An Ethiopian Christian suffered deep wounds to the back of his head when he was attacked while alone in his home by a group of local Muslims with machetes on 16 July.
The attack left the 27-year-old man needing life-saving surgery. The man – who, for security reasons, cannot be named – was attacked in Hirna, a rural town 400km east of Addis Ababa. His local clinic referred him to the hospital in nearby Asebeteferi, who in turn sent him to Adama, where a doctor operated on his wounds. Although he is still unwell, the surgery stabilised him enough to be taken elsewhere for more specialised treatment.
A source said the gang who attacked the man were angry because he was evangelising. They had first attacked the local Full Gospel Church before going to the man’s house.
Challenges for believers
Evangelical Christians in Ethiopia face challenges from the more conservative Ethiopian Orthodox Church, as well as from the government. Tigray state in northern Ethiopia is considering adopting a new law that would ban Christians from evangelising outside church compounds and make it difficult for non-Orthodox Christians to own their own church or even meet in a house.
