Johannes Isdahl Austgulen

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Ethiopia

This book tells briefly about the pioneer missionaries effort in the previous Welega province in Western-Ethiopia, and then about the untiring Ethiopian pastor and bible translator, Onesimus Nezib (1856- 1931). However the authors main intention with the writing is to recall from personal experiences during serving terms in the same province in close co-operation with national colleagues, and with a special focus on health care. In particular he writes about the work among the Gumuz people who are living along the Blue Nile River also he records from his experiences among the Berta people, another lowland group. The health service was for a period carried on as an ambulatory work, but after some time permanent clinics were established. The book has a lot of photos which will introduce these lowland people and show the health care activities and other branches of the work of the church. One of the authors working-terms was at a major clinic on the highland where the Oromo people are living, and the book refers to quite many experiences from there.

It is also recalled from the overthrown of Emperor Haile Selassie in September 1974, and about the difficult time which followed during the reign of the communist regime until it was defeated at spring 1991. After a shorter time with some tumults between two liberation organizations the situation became normalized and with good living and working conditions.