Teklu Ketema eagerly awaits the announcement of his vicarage in 2018. Photo: Sid Hastings
by Sarah Maney
Some call the highlands of Ethiopia the cradle of civilization. Teklu Ketema, a SA国际传媒 Master of Divinity (M.Div.) 鈥�20 graduate, calls it his first home. Deep within its rugged mass of mountains, Teklu, the son of hard-working farmers, grew up planting, nurturing and reaping the yearly harvest.
Baptized in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Teklu attended mass with his family and listened to services spoken in ancient languages that were difficult to understand. When he was old enough, he moved to Addis Ababa to live with his aunt and attend high school.
鈥淚 started attending Campus Crusade, a Christian fellowship. When they started talking about salvation, I became defensive,鈥� Teklu says. 鈥淚 thought I was a Christian. I had no idea what they were talking about, since I never heard about 鈥榮alvation.鈥� I started reading the Bible. As I read Acts, I began to learn about God鈥檚 free gift of grace.鈥�
Soon thereafter, with his newfound understanding of grace, he joined an evangelical Lutheran church. But it came with a cost. His family members, including the aunt he lived with, rejected him because he had left their church.
As a result, Teklu had to move out of his aunt鈥檚 house and live with friends as he finished high school. He continued going to the Lutheran church, studying the Bible and, at 17, was confirmed in the Lutheran faith. Since he was now paying for his own education, he worked as an interpreter with missionaries through college. And God provided through the difficulties.
鈥淚 discovered that I didn鈥檛 like the business world. … I wanted to share the Gospel with people.鈥�
鈥� Teklu Ketema
Teklu transferred from Addis Ababa University to Evangelical Theological College, also in Addis Ababa. 鈥淚 discovered that I didn鈥檛 like the business world,鈥� Teklu says. 鈥淚 could do it for the money, but I didn鈥檛 want to work for just money. I wanted to share the Gospel with people.鈥�
In 2001, Teklu created Care for the Poor, a ministry that served the city鈥檚 eastern slums. Its mission was to uphold the Great Commission and the command to love your neighbor as yourself. Care for the Poor provided numerous services to those in need, from medical attention to job training.
One extraordinary story of this holistic ministry involved a man named Alemu. 鈥淎lemu was bedridden,鈥� Teklu recalls. 鈥淗e had given up, saying that he was going to die. 鈥榃e can help you,鈥� I told him. 鈥楴o, I am almost dead,鈥欌�� Alemu told Teklu. 鈥淒on鈥檛 worry with me.鈥�
Teklu took the man to the hospital. Alemu eventually got better, but he couldn鈥檛 resume his former job as a driver. Through Care for the Poor, Alemu received training and secured a well-paying job as a plumber. Having regained his health and income, Alemu asked to volunteer for Care for the Poor on the weekends. He wanted to give back.
鈥淔rom bedridden to vocational training to volunteering,鈥� Teklu says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 amazing.鈥�
Tsion grew up in America, and she and Teklu decided to return, specifically to Apex, N.C., where Tsion鈥檚 parents lived. Within two weeks of arrival, the couple was married. They received permanent resident status in the United States in 2008 and became citizens in 2010.
鈥淲hen I moved here, I knew it was going to be different, but I underestimated just how much,鈥� Teklu recalls. 鈥淚 was in culture shock, but I sought to learn more about American society.鈥�
The couple had two children: one in 2009 and another in 2011. With the economy depressed by the Great Recession, jobs were hard to come by.
Teklu Ketema, right, shakes hands with President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer after receiving his vicarage documents in 2018. Photo: Harold Rau
鈥淚 prayed and talked to my wife, and everyone from my church was telling me to serve God,鈥� Teklu says. 鈥淚 have been Lutheran since I was 17. I knew I wanted to go to a seminary of The Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod (LCMS). We decided on SA国际传媒 for many reasons including my wife鈥檚 job as a nurse. St. Louis has lots of opportunities in the medical field.鈥�
The couple moved to campus in 2016 and Teklu began his studies to become a pastor. Throughout his four years of study, he has appreciated the encouraging and devoted professors he has had. 鈥淭he Seminary professors are so knowledgeable, but also down to earth at the same time,鈥� he says.
鈥淚t is important for everyone to know what their purpose is and what God has given them. I am trying to bring the Gospel and Scriptures in that context.鈥�
While pursuing his M.Div., Teklu longed to visit his family in the Ethiopian highlands as they were no longer estranged from one another. Unfortunately, he was unable to make it back home before his mother, a member of the Orthodox church, died. Soon thereafter, his father became ill. Thankfully, Teklu was able to travel to Ethiopia and visit him in the hospital. Over the course of a month, Teklu shared his faith with his father. Even though it was a dark time, Teklu is grateful he was able to see his father before he died.
This summer, Teklu was ordained and installed at St. Paul鈥檚 Lutheran Church of Gambrills/Crofton, Md.
His hopes are high for his future ministry. 鈥淭here is an African population nearby 鈥� people who came for the American dream. But their children are leaving the faith. They are affected by the world and that is very sad,鈥� Teklu says. 鈥淚 hope that at St. Paul鈥檚 we can have an outreach program for young people so that we can share the Gospel and help them find the purpose in their lives. I want to provide answers to questions such as 鈥榃hy did God create us?鈥� 鈥榃hy are we living?鈥� 鈥榃hy did Jesus die on the cross and what does that mean to me?鈥� It is important for everyone to know what their purpose is and what God has given them. I am trying to bring the Gospel and Scriptures in that context.鈥�
Sarah Maney is a communications specialist at SA国际传媒, St. Louis.