Christian island in a sea of Islam

Winnipeg, Man.

Known as "an island of Christianity in a sea of Islam," Ethiopia is home to one of the world's fastest-growing Anabaptist churches, the Meserete Kristos Church, says Carl Hansen.

Carl and Vera Hansen from Alberta work for Meserete Kristos College, which is currently training 125 students to help meet the great demand for church leaders. Vera is accountant and librarian, and Carl serves as principal of the college. The 10-member faculty is predominantly Ethiopian.

When the Hansens first went to Ethipoa in 1967, this Anabaptist denomination had 600 members in five congregations. Now it has nearly 90,000 members in 275 congregations, as well as 625 …