“Petros Network is walking through one of the most fruitful seasons we’ve ever seen. Thousands are finding Jesus. Whole communities are experiencing transformation. And through it all, we are standing in the middle of God’s will—completely in awe.”
RAY & LINDA NOAH, CO-FOUNDERS
Journey into Ethiopia’s Remote Villages
Our recent mission trip to Ethiopia revealed something extraordinary happening in one of the world’s most challenging regions. As a church planting organization, Petros Network works in difficult and often unstable areas where tribal tensions can emerge without warning. Yet what we discovered in one small village among the Arbore tribe left us speechless—and filled with hope.
Reaching the Unreached: The Arbore Tribe of Southern Ethiopia
After a grueling seven-hour drive through rugged terrain in southern Ethiopia, we arrived in Arbore tribal lands. According to the Joshua Project, only 1.62% of the Arbore people know Jesus Christ, making them one of Ethiopia’s most unreached people groups.
Life Among the Arbore People
The Arbore community lives simply in traditional huts constructed from sticks and grass. Children play barefoot in the dust, their laughter echoing through what might seem like a forgotten corner of the world. Yet God has not forgotten this place.
The Arbore people maintain strong traditional beliefs centered around animal sacrifice. When we asked the village chief about their worship practices, he explained how villagers bring goats for him to sacrifice to their “sky god.” They consider Waq to be the creator and father of humankind. While they are officially Muslim, their traditional beliefs, including the worship of Waq, remain strong and intertwined with their practices, according to 101 Last Tribes. To our observation, there was no knowledge of Jesus or understanding of grace—a reality that weighed heavily on our hearts as we began to pray for an open door.
Pictured above: A group of boys from the Arbore tribe.
A Divine Encounter: Meeting Our Church Planter
What happened next could only be described as providential. Our national leader casually mentioned visiting “the Petros Network Church Planter” in the area. We stopped immediately—while we knew we had sent someone to this tribe, we were excited to learn our indigenous church planter was working in this exact village and we would get to meet them!
Pictured above: Petros Network church planter Jatani holding up her church planter ID card in front of her humble home.
Jatani: Young Church Planter Transforming Communities
At just 24 years old, Jatani embodies the power of indigenous church planting. Soft-spoken and petite, she might not appear to be a force for transformation in such a challenging environment. However, her deep faith, courage, and love for Jesus have made her a catalyst for change among the Arbore people — her own people.
Building Churches in Unreached Communities
Jatani led us to her church plant—a simple structure just 300 feet from where we met her. This sacred space, which she established through persistent faith and community engagement, overflows with worshippers every Sunday. Her ministry extends beyond weekly services through:
- Women’s empowerment programs serving 50 local women
- Bible storytelling initiatives that communicate Scripture in culturally relevant ways
- Discipleship training and youth development that builds local leadership capacity
Miracle Healing Transforms Village Leadership
The most powerful testimony of God’s work through Jatani’s ministry involved a village elder who had been bedridden for months. When traditional medicine and local healers failed to provide relief, Jatani and church members gathered to pray for healing.
Within days, the elder stood and walked. This miraculous healing not only restored his health but transformed his heart—he now attends church weekly and gives glory to Jesus. Such demonstrations of God’s power are opening hearts throughout the Arbore community.
Pictured above: Jatani’s church plant among the Arbore tribe gathers in this simple structure. Not all church plants have a physical building where they gather.
The Global Impact of Indigenous Church Planting
Jatani’s story represents thousands of similar testimonies happening worldwide through Petros Network’s church planting initiatives. Young indigenous leaders are:
Establishing new churches in unreached communities
Empowering women through faith-based programs
Creating sustainable community transformation
Bringing hope to the world’s most forgotten places
Pictured above: Linda sitting with the village elders.
How You Can Support Church Planting in Ethiopia
The work among the Arbore tribe and countless other unreached communities continues, but significant needs remain. Your partnership can help equip more leaders like Jatani who are:
- Planting churches in remote regions
- Launching women into purpose and leadership
- Creating lasting change in their communities
- Bringing the Gospel to unreached people groups
Take Action Today
Pray Immediately: Set a reminder to pray for Jatani and the Arbore church every Sunday for the next month. Your prayers are already changing lives.
Give Strategically: Your donations directly support indigenous church planters with training, resources, and ongoing ministry support.
Share Powerfully: Share these stories to raise awareness about unreached people groups and the power of indigenous church planting. Forward this story to three people who care about unreached communities. Tag us on social media. Your network could be the key to reaching the next forgotten village.
The Urgency is Real
While you’ve been reading this article, Jatani has been faithfully serving her community. Village elders are still coming to faith. Women are still gathering for discipleship. Children are still learning about Jesus for the first time. Every prayer, every gift, and every act of support helps raise up local leaders who bring lasting hope to places the world has forgotten—but God never has.
Start your impact today.
About Petros Network: A global church planting organization dedicated to reaching unreached people groups through indigenous leadership development and community transformation initiatives.
