Photo by Genie Poggemiller
Ethiopia: A Wealth of Opportunity By Genie Poggemiller
Sara Tewolde boldly claims that she is from "the and religious perseverance. "Though w e are a very most beautiful country in the world." She is from close family, w e have crossed m a n y cultural barriers," Ethiopia in East Africa. Her country's wealth is not Sara said. " W e have taken our faith with us." Sara has measured in money, but in the treasures of its natural a brother living in Canada, another in Washington D.C., and a sister in Italy. beauty, its culture and its people. Sara came to Liberty with the help of her family and Ethiopia is a mountainous country with m a n y lakes and rivers. The famous Nile River is at its heart. It is through an international work scholarship provided also h o m e to m a n y kinds of exotic birds, tropical trees by LU. She heard about Liberty through her brother, and flowers. Sara's family lives in the capital city of Tekle Tewolde, w h o graduated from L U in 1990. After completing her studies, Sara plans to return to Addis Ababa, a city which attracts m a n y tourists. Hospitality is important to Ethiopian families. "The her country as a worker with the Sudan Interior Mispeople of Ethiopia are the very definition of hospital- sion. SIM recently informed Sara they will be ministerity," Sara said. "Our h o m e s are always ready and open ing both physically and spiritually to famine victims in to share with others what w e have as though they were Western Ethiopia. Sara speaks three languages: English, Amharic (the members of our family." official language of Ethiopia), and Tigrignal (one of 75 Although Ethiopia is considered to be a Third World tribal languages). nation, it is not because of a lack of resources. It is Sara's parents received the Gospel from missionarrather the result of political oppression and unrest. The chief industry in Ethiopia is agriculture, which ies w h o came to Ethiopia on a work permit. W h e n caused the country to prosper in the past, prior to the they became Christian believers, they became a part of the harsh religious persecution under the communists. communist domination which started 18 years ago. During the years of communist power, the country "With a n e w and democratic government, I hope that suffered a swift economic and agricultural decline. this will change," Sara said. "Only time will tell if it will This led to the terrible famines, which brought world- really be a democracy. If it continues to change for the wide attention and assistance. However, communist better, n e w doors will be opened to the Gospel." With the doors of opportunity reopening, more fruit rule finally came to an end in 1990, leaving the country from missions in Ethiopia should be forthcoming, such in a state of economic depression. as the family of Sara Tewolde, a treasure beyond price. 173 The Tewolde family represents a wealth of cultural
