The Village of Ampotake

Back in July, Doug & Nathan, along with 2 of our national partners, went out to the village of Ampotake to share the Gospel.  They had a good visit and from the time spent there a small group of new believers started meeting together to pray and worship.

This village has been hit extremely hard by the famine and currently are eating only roots of the trees that grow near there.  Ampotake has been the "worst off" of any village that we've had contact with in regards to nutrition and food supply.

During Steve & Grant's recent trip out, a lady from this group of believers in Ampotake found them and told them that several of the believers have stopped meeting with them.  As they uncovered more of the story, they found out that the Catholic priest (who travels through monthly) has supposedly said that this new group is a "sect" and asked the head of the Catholic church there in Ampotake to make them write their names down on a sheet of paper.  The head guy that lives in Ampotake is saying that the priest stated that if anyone worships with this group that they would not be allowed to receive food if any non profit groups come through (i.e..World Food Program).  We do not know for sure what if any of this was actually said by the priest but the head guy is currently stating it as truth.

It truly is a heartbreaking situation.  I know the Bible promises us trials & tribulations for following after Jesus but I guess in my head I was thinking that the Ampotake believers' hardships were pre-existing.  They are already living in the middle of a famine in the middle of a desert environment, and now because they are following Jesus they are facing further hardships.

"In this world, you will have trouble.  But, take heart for I have overcome the world" - John 16:33

Please pray for these believers, for wisdom as we try to help the situation, for this priest who has labeled them a "sect", and for the non profits to be able to distribute food equally to those in need.