From September 24 to October 4, 2025, an Empower One team traveled to Gambella, Ethiopia, on a mission that would forever mark their hearts. Their original plan was to visit Maiwut, South Sudan, but God had other plans and the team soon discovered that His detours often lead straight into divine encounters.

A Mission to Listen and Learn

Gambella, a border region filled with Nuer people displaced by war and flooding, has become a vital hub for ministry. Empower One’s mission was simple but profound: listen, teach, model, and pray. Each day began with prayer and a plan to visit local churches, some within hours of rough travel, to encourage pastors, teach Scripture, and engage villages with the gospel.

The team’s focus centered on five spiritual pillars: love, discipleship, forgiveness, giving, and prayer. But what unfolded was far more than teaching sessions. It was a week of being taught by the very people they came to serve.

“Their hunger for God’s Word was humbling,” one team member shared. “Though living in poverty, they greeted us with joy and reverence. Worship was alive.”

Faith in the Midst of Loss

At Unity Baptist Church in Gambella, and later in surrounding towns like Itang, Lare, and Wantawo, the team encountered believers with extraordinary faith. One woman had lost seven children, yet she lifted her voice in praise for the ones who remained. Another forgave the man who murdered her mother. These moments of forgiveness and resilience became a thread woven through the entire journey.

Everywhere the team went, pastors and congregants asked for Bibles in the Nuer language. The Word of God was their most urgent request, a testament to their deep longing to grow in truth and discipleship.

A Miracle in Lare

The team’s most unforgettable moment came in the small town of Lare. There, they met an older woman named Mary and her husband, Gatkouth, who was unable to speak after years of trauma. The team prayed with them and left deeply moved. Days later, as their van passed through the same area, they saw Mary again, and this time, Gatkouth walked out of the house and spoke.

“He said the Nuer greeting, ‘Male,’” the team wrote. “Everyone witnessed it. It was a miracle. God met us in our weakness.”

That moment changed everything. The exhaustion, the heat, the bumpy roads – all of it was worth it to see hope reborn before their eyes.

So much of short term mission trips is about showing up and being available. Details may change and circumstances may be difficult, but seeing the Lord work in the midst of it all to do something unexpected is always a gift. We are grateful for our time among the Nuer tribe, and have connected their church leadership with NEATS and plan to have students attend next term. God is good!

Common Threads

Throughout the trip, a few themes echoed in every village and church:

• Bibles & Discipleship Resources – A desperate need for Scripture and training tools.
  
• Forgiveness & Reconciliation – Lives transformed by choosing mercy over vengeance.
  
• Peace at the Border – Constant conflict and displacement weigh heavily on families.
  
• Faith in Loss – Grief and praise held in the same hands.
  
• Joy Amid Poverty – Worship that rises above circumstance.
  

Pray with us for:

• Bibles and discipleship materials in the Nuer language
  
• Strength for pastors like Stephen, John, James, and Peter
  
• Healing, forgiveness, and peace at the South Sudan border
  
• Women’s discipleship and emerging leaders across the region