Earlier this year, ministers from Christ Disciples’ Church (CDC), a fivefold ministry based in Soroti, Teso, Uganda, organized the “Ateker for Christ” evangelism mission in partnership with the Full Gospel Church of Ethiopia.
The event, scheduled from February 9 to March 23, 2023, took place in Kangaten, Nyangatom, Ethiopia.
The mission raised concerns within Teso communities when the participants sold their properties and abandoned their local work to pursue evangelism in Ethiopia.
However, Ekal Etiir, the Infrastructure Affairs Advisor to the South Ethiopia Regional State President, clarified the positive impact of the Iteso presence in Nyangatom.
He shared that the group, which initially numbered 270, has grown to over 300 as they have started families.
“We are happy about their coming,” Ekal stated, highlighting their significant role in transforming the region. The Iteso were welcomed to Nyangatom on February 19, 2023, led by Simon Peter Opolot, a member of the CDC church. Ekal also mentioned that the community honored the wishes of an elderly member of the group who expressed a desire to be buried in Nyangatom before passing away.
He emphasized that the Iteso are not refugees, but individuals who have integrated into the community and settled in the region.
As a result of language barriers, they established their church and the Ethiopian government allocated land to support their activities.
Ekal, who facilitated the Iteso’s integration, also noted that their presence has brought economic development to Nyangatom.
Following their arrival, street food vendors, tailors, health workers, and carpenters have emerged, marking a positive shift in the area.
In 2022, during the Ateker festival, the Iteso expressed interest in returning to Nyangatom to engage in business after their evangelism efforts.
Their integration included traditional initiation rituals, marking their acceptance as part of the Nyangatom community.
Ekal expressed his readiness to welcome more Iteso returnees, stressing that this is their ancestral home.
He pointed out that their involvement in gospel work, particularly their teachings on financial management, has contributed to a reduction in criminal activity among the local clans.
The Nyangatom people are part of the larger Ateker community, which spans across Turkana in Kenya, Southern Sudan, Karamoja, and Teso in Uganda.
Inhabitants of the dry, semi-desert region of southwest Ethiopia and Southern Sudan, the Nyangatom’s livelihoods are primarily based on zebu cattle herding and the cultivation of crops like sorghum, maize, and tobacco.