Gire Daba: Martyred For Preaching The Gospel
Our Petros Network Missionary, Gire Daba, was martyred on Wednesday (3-9-2011) at his home. He had been commissioned and sent just this past November along with his family to a very remote and un-reached village in the West Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region in Ethiopia.
Gire presented the gospel message and many people received Christ. In just three months, Gire’s church grew to over 40 people. He recently conducted an evangelistic outreach and some people from the Ethiopian Orthodox persuasion became very angry with him. While Gire was praying with his hands outstretched in supplication for some people who had come to his home, a gunman burst in and shot him.
Gire has faced opposition since his arrival in the village. Just since November, he has been jailed two times by the local leaders, simply for preaching the gospel.
Please pray for Gire’s wife and four children, as well as for the strengthening of these new converts in the midst of persecution.
It is believed that the killer was angry because his wife was one of Gire’s new converts. This husband had harassed Gire while he conducted the evangelism conference. His wife accepted Christ and for that, he savagely beat her. Pressuring her to recant, she refused, saying, “no, I love Jesus. I won’t deny him.”
The angry husband then banished her from his home, found Gire and shot him to death. Our faithful witness, Gire Daba, has received the martyr’s crown!
Although we grieve for Gire’s family and church, we know that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. May the Church of God expand all the more in that village, in West Shewa, and may all of Ethiopia soon belong to Jesus Christ.
Wow, we think we have troubles!! God be with that family…
We will not leave that Village for persecution. We are planning to send another missionary for the new converts there. God is at work in the midst of hardship. The church will be growing very fast.
Glory….glory….glory. For we do overcome and we are victorious because of the Blood of the Lamb. Walking in the footprints of the faithful in the Book of Acts.
With you in prayer and in His Most Holy Spirit
Mary
"Fear not them that can kill the body, but not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both the soul and the body in hell."
You are going to heaven my brother! They cannot stop the kingdom from expanding. My prayers to your family, the Lord wil definitely provide for them. Amen!
“Father thank you for this amazing saint and may you surround his family with your mightiest angels to comfort and protect. Help us to realize the time is short, even so come Lord Jesus”
"Because he has set his love upon ME, therefore I will deliver him ; I will set him on high ,
because he has known MY name"…
What a fantastic promise ! I know that, YOU, FATHER are their refuge , fortress, the GOD they trust and thank YOU for the comfort and protection.
"Father God, we pray for the salvation of the man who murdered Gire Daba in the West Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region in Ethiopia. Visit him as you did Saul on the Damascus Road, and send a spirit of conviction upon him. Keep this man's wife safe from his bursts of anger and help her continue to witness to Your saving Grace. We pray for the protection and strength of Gire's wife and children. Cause a revival to start in this town where you sent them to minister the saving truth of Jesus Christ. All Praise and Glory to You, Lord Most High. In Jesus Name. Amen
Pastor Ray,
what this said to me is to be more diligent in praying for the Pastors whose pictures I have in my notebook. I recognized this man's picture for some reason (it was the missing tooth) and was fearful it might have been one of my assigned Pastors. He is not but I now see how important it is to pray protection everyday over my pastors and all in the African work. What a wake up call….and Yes He has the martyrs crown and yes his life is now a seed. This is so in line with your message about persecution for Christ ….this as what shakes me …reminding me how little I have to suffer for Him. During Prayer yesterday we did pray for this man's family and the work in Africa. We read about brothers and sisters martyred about the world but to have it come home this way and be so personal. I am sure that this stirred your heart……How Great is Our God (sing with me) how Great is our God….Mary
Amen!