A mother struggles through the parched Ethiopian highlands hoping to find food and medicine for her child at the Southern Baptist feeding and health care center at Rabel. Her husband died along the way. During the Ethiopian famine, some 7,000 starving men, women, and children made their way to the feeding station during its first three weeks of operation in 1985. The station was the most remote feeding center in the country. By mid-year, Southern Baptists had opened five feeding stations in the Menz-Gishe and Marharbeti areas, where they distributed grain to thousands and provided medical care.

A mother struggles through the parched Ethiopian highlands hoping to find food and medicine for her child at the Southern Baptist feeding and health care center at Rabel. Her husband died along the way. During the Ethiopian famine, some 7,000 starving men, women, and children made their way to the feeding station during its first three weeks of operation in 1985. The station was the most remote feeding center in the country. By mid-year, Southern Baptists had opened five feeding stations in the Menz-Gishe and Marharbeti areas, where they distributed grain to thousands and provided medical care.

Volunteer nurse Sarah “Sally” Jones comforts an Ethiopian child at the Southern Baptist feeding and health care center in Rabel, Ethiopia, during the 1985 famine. Jones worked with former missionary Mary Saunders from morning until dark to tend to the overwhelming needs of the famine-stricken highlanders.

Over the years Doug and Evelyn Knapp effectively combined agricultural projects and evangelism. The Knapps’ ministry, which built slowly as the Nyakyusa people of Tanzania gained trust, produced more than 49,000 baptisms during the missionaries’ final 11 years of service on the field.
“We don’t want to leave the impression we’ve done it all,” Doug Knapp said. “African Baptists played a primary role, earlier missionaries helped pave the way, and the Baptist Mission of Tanzania provided support…. My gift is more
in leading and discipling Christians. I select pastors who have greater gifts than I for preaching and evangelism and train and encourage them to go out and reach people for Christ.”

Over the years Doug and Evelyn Knapp effectively combined agricultural projects and evangelism. The Knapps’ ministry, which built slowly as the Nyakyusa people of Tanzania gained trust, produced more than 49,000 baptisms during the missionaries’ final 11 years of service on the field.
“We don’t want to leave the impression we’ve done it all,” Doug Knapp said. “African Baptists played a primary role, earlier missionaries helped pave the way, and the Baptist Mission of Tanzania provided support…. My gift is more
in leading and discipling Christians. I select pastors who have greater gifts than I for preaching and evangelism and train and encourage them to go out and reach people for Christ.”

A portrait of an Ethiopian Orthodox man in Ethiopia.