Eritrean Congregation

Mahber Hiyaw Amlak (Living God Church)

Eritrea (and Ethiopian) Congregation

In January 2024, the Mahber Hiyaw Amlak (Living God Church) found a new home at Good Hope, marking the beginning of our gatherings here. This elder-led community is characterized by its conservative Christian values, bringing together a group of devoted believers who share a strong commitment to their faith . As we gather under the guidance of our elders, this community is dedicated to upholding and preserving their traditional Christian principles, creating a nurturing environment for worship and fellowship.

Services & Schedule

  • Worship services are Sundays @ 10:30AM in the chapel in our native language.
  • Children and students participate in Good Hope’s regularly scheduled ministries on Sundays, Wednesdays and otherwise throughout the week.
  • Adults participate in Good Hope’s Wednesday night ministries and otherwise as desired.

If you are from Eritrea (or Ethiopia), we encourage you to visit us on Sundays at 10:30AM!

Phone

240.491.2240

Email

admin@hiyawamlakh.org

About Eritrea

“Eritrea is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by the Sudan in the north and west, Ethiopia in the south, Djibouti in the southeast, and the Red Sea in the east. The country’s east has an extensive coastline (about 1000 km) on the Red Sea, directly across from Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Eritrean territory covers about 48,000 square miles (125,000 square kilometers) and three seasons simultaneously: the coastal areas along the Red Sea with a semi-desert climate, the Eastern Green-Belt area with a rainy season, and the highland plateau with a Mediterranean climate. In addition, it has lowland plains and some 300 coral islands (the Dahlak Islands) off the coast. The population of Eritrea is about 5 million. The population is half Christian and half Muslim. 
The Eritrean capital, Asmara, is located on the highland plateau. Asmara has a nickname, “Little Rome.” The city has a favorable climate and sunshine throughout the year. The capital has preserved buildings of modern Italian style and Ottoman Empire architecture. 2017, the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved modernist architecture.
 
Most of the population in the southern and central regions is Christian, while the northern areas are majority Sunni Muslim. There are nine ethnic groups in Eritrea. A majority of the Tigrinya, the largest ethnic group, is Christian. Seven of the other eight principal ethnic groups, the Tigre, Saho, Afar, Bilen, Hedareb, Nara, and Rashaida, are predominantly Sunni Muslims and reside mainly in the country’s northern regions. The Kunama are diverse, with Christians, Muslims, and animists.
In 2002, the government outlawed every form of religion except Islam, Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism, and the Lutheran Church. About 3 percent hold evangelical Christian beliefs, which the government deems illegal.

What it means to be born again in Eritrea

Evangelical churches must meet secretly. The government actively seeks to infiltrate these underground churches and imprison their leaders. About 3000 believers are known to remain in prison, including several top leaders. Imprisoned Christians are not given a trial or allowed to see their families, many of whom do not know where their loved ones are imprisoned or even if they are still alive. Christians simply disappear and are assumed to be in government prisons. The conditions inside these “prisons” are some of the harshest in the world. Christian prisoners are provided meager rations and held in shipping containers in extreme desert conditions for years. When long-term prisoners are released, they are blacklisted by the government. They cannot get jobs, are watched constantly, and their families lose opportunities. They still need extended physical and emotional help.
 
Bibles are available, but the government tracks each Bible sold. Christian literature is highly regulated, and most believers who want Bibles must smuggle them in. For this reason, many believers must access Scripture by digital means.

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How To Pray For Eritrea

  • Ask for relationships to develop between believers and the Eritrean people.
  • Ask for the few believers here, or in their home country, to be bold in sharing with their people.
  • Ask for a great movement of the Holy Spirit among the Eritrean people.
  • Ask that they will not settle for anything less than the truth of God
  • Christians are at risk of arrest and forced military service. Pray for grace for prisoners and those forced into the military against their will.
  • Imprisoned Christians in Eritrea’s extensive prison network are often tortured, and medical treatment is withheld when they are sick.
  • Pray that God’s Spirit will be their comfort and companion in prison.
  • Pray for underground church leaders in Eritrea.
  • Pray for the availability of more Christian resources in the Eritrean language.
  • Pray for the government and those in authority.
  • Pray for the strength and perseverance of long-term prisoners and their families.
  • Pray for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of recently released prisoners of faith.
  • Pray that the Lord will raise strong leaders for Eritrean churches.
  • Pray for Eritrean believers in Tringale and all over the world.
  • Pray for Eritrean prisoners’ families’ financial, physical, and spiritual needs.