Lakech, now 16, had always known a stable home in her small Ethiopian village.
 

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While Lakech was growing up, her father, Selamu,* and mother, Tutu Haile,* came to Christ. They laboured hard and devoted themselves to bringing up their eight children in a God-fearing way.

But in the year Lakech turned 14, her life was turned upside down.

Lakech’s father (Selamu) tried to help his congregation find land to build a church but the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC) fiercely opposed it, Selamu decided to offer a section of his own land to his church but the EOC threatened to attack his family if he made the land available.

A short time later the EOC hatched a plan to get back at Selamu for offering his land to the church, the EOC auctioned some eucalyptus trees in their compound in Moche, and a church member named Dagne won the highest bid. He in turn resold the trees to various other people, one of them Selamu. After settling the price, Selamu paid up front for his portion. As is the custom in rural Ethiopia, no receipt was issued.

However, when Selamu went to the EOC compound to fell his trees, an EOC leader reported him to the police. When he accused Selamu not only of trespassing, but also of insulting the EOC faith and stealing the trees, the police arrested Selamu.

The legal battle started with a hearing a few days later, dragging on for a year  until November 2009, when the court found Lakech’s father guilty and sentenced him to one year’s imprisonment.

Meanwhile, Selamu found himself sharing a cell with about 50 criminals, and his family was left in turmoil.

“I spent sleepless nights thinking about my family back home,” said Selamu. “Although I was initially confused why the EOC were attacking me, I soon I accepted the situation and realized I just had to live with it. But my greatest worry was about my family.”

But his adversaries were not satisfied. Selamu appealed and asked for his sentence to be converted to a fine, so he could look after his family. His accusers asked for his sentence to be extended by one year, since the crime was so serious. The accusers won.

At home, Tutu Haile was not coping well. Neighbors were mocking the children, claiming their father would be jailed for seven more years. But Lakech rapidly came to terms with her father’s imprisonment and the cost all of them would have to pay. “I started noticing that it was hard for my mother to put food on the table,” explained Lakech. “I could not watch my mother battle on her own.”

“I wanted to finish school, but it was impossible for me to just carry on,” admitted the timid young teenager.  “My mother needed help.”

Despite her age and innate shyness, Lakech left school and found a full-time job as a house servant some distance from her home town. For long periods of time, Lakech stayed away from home working, sending all her earnings home to her mother.

Following her example, Lakech’s second oldest brother, also in his teens, quit school and took over the farming on their small piece of land.

Then the local church began to help support the family, and Open Doors was alerted to the difficult struggle of Tutu, Lakech and Telegata to just feed their family. The OD ministry was able to come alongside the entire family, helping supply their food, and then paying school fees so Lakech could return home and resume her studies with her brother.

Soon afterwards, to the family’s great joy, Selamu was pardoned because of good behavior and released in September 2010, after serving nearly half of his sentence.

When OD visited the reunited family after Selamu returned home, Lakesh’s father was overjoyed.

“I was saying to myself, by the time I finish serving the sentence, I will meet my family scattered and needy. But it was different. They lacked nothing and everything was covered. I didn’t know you, still Open Doors has kept my family united,” Selamu declared.

“I was also thinking no one will be with us,” Lakech’s mother shared. “But the Lord turned the face of the enemy down. I also didn’t expect my husband will soon get released. We now are in joy. We are thanking God. I am happy to get relieved from my worries and above all to have my husband beside me. The Lord has blessed me with these two successes; both my daughter and husband have come home.”

“Thank you to the people who helped us. We do not know physically the people who sent you with the support. But they are in our hearts. I can only say thank you! May God give you back richly according to His will!” concluded Tutu.