Two dedicated servants of the Lord, JESUS film workers, lost their lives for the sake of Christ.
Getachew Tessema had just retired from the Ethiopian police force. He had recently become a believer and wanted to serve his newly-found Lord. After receiving training, he joined a traveling “JESUS” film team as a volunteer. While he was out on his first “JESUS” film showing, as his team was setting up their equipment in the dark, a shot rang out. Minutes later he was found on the ground, bleeding to death.
In the weeks before his death, Getachew had tried unsuccessfully to share Christ with his wife and six children, ages 8 to 21. They had been adamantly opposed to his joining the “JESUS” film team.
The day after his funeral his eldest son came to our national director in Ethiopia. He announced that the entire family wanted to surrender their lives to Christ, in honor of their father.
In Sierra Leone, several courageous, church-planting teams were showing the “JESUS” film in an area involved in a civil war. Conditions deteriorated rapidly and rebels overran the district. The film teams had just hidden their equipment when four of their members were captured by the rebels and commandeered as slaves. For months, they were forced to carry rebel equipment and supplies from place to place. Their shoes were taken to keep them from fleeing. As they marched for long distances, deep cuts opened on their bare feet. Severe infections set in, spreading up their legs.
One of the team members finally approached a soldier and told him he could go no further because the pain was so great. The soldier responded by putting an AKA rifle to the team member’s head and killed him.
Eventually, the rebels found the hidden projection equipment and a copy of the film in their own language. They ordered the team members to set up the equipment and show the film. After watching “JESUS,” a few of the soldiers became Christians and were so impressed that they showed it to their commander—who then ordered “JESUS” to be shown to all rebels in the area! A number trusted Christ. Before being released, the “slave” film team members became “chaplains” to the rebels and discipled them in their new-found faith.
Our God is an amazing God. “His ways are past finding out.” Pray for the families of these two precious servants of God who gave their lives. Pray for those soldiers, that their lives will be utterly transformed by Christ.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Psalms 116:15
The JESUS Film Project is a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International. You may contact them at: 910 Calle Negocio, Suite 300, San Clemente, CA 92673-6254, (949) 361-7575, Fax: (949) 361-7579, Website: www.jesusfilm.org. You may order The JESUS Film for $19.95, the new children’s version (with special interaction that appeals to children) for $14.95, or both for $26.90 (plus shipping and handling).