Bible Society staff keen to meet growing demand for Bibles in Ethiopia

Staff at the Bible Society of Ethiopia praying during a Faith Comes By Hearing listening session. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo: Norwegian BS/Dag Smemo (ETH05DJ-146.JPG)

Story and photos by UBS photojournalist Dag Smemo

ETHIOPIA — Every Friday morning, the staff who work in the very modest rooms above a bakery in Addis Ababa that serve as the central office of the Bible Society of Ethiopia gather together to pray, sing and listen to Bible readings. This is a special time for them all during their busy working week, for “the Bible is nourishment for the soul,” says General Secretary Ato Yilma Getahun.

In charge

Altogether, the Bible Society employs 25 people in Addis Ababa and at its regional office 140 miles (224 kms) to the south in Awassa. Tassew Negash, 54, is in charge of Bible distribution.

“We could distribute 40,000 Bibles every month in Addis Ababa alone,” he says. “Unfortunately, we do not have the funds to produce enough Bibles to meet demand. More and more Christians want their own Bible, but we have been unable to increase production. It’s very frustrating!”

Longing for access

Before Mr Negash joined the Bible Society, he worked for a Roman Catholic welfare association. “I didn’t know much about the Bible Society when I joined,” he recalls. “But I soon saw how much exciting and highly motivated work it is undertaking. I know that many people are longing for access to God’s Word, and working for the Bible Society allows me to do something to help them and to use my previous experience.

“One project I’ve been responsible for is our Faith Comes By Hearing program. This began in late 2001 and there are now 185 active listening groups in Addis Ababa. Many of the participants have told us how listening to God’s Word has changed their lives. Another positive outcome has been that closer links have developed between church leaders and their congregations. Through sitting together to listen, everybody in the congregation feels included and accepted.

“The audio cassettes are particularly important for blind people, many of whom cannot read Braille. Elderly people, too, are very enthusiastic listeners because they often cannot attend church services regularly.

“We often have visitors to the Bible Society who ask for Bibles or audio cassettes. I ask them what they think about us. Many say that it is because of the Bible Society that they have access to God’s Word in a form that they want.”

Youth activities

Daniel Timichael’s job at the Bible Society is Youth Officer. A lot of his work involves building links for youth activities with Ethiopia’s three largest Churches: the Orthodox, the Evangelical and the Roman Catholic.

Mr Timichael himself belongs to the Full Gospel Believers Church, of which there are 26 congregations in Addis Ababa. He holds a number of positions of responsibility, including preaching and working with children in the Sunday School and in the wider community.

“The New Testament is very important to our work among young people,” he says. “I often use texts from Luke’s Gospel in particular in my teaching in the community. We have also shown the Jesus film several times. Many people have become part of our congregation after seeing the film and reading Luke’s Gospel.

“In our congregation we use the Bible in many different ways. For example, around 5,000 of our members belong to cell groups consisting of 10 people. Each group gathers once a week to sing, pray and read the Bible. They use study material which presents examples of challenges we can face in real life and relates them to the Bible.

Avid readers

“Everyone also has his or her own Bible reading plan. By following this, they read the whole Bible in the course of a year. You also find this in many other churches. The Christians in Ethiopia are avid readers of the Bible!”

Tekabe Neway, 36, the Bible Society’s Head of Finance, is certainly very enthusiastic about reading the Bible.

“I read a chapter from the Bible every morning,” he says. “It gives me nourishment, helps me in my daily life, gives me comfort and hope, and prevents me making the wrong choices.”

Mr Neway used to work in the public sector, but he feels that his working life now has much more significance.

“I work for the Bible Society so that I can do something meaningful in my life that will help me with the choices I have to make. I have also seen how the Bible can help others who need guidance in their lives.” (WR 396/11 - 09/10.05) [5 photos]