Bekele and Shewaye Shanko

Vice President of Global Church-Led Movements

Bekele and Shewaye are from Ethiopia and were married in 1993. Shortly afterward they attended Campus Crusade's new staff member training in Kampala, Uganda. In July 1994, they joined the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ in Ethiopia and Bekele became the country's national director. In 1999, Bekele was appointed director of affairs for Southern and Eastern Africa.

In 2002, Bekele gave leadership to Operation Sunrise, a faith-filled strategy to proclaim the gospel to 50 million people in 50 cities in 50 days across 22 nations in Africa. About 500,000 people from over 20,000 local churches and 300 Christian organizations participated. By the end of that summer 1.72 million people indicated a decision to believe in Jesus.

One of Bekele's passions is strengthening the church. In 2007, Bekele worked with leaders throughout Ethiopia to develop a united national plan for evangelism and transformation in Ethiopia for the next 100 years. The churches involved believe it is their responsibility to work as one unit, living out Biblical Christianity, fight poverty and ignorance and influence the nation with the gospel of Christ.

"This is my generation," Bekele said. "And God wants me to serve His purpose."

Bekele designed, launched, and is directing Emerging Leaders Initiative Africa, an intensive 2-year leader-development program for emerging leaders in Africa. The first group graduated in May 2010 and the second group will commence in September 2010.

Bekele and Shewaye live in Pretoria, South Africa, and have 4 children: Nathan, Elim, Philip and Nesiel. Shewaye is involved in women's leadership development. She has passion for children ministry, art and helping orphans.

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