“Come to me all you labor and who are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“…casting all your cares upon him, for he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

These are very well known verses to us all but yesterday they took on a new meaning for me.

Many of you have heard about our guard, Gudeta, who within the past few months became a believer. Soon after Gudeta, two of his brothers converted as well. We have been discipleing them and they have been coming to our bible studies at the new church plant. It has been a joy to see the way they have been growing in the Lord.

Before we met Gudeta his wife had left for a wealthy Middle Eastern country to work as a house maid.  Hundreds of thousands of young women had been told that they could earn more in 2 years than they could hope to earn in 10 years here in Ethiopia. They had left by the planeloads, all their paperwork handled by “agencies” which are not much above a modern day slave trade. When they arrive in the country, they have their passports taken away until their “contract” is completed. Many of them only got a fraction of their promised wages, if they received any at all. Truyae, Gudeta’s wife, was one such woman.

She had a 2 year contract which should have been over next May. Gudeta would go for months without hearing anything from his wife. After his conversion he would pray every night for his wife. Two and a half weeks ago at our Thursday bible study we asked if there were any prayer needs. Gudeta raised his hand and with tears welling up in his eyes he shared that he had not heard from his wife in over 3 months. He asked that we pray that he could hear something soon.       Tuesday of the following week someone knocked at our gate. It was Truyae. Gudeta was not even at home. He had gone to his sister-in-laws to see if she could get through on the phone to Truyae. When he returned, before even seeing his wife, he said that it was God’s answer to the prayer from 4 days before. He had wanted a phone call, but she arrived at our gate. Many Ethiopians may never make it back home.

As Truyae shared her story that night and over the next few days we were overwhelmed by the cruel and horrid months she endured. Her first employer was very cruel and tried to poison her. That day, by God’s providence, her stomach was upset and she did not eat. The next day the woman came to her with a knife and said that she would slaughter her like a sheep. Truyae ran away and found more work. About that time the government of that country began rounding up all the foreign work force that had overstayed their visas. This caused riots and so they began arresting everyone, even those with valid visas, and deporting them. To date over 125,000 Ethiopian’s have returned. Truyae, though she had a valid visa, was taken to prison for 45 days; which was more like a large pin in the desert. They were not fed or sheltered beyond what was necessary to simply keep them alive. Five other Ethiopians around her were killed just to incite fear. She was finally put on a plane and returned to Ethiopia. She spent three days in a field by the airport with thousands of others waiting to be processed and to get the few belongings she was able to bring with her. The phone network was so bad she could not get through to us, so after being processed at the airport she simply showed up at the last place she knew her husband had worked, hoping to find some news of where he was. We fed her and she was sleeping in a bed for the first time in weeks when Gudeta arrived.

Since her return she has been showing more and more joy and healing. Gudeta told her immediately of his conversion and that he had been praying for her, that we all had. He said she would come with us on Thursday to give witness to God hearing the prayers of his people. She agreed and they shared on Thursday and Sunday of God’s mercy and protection. The people  who were gathered there clapped and wept and praised God. Many more began asking for prayer after seeing that God truly does hear.

Yesterday, the second Sunday since her return, Truyae asked to talk with us and asked for us to pray with her. She shared that since her return she has not been “right”. We asked if she believed the things we had been teaching and she said she did and prayed a prayer of confession and received faith. We then shared the above verses with her and prayed for her emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual healing after all she has been through. We shared that no one, not even her husband knows what she has seen and been through but that God does and loves her as a daughter. Our Lord is willing and able to help her through this process of recovery. She cried and covered her face as we spoke. We also shared that even though we don’t understand, Gudeta and all of us love her and want to help comfort her and minister to her through this time.

Jesus, the gentle one who heals the broken hearted became more real to me through this situation. His care and love for his children is overwhelming.

Please pray for Gudeta and Truyae as they work through these very real pains and scars. Pray also as they learn what it is to live out a Christian marriage. They are packing as I write this to go to the countryside and visit their family and to be reunited with their 4 year old son. He has been living with Gudeta’s parents since Truyae left. They have gone through many trials but the joy of the Lord is on their faces and the hope of Christ in their hearts.

Be comforted dear ones in Christ. Our Lord still takes the burdens of his beloved ones and gives rest to those who come to him. This Christmas as we think of the dawning of Christ’s light into the darkness this was yet another reminder of why our Lord was born in a humble stable, to a poor family, to be the Savior.

Gudeta’s name means- The one who is lifted up

Truyae- My Good

Their son, Desalegn- I have joy. 

May the grace and peace of our Lord be with you all!

Stephen Kennedy