Church Planter Profile

Name: Emmanuel Kalipha Birthdate: 1995 Tribe/People Group: Berta of Experience in ministry: Pastor of Faith Bible International (Baptist)

Testimony:

Emanuel was born in , Ethiopia from the Berta tribe. He grew up in the church, his father is a pastor, and was one of the first Berta people to ever accept Jesus. He has the vision to reach the Berta people with the Gospel. The church has been here in Asosa many years, but they have not tried to reach the Berta people. The Berta are somehow excluded from the community, they live in the rural area.

The Berta speak Sudanese and Bertinia. We have two have strategies, short term and long term. Short term focus on Berta people in the town. Then when we get success in these things the long term will be using these indigenous Berta people to reach the rural Berta people.

For the Berta people Christianity is for others and not for them that’s why they are 100% Muslim. His Father was totally excommunicated from the Berta community for his faith. In this society if they say Jesus Christ, they will be killed, so for that reason they will not accept Jesus. Emanuel has one young Berta man that was saved and follows him in secret. The parents don’t know because if they knew they will kill him. His name Ibrahim. He is underground, hidden.

Emanuel currently pastors a church of 150. He has the special hurt for the Berta people. They don’t have access to hear about Jesus.