In March 1978, Wubie Ayele was beaten to death for his adherence to Scriptural principles. During the following months, Ayele Zeyelew, a pioneer and elder, and Hailu Yemiru, a publisher, were killed, and their bodies were left lying on a street of Addis Ababa for a whole day, exposed for all to see.

In December 1982, six Witnesses were arrested because of their neutral Christian stand. They too were men of courage and helped many fellow prisoners to gain hold of the Kingdom hope. After three years, they were removed from prison, never to be seen again. All were executed.

In Dese, in the north-central part of the country, Demas Amde, a schoolteacher and father of five, spent more than five torture-filled years in prison: First, hard labor; then six months in solitary confinement chained in a bent position, followed by sickness with no medical attention; next, nakedness for two months, infected with lice; thereafter transfer to a cell where other prisoners lay dying of typhoid. Finally, after his health was wrecked and his body was weakened by cancer, he was released from prison to die. He died, February 4, 1991, faithful to the end and with the firm hope of a resurrection.​—Compare Hebrews 11:37-40.

[Pictures on page 177]

Faces we expect to see in the resurrection. All were murdered for their loyalty to the good news. From top left: Ayele Zeleyew, Hailu Yemiru, Wubi Ayele, Kaba Ayana, Gebreyohanes Adhanom, Adera Teshome, Wondimu Demera, Kasa Gebremedhin, Eshetu Mindu