Page 166 - Unseen Hands by Nona Freeman

Unseen Hands
not allow the political chaos of the land or constant threats of prison and death to deter them. No new work opened in 1972,1973, or 1974, but the close of 1975 saw twenty- four new churches established, with 6,346 new converts baptized in the name of Jesus.
The smelly place of worship no longer hindered Tekle's church in Addis. Ignoring the putrid odor of sewage, the hungry-hearted came to be filled and healed. Rich blessings from the Lord of the Harvest brought a bounty of souls that overflowed the inadequate quarters.
Excitement clouded my eyes as we landed at the Addis Ababa airport in February 1976 for my first visit since 1971. I immediately became conscious of the dramatic changes—some beneficial—that the country had undergone. After a joyous meeting with Erkenesh (Tekle came later), I offered sympathy on the death of her baby in 1972.
"He is happy before God's throne," she smiled, "and he is no longer hungry or cold."
Along with the joys of seeing dear, familiar faces again, we had lengthy, serious discussions about the future of the work. Many churches had been closed and their buildings confiscated for use by the government.
Working in several communist countries, we under stood the preciousness of every fragile moment to fulfill our calling. Late that Saturday night my husband turned to me and said, "As foreigners, our presence here may be more of a handicap than a benefit. Give them the very best message that you can in the service tomorrow, dear. You might not come back for a long time."
I prayed throughout the night for "the very best message" ever and felt decidedly dissatisfied with the only
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