HIM missionaries, Tim & Deborah Ricker are partnering with SIM to minister to the Mursi people.  Tim serves in a maintenance and basic engineering capacity.  Deborah serves as the Curriculum Development Specialist for the Mursi Education Pilot Program.

       

          

Mursi Life

Mursi Education

Mursi Church

Mursi Life

The Mursi people live in southwest Ethiopia and until the 1970’s were unaware that they were even a part of a country called Ethiopia.  Several factors make this group of people isolated from others and from their own government.  Unlike the geography surrounding the Mursi, the land is hot and dry and challenging to cultivate.  It is also surrounded by mountains and rivers which are difficult to negotiate. The Mursi live a somewhat nomadic life predicated on crop harvest and raising cattle.   The men tend the cattle and are constantly moving them for grazing.   The women take care of the home and, among other tasks, plant and harvest crops.  Once the crops are harvested, the people uproot and move to another land area to start again.  Occasionally the Mursi trade at neighboring markets, but the lack of roads and untamed terrain make accessing settlements or towns a major ordeal.   They are surrounded by enemies who have traditionally fought over land expansion, land titles and cattle possession and the threat of war is always present.  Simply stated, living in this small patch of Ethiopia is isolating and challenging and Mursi’s daily existence revolves around survival.

Mursi Education Project

SIM has been involved with the Mursi since 1989.  SIM has helped with animal husbandry, healthcare and agriculture and has been active in evangelism, church planting, translation and, now, education.  A SIM burden has been Bible translation into the Mursi language.  Since 1989 SIM has wanted and planned for education for the Mursi, but until recently the Mursi had not been receptive or interested in formal education.  They did not see the need.  It wasn’t until they realized they were part of Ethiopia and needed to relate to others around them that their minds were changed.  Because of their lack of understanding of currency and exchange, the Mursi were at a disadvantage in the market place.  Once realizing the consequences of this disadvantage, the Mursi decided education was beneficial and chose leaders they trusted to help them in that process.  These chosen leaders knew no more than the rest of the people but were given the responsibility to teach.  Consequently, in August 2004, SIM began the Mursi Education Project spearheaded by the Rickers, Helps International Ministries (HIM) missionaries in partnership with SIM.  The Mursi chosen leaders began first by being taught first grade material.  Once they completed first grade, they began to teach their own people as they themselves learned second grade.   The first class taught by the Mursi chosen leaders initially had 100 Mursi’s involved with 65 successfully completing first grade whose ages spanned 7 – 62 with 40% being girls.  The second class was larger and consisted of more children and mothers.

Mursi Church

Eight or nine years passed after SIM’s initial involvement before the first Makki (one of the Mursi tribes) became a follower of Jesus.   Now, in addition to working in the school and duties necessary to living in this land among the Makki, the Rickers are actively helping in a growing church.   A key element of the church is called Milk Time (the basics of Christianity).  Since there is no Bible in the Mursi language, missionaries work through scripture with the Mursi leaders.  Each week, a few of the Mursi leaders are chosen to share with the rest of the church their new knowledge of the Bible.  In this way, the Mursi congregation hears the same scripture several times albeit with the personal touch of each leader who shares.  The church has also had opportunity to view the Jesus film in their own language via portable video machines. There are ways in which you can be involved and help.

     Pray 

           For the word to be translated into their own language.

           For more workers to come and help.

           For finances so the work can continue. 

     Come

            Teach in the school.

            Help with the myriad of projects needed for life among the Makki.

     Give