A letter from Stephen and Brenda Stelle in Ethiopia
December 2014 - “Teacher, one question?”
Christmas Greetings from Dembi Dollo!
Steve can tell you when it’s going to happen. He’s as predictable as the 6:30 breakfast bell at BESS. Each time Steve finishes a topic in his Genesis class, Efrem Dibissa’s hand flies into the air. “Teacher, one question?” he says. Most often it is a deep and insightful question. Like, “Teacher, if Abraham committed sins, how can he be a man of faith?” or “Teacher, how can Melchizedek be without mother or father?”
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Efrem, who is taking both the Genesis and the Psalms courses from Steve this semester, is a Diploma Three student who has been a pastor for 10 years. Most recently he is working for the Dalesede Presbytery of the Western Wolega Synod. In his hometown of Alemteferi, which is approximately 50 miles from the Gidada Theological College, his family, wife and four children, ranging from 16 years to his 8-month-old baby daughter, remain while he upgrades his education. They somehow manage to live on one-half of his normal salary while he does his studies.
When asked why he was willing to leave his family for months at a time in order to upgrade his education, Efrem simply responded, “To get more education.” Efrem’s congregation is changing, and more and more of his people now have diplomas and (university) degrees. As he states, “To teach our people, we pastors must have more education. My people ask challenging questions.” As we talked I began to discover that many of Efrem’s questions are really the questions of his people. And he is committed to finding the answers for them, even if it means being away from his family in order to become a more equipped pastor, ready to better serve God’s people.
Steve asked Efrem what would happen if Gidada Theological College was not available—was there another seminary he could attend? Efrem’s answer was resolute, “No!” He explained that although there is another seminary, closer to his hometown, “it is not an open door to me. Gidada is the only seminary of the Bethel Synods. It is the only theological college that teaches a Reformed Presbyterian theology.” That other seminary, along with all the Mekane Yesus seminaries, comes from a Lutheran background and teaches Lutheran theology.
Gidada Theological College offers a unique opportunity for Efrem and Steve’s other 42 students. Only at Gidada can they receive better instruction in Presbyterian doctrines, as well as training to serve their congregations and meet the needs of the members of their growing congregations, especially those of their more educated members.
Bethel Evangelical Secondary School (BESS), Brenda’s high school, though delayed due to some government meetings, began on October 6. She is teaching two 11th grade classes and two 12th grade classes five days a week. She was surprised to find 60 students in each classroom. She continues to surprise them by knowing the majority of them by name. However, with the large class size each assignment produces a lot of grading for her to do at home.
Brenda has found the students’ level of English varies with each student, and almost all of them need some extra attention. After talking with her principal, she has developed two additional classes: one is a National Exam Prep class for the top 30 12th grade students and the other is a class designed to help those who need a bit of extra help. Hopefully this will give extra preparation for the May 12th grade National Exams, which are the basis used to determine each student’s placement in universities. After the Parent Teacher Meeting when Brenda introduced herself in Afaan Oromo, the president of the organization told her principal, “I just wanted to hug her. It’s like the old days.” Though her students laugh, she has found her Oromiffa language has opened many conversations with parents as well as students.
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Just last Friday was Labor Education, an activity (every third Friday afternoon) when students help care for the school property or crops. This week Brenda and her students picked coffee. BESS produces coffee, teft (a local grain) and corn as well as selling milk from their cows to help supplement the income of the school.
WE LIVE IN AFRICA MOMENT!
One Saturday morning as we were preparing to go to market, a friend and co-worker, Dame, with a number of faculty wives, walked over to Brenda and invited her to come with them to her Principal Amanual’s home. Shume (Amanual’s wife) had given birth to their newborn daughter a week earlier. On that beautiful morning Shume, her mother, and all the local women were participating in the custom of taking the baby outside into the sunshine for the very first time. We gathered in the bedroom, then paraded out into the courtyard, singing and trilling. As Shume carried her baby, Sauron, out into the sun, we women gathered around her and prayed for her child. Then we ate—yes, ate—roasted coffee beans and cracked corn. Tears...just tears. What a blessing to be included in this moving and touching African tradition.
PRAYER REQUEST: Please pray for baby Sauron, as she later spent two weeks in the hospital and was very sick. She is doing better, but pray for her continued recovery and gaining strength. Additionally we want to thank God for sending three different sets of American missionaries to Dembi Dollo, each of whom have visited us while staying in Dembi Dollo. This has been an answer to our prayers in helping to deal with the isolation (no vehicle, little Internet and phone service) that we experience in Dembi Dollo.
As we close our first year in Ethiopia we thank you once again for your prayers and for your financial support of our ministry of education at BESS and Gidada. If you would like to contribute to our support, gifts can be sent to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Be sure to include our account D507574 for congregations or account E200507 for individuals. We are thrilled to finally be teaching our students at our respective institutions. And we praise God for your partnership with us in doing God’s work in Dembi Dollo.
In Christ’s service,
Rev. Steve & Brenda Stelle
Gidada Theological College
Bethel Evangelical Secondary School
Box 186, Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia
brendastelle813@yahoo.comstevestelle826@gmail.com
The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 133
The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 142
Read more about Stephen and Brenda Stelle's ministry
Write to Stephen Stelle
Write to Brenda Stelle
Individuals: Give online to E200507 forStephen and Brenda Stelle's sending and support
Congregations: Give to D507574for Stephen and Brenda Stelle's sending and support
Churches are asked to send donations through your congregation’s normal receiving site (this is usually your presbytery).
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A group of committed donors has pledged to match all gifts sent by individuals for mission personnel support now through December 31, 2014, up to $137,480. This means your gift today will be matched by a gift to support mission personnel around the world, wherever the need is greatest. We invite you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to double the impact of your gift. Thank you!
