Page 129 - Unseen Hands by Nona Freeman

Opposition from Within and Without
Hamusi. Finally, in 1985, a church worker was able to come in, and he found six faithful saints, ostracized by family and friends and denied citizen's right. One of the number, unable to stand the pressure, had turned away from the church, and his own bull had gored him to death. Those remaining true to the Lord have not suffered from either drought or pestilence, though surrounding neigh
bors have lost crops and cattle to both.
Teferi Dinku came out of prison with victory, but
faced another trial when his wife, Fitale Debela, died in great agony. Allowing the mourners time to assemble, Teferi set the funeral for three days after her death. In throes of grief and dreading the inevitable words from the scoffers "Where is your God?" he fell across the body of his wife that day and urgently called on the name of Jesus. In the presence of her amazed family and many sympathizers, Fitale came back to life. Her relatives ap peared more concerned about Jesus having the glory for raising her up than they had about her death.
They waited until Teferi went to work the next morn ing, and offered a sheep as a sacrifice to the devil, sprin kling its blood all around the house. Realizing what they had done, Teferi became upset when he saw the blood, but he said nothing. Fitale's older brother accosted him, "We are very concerned about our sister. We have of fered a sacrifice to the devil and sprinkled blood for her
protection. He is ready to kill her again, so you must of fer sacrifices regularly to save her life. We expect you to refund the thirty birr we paid for the sheep, and be sure that you make the offerings often."
Teferi fought to control his anger. "I certainly will not pay you for the sheep. In fact, I should take you to
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