Activities
The Ethiopian Church in the Caribbean
Guyana
The work of Arthur Mar Lukas and Garnet Springer in 1951 gained hundreds of followers, which resulted in the setting up of churches in Guyana as was done in Trinidad and Tobago. Soon there was a need for official establishment of these churches by the mother church in Ethiopia.
The two Ethiopian church officials Fr. G. E. Meshesha and Ato Abera Jembere went to Guyana, and the church was officially established. The first church consecrated was St. Mary's where Baptism and Holy Communion were administered. Later the rites and rituals of the Ethiopian church were introduced, accepted, and gradually practiced. There are nine churches in Guyana, with thousands of baptized members. Many native-born priests and several deacons have been ordained. The headquarters is Holy Trinity Church, in Georgetown.
Other churches have been established in Agricola Grove, One Mile Wizmar, Vriden-Hoop, New Amsterdam, Stanley Town-(two churches); Conntien and Essequibo.
Later, Abuna Samuel, then Abba Gebre Egziabher Degou, joined Father Meshesha, and together they established more churches. Abba Degou was succeeded by Abba Gebre Hiwot, who went to Guyana in January 1960, accompanied by Deacon Alem Sagad. Abba Gebre Hiwot died there and was succeeded by Abba Haddis Geday and later Fr. Mengistu Abebe.
(Yesehaq, 200)