Ethiopia

Leader: Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
Population: 79 million (51.5 million Christians)
Main Religion: Islam/Christianity (Orthodox)
Government: One-party state
World Watch Rank: 43

Although the constitution protects freedom of religion, this freedom is controlled by the government. New laws governing NGOs are expected to have a negative impact on the church. There are some pressures from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on evangelical Christians, but Islam has now become the main persecutor. There are increasing instances of Christians being falsely charged with crimes to force them to suspend evangelistic activities. In June a 13-year-old believer was stabbed to death for refusing to renounce Christ and marry a Muslim.

Please Pray:

• Praise God that the church is growing
• That the church will react wisely to the challenges it faces
• That Open Doors training programmes will help the church to stand strong and be a faithful witness for Christ.