CITA Ministry Held Seventh Gospel Crusade in Ethiopia

From October 17-22, Christ Is The Answer International Ministry partnered with local churches in the Muslim city of Dire Dawa in eastern Ethiopia for a major crusade, as well as meetings for church leaders and charity events.

The crusade in Dire Dawa was our first crusade in a Muslim city. We experienced a special spiritual battle, but also the grace of God. God brought people to salvation, healing and repentance. People testified of being healed of insomnia, leg and stomach pains.

Pastors told me that people didn’t come to their churches at all. But at the crusade, the pastors were overjoyed to see many people come to the stage to repent and receive Jesus into their hearts. After the repentance, the pastors gave instructions to the new believers and recorded their contacts.

The peculiarity of this crusade was that we, as ministers, touched the spiritual world: first, many people came to Christ, and second, there are many demonized people in this city. Unclean spirits could not withstand the power of God, screaming and throwing people to the ground. The orderly group carried the demon-possessed people to the stage where the ministers prayed for them. There is a lot of debauchery in the city, many people are chewing drug leaves – khat, there are many other sins. 

During the meeting there were no problems with violent people. But afterwards we learned that Muslims had gathered and were on strike in front of the church where we were holding the conference and eye clinic.

This is the first serious Muslim rebellion against the work of God and our ministry in the seven Christ is the Answer crusades in Ethiopia that we have encountered,” said Taras Sen, crusade director and speaker.

Over the course of three days, 1200 people received free vision screenings and free eyeglasses at eye clinics.

These charity events were attended by high-level representatives of the Dire Daua authorities, along with journalists and cameramen, who, according to the Ukrainian missionaries, were impressed by the fact that evangelical Christians helped a large number of people. 

Representatives of the local health office emphasized that this medical action is important for the residents of the city. The event was covered by the local TV channel Dire TV.

“On the last day of the cruise, I took a blue and yellow flag and prayed for my homeland before the final sermon. I don’t have a translator from Ukrainian into Amharic or Oromo in Ethiopia, so I also asked the senior pastor in Dire Dawa to pray in Amharic for Ukraine. All of this was done sincerely and in the power of the Holy Spirit,” said Taras Sen. 

The missionaries from Ukraine also held a family ministry, a two-day pastoral conference, where Taras Sen spoke to the ministers about faithfulness to God and the dangers to Christians.

They distributed gospel newspapers to the participants of the cruise and helped the state shelter for single mothers by purchasing equipment for making injera, an Ethiopian bread.

The missionary team also attended a worship service of the Christ is the Answer Church in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

More than 40 people were baptised in newly planted Christ is the Answer churches in Ethiopia.

To date, 13 churches have been planted in Ethiopia by CITA International Ministry.

The third group of students graduated from the missionary school. Taras Sen says they all want to plant churches, some even in Muslim and tribal areas.

In December, CITA Ministry is planning to return to Ethiopia for another crusade.

The Dire Dawa crusade is CITA’s seventh in Ethiopia. The sixth crusade was held in Shona in May. Previous crusades were held in Sodo, Dilla, Hassanna, Durami and Shinshicho.

CITA Press Center.