afternoon it was time for another baptismal-feast in our church again. Seven people chose to be baptized, about 20-30 people gathered around the water after the service. One of the women was deaf and confirmed Jesus as Lord in sign language before she was baptized. Another woman, Zinawoa, had been saved for just two weeks. She followed her friend to a follow-up meeting with one of our missionaries and there she gave her life to Jesus.

Our new friends from Norway.

The team just recently grew with four new people from Norway this last week. They are students at a Bible school in Olso, Norway and will work with us for about a month. Together with their two leaders they have helped us with different tasks during the week.

Drama on Saturday night.

On the youth meeting on Saturday the theme was "What Gives True Peace in Life?" A drama was performed on the theme by Swedes, Norwegians and Ethiopians. It was about a girl who was trying to find money relationships and fortune but was only hurt disappointed and filled with loneliness. Samuel Strandberg preached after that, that Jesus gives peace. About 10 people were also baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Anna-Karin Carlsson
Jonatan Sjöstedt

The Mobilization has begun...

Ethiopia, Monday February 18th 2008

The war drum that will gather the soldiers of the kingdom of God in Harar has started to sound. Last Saturday we had the first gathering to mobilize the spiritual troops for Harar Millennium Festival.

Samuel Strandberg teaching and challenging the local workers for the Harar Millenium Festival.

Samuel Strandberg, Field Director at the SOS base in Ethiopia, gave an inspiring speech; the gospel should be proclaimed to open up the eyes of the unreached so that they can see Jesus. He pointed out that we do not want three different teams, but one great army of God. The Ethiopians together with the guests from Scandinavia and America.

Two gospel workers signing up to work at the festival.

Around 70 people came to the gathering. They reported after the meeting to serve in different areas of responsibility; ushers, interpreters, resource staff and follow-up workers.

The mobilization will continue every Saturday until the festival starts on March 12th. Next week we have faith for more workers to sign up to work with us for the harvest in Harar. More Christians with a heart for the lost.

Stand with us in prayer, we need many local people who take their responsibility for Harar in the coming harvest.


Jonatan Sjöstedt
Ethiopia

Festival Preparations and Transformed Lives

Ethiopia, Saturday February 9th 2008

In a little more than a month it's time for what we have been longing for, Harar Millenium Festival, and we are working with the preparations. In the midst of all the paper work and planning people are being delivered from evil spirits, saved, healed and baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Last weekend a girl was set free from evil spirits. She confessed Jesus as Lord and was filled with the Holy Spirit. She is now a disciple and receives teaching about her new life with the Lord.

Many people came to hear the Gospel.

Last Wednesday night our team joined a meeting series in our daughter church in the outskirts of Dire Dawa. Many people were gathered when the meeting started. The benches were quickly filled and the people who didn't get in crowded in the door-opening to hear the gospel. About 80 men, women and children were present at the meeting.

Samuel Strandberg was the speaker of the night. He was preaching about salvation, healing and baptism in the Holy Spirit. 5 people received Jesus and about 10 were baptized in Holy Spirit and fire.

There is a great hunger among the inhabitants of Dire Dawa to be filled with the Spirit of God!

Anna-Karin Carlsson
Jonatan Sjöstedt
Ethiopia

The Kid's Service!

Ethiopia, Thursday January 31st 2008

Sunday January 12th was the kid's day at our church. On the afternoon about 75 kids, and a few grown-ups, were gathered to see dramas and listen to songs and a sermon.

Drama about Jesus' death on the cross

The kids sang worship songs and read from the Bible themselves. They also performed two dramas about Jesus dying for us, so that our sins would be forgiven and that we would be healed from our diseases.

One of the missionaries, Anna-Carin spoke to the kids.

Anna-Carin Wolmerud preached a simple message about Jesus. Since many of the street children speak Orominja (not the national language Amharic), her sermon was interpreted to both Amharic and Orominja.

The kids were happy and this is probably not the last kids service in our church.

Anna-Karin Carlsson
Ethiopia

Food Program in Harar

Ethiopia, Thursday December 20th 2007

We have had the "Food program" in Harar for about a year and a half now. Once every week about 15-20 women, and at least as many children come to hear the Word of God and to receive some food as well. many of these women have accepted Jesus as their Lord. We teach them how to become strong disciples of Jesus, many of them have been coming every week the last year and it's amazing to see how they have grown in their faith.

First we teach the adults, during that same time the kids have their own service, and then they receive something to drink, some bread and a banana. We do hope that we, in close future, will be able to extend this to a full meal though, just as the food program in Dire Dawa.

Linda Berg & Anna-Karin Carlsson
Missionaries

Outreach in Harar

Ethiopia, Thursday December 20th 2007

On Saturday a couple of weeks ago the team went to Harar to have an outreach together with our church there. We went into the streets to and into the homes to tell people about Jesus. Both Muslims and orthodox listened to us.

It is such a privilege to tell people about the living God and sow the Word of God into their lives! The first day one man gave his life to Jesus, right there on the streets, another group had visited a Muslim family of the Oromo tribe, and the mother, father and their nine children cam to the Lord! Hallelujah!

Linda Berg
Missionary

15 Baptized in the Holy Spirit!

Ethiopia, Thursday October 25th 2007

Samuel Strandberg preached salvation, healing and baptism in the Holy Spirit

Every weekend we have services on Saturday night, and of course Sunday morning and evening. Last Sunday evening Samuel Strandberg, who leads the base in Ethiopia, preached fire, salvation and healing. Many were saved, healed and baptized in the Holy Spirit. The power of God was there and altogether 15 people started speaking in toungues!

Food Program - a place for the Homeless

Ethiopia, Thursday October 25th 2007

Every Wednesday is't time for Food Program. This is the best attended service in the entire week, a couple of weeks ago we had about 300 visitors, 50-60 of these were children. The only thing that differce this service from others are that every person receives a food package afterwards.

Every week men and women come and sit down with their children and worship the Lord, and every week they give what they can in the offering. It might not be so much in our eyes, but compared to what they have, many times it's more than most people give. After the message there's always an invitation to make Jesus Lord and saviour.

Children and adults at Food Program in Dire Dawa

Many choose to stay and eat after the service, and it's amazing to see how many choose to share their food with others, even though this might be the only cooked meal they eat for days.

The children have their own service in one of the rooms close by. It's impressing to see 50-60 kids sit quietly for so long to listen. many of these kids live on the streets of Dire Dawa. Children that Jesus love and gave His life for!