Written by FFICM Children’s Program Writer and Editor Jen Aitken
Our core FFICM Ethiopia team spends only a few days in each training location, but God continues His work long after we’ve left.
When we returned to Mojo, Ethiopia, for a refresher training, we heard story after story of His faithfulness.
One testimony, in particular, has stayed with us.
One church leader recounted how the training prepared his congregation for a season no one could have anticipated.
Shortly after returning home from the FFICM training, their church experienced an unimaginable tragedy. Their church leader was killed by rebel soldiers.
Fear spread throughout the community. Families fled their homes, leaving behind their possessions and scattering to different areas. Before long, there was no congregation left to gather.
Months later, people slowly began returning. The leaders wanted to gather the church again, but they didn’t know how.
They began meeting with people in their homes, using FFICM’s Following Jesus booklet. Many of the people in their community could not read or write, so they encouraged them to use the illustrations to engage with the lessons and discuss the questions together.
The response was remarkable.
People returned week after week with joy! They told one another about the lessons, and more families began joining. Again and again, they expressed gratitude that someone had created a resource that allowed them to participate, even if they could not read.
Looking at the pictures, discussing God’s Word together, and answering questions gave them a way to engage that they had never experienced before.
The church leader told us that many people had never seen a book designed to engage them in this way. He explained that no one had ever thought to create a resource that allowed them to participate despite their inability to read. For many, it was “a once-in-a-lifetime milestone.”
As the home gatherings continued, someone asked, “Since we are now able to gather in such large numbers, why don’t we go back to the church?” And they did!
The congregation that had been scattered by fear gathered once again to worship together and continue studying God’s Word.
Yet the story didn’t end there.
As they worked through the Following Jesus lessons, something unexpected began to happen. Church members whom the leaders had assumed were spiritually healthy voluntarily confessed hidden sins. Men and women admitted struggles, repented openly, and committed themselves to following Christ more faithfully.
Reflecting on the experience, the church leader shared, “We have personally seen the profound transformation this teaching has brought to our lives, and we are continuing to teach it.”
This story is a beautiful reminder that the true impact of discipleship is often seen long after the training has ended.
God continues to use His Word to strengthen local churches, transform hearts, and prepare His people to stand firm in every season.
Through your prayers and faithful support, FFICM is equipping pastors and ministry leaders with biblical tools, that continue bearing fruit in places we may never visit, but where God is powerfully at work.
Thank you for making stories like this possible!