DIRE DAWA, Ethiopia — A Christian evangelist who preached the gospel in Somali-speaking communities along the Ethiopian-Somali border fled with his wife and two children in July 2025 after Islamist extremists issued death threats against him, the U.S.-based monitoring group International Christian Concern reported.
Teshome Getachew, who converted from Islam and speaks fluent Somali, had been sharing his faith in the Gode area and later in Jigjiga, drawing hostility from communities where leaving Islam is treated as a betrayal of both religion and nationality. “After converting to Christianity, I began sharing the gospel in the Gode area and later in Jigjiga,” Getachew said. “Because I speak Somali fluently, many people listened to my worship songs and testimonies. I wanted my own people to hear about Jesus in a language they understand. I knew there would be opposition, but I could not stay silent about my faith.”
As his ministry grew more visible in 2025, the threats escalated from social pressure to explicit warnings of violence. “Islamic extremists openly began to threaten me because of my Christian faith and witness,” Getachew said. “People started warning me that my life was in danger. Some said I had betrayed my community. Others said I deserved to die because I refused to stop preaching the gospel.”
Getachew said the danger became untenable, forcing his family to abandon their home. “In July 2025, I fled with my family to Dire Dawa,” he said. “Leaving behind everything I had. We left in fear, and I did not know where we would stay or how we would survive. I only knew we had to escape before something terrible happened.”
Relocation to Dire Dawa has not brought safety. “The pressure continued, and my family lives cautiously every day,” Getachew said. “We are not free from danger, and every time I hear unexpected news or see unfamiliar people around us, I become worried. My family lives with fear all the time.” The persecution has weighed heavily on his son, 7 years old, and his 3-year-old daughter, both of whom have struggled to adjust after displacement. “As a father, it breaks my heart,” Getachew said. “My children lost stability and peace because of my faith. Sometimes I ask myself how long they will live such a life.”
In Somali cultures, including those in Ethiopia’s Somali Region, faith and national identity are deeply intertwined. Those who leave Islam face ostracism and violence; those who evangelize among Somali Muslims are treated as enemies. The pattern mirrors persecution documented across the Horn of Africa, where converts from Islam to Christianity face some of the most severe reprisals on the continent.
Getachew said he has no plans to abandon his faith. “I continue to worship quietly and encourage other believers whenever possible,” he said. “Jesus never abandoned me, even in fear. There are moments I feel weak, but my faith gives me strength to continue. I believe the gospel is worth suffering for.”