God’s Voice in her heart
Rebecka V. Andræ Frontz
Administrative Coordinator
North American Lutheran Seminary
Nardos Hiruy Banjaw is currently studying for her Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) degree at the NALS Seminary Center in Ambridge, PA. She hails from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, where she was born and raised in a family of strong orthodox believers, with her grandmother. She received her elementary and secondary education in a private school with the American Mission, graduated, and then went on to Addis Ababa University. After two years of study, she earned a diploma in human resource management. One of the government offices hired Nardos, and she started working. “But,” says Nardos, “I didn’t stop there! With God’s voice to my heart, things kept moving.” Subsequently, she earned her bachelor’s degree in English.
Nardos soon learned that Mekane Yesus Seminary (MYS) had opened its Post-Graduate Diploma (PGD) program to anyone with a degree in a different discipline to learn theology. For Nardos, this opportunity seemed to be the Lord calling, and so she registered for the PGD program despite not having the money for coursework. Once she was admitted to the PGD program, she was awarded a scholarship by MYS.
She completed the PGD in Theology in two years and immediately continued at MYS with a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Systematic Theology. After two more years, she completed her M.A. degree. Nardos gives glory to God and His will for the seminary retaining her and a few other graduates as faculty members. In a short time, Nardos went from student to teacher at MYS. Currently, she teaches Christian Stewardship to fourth-year theology students; Historical Theology to third-year theology students; Study Methods to first-year students; and Children and Youth Ministry to both second-year and third-year students within the various concentrations offered at MYS. She also voluntarily spends one hour per week teaching English language basics to female theology students.
She completed the PGD in Theology in two years and immediately continued at MYS with a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Systematic Theology. After two more years, she completed her M.A. degree. Nardos gives glory to God and His will for the seminary retaining her and a few other graduates as faculty members. In a short time, Nardos went from student to teacher at MYS. Currently, she teaches Christian Stewardship to fourth-year theology students; Historical Theology to third-year theology students; Study Methods to first-year students; and Children and Youth Ministry to both second-year and third-year students within the various concentrations offered at MYS. She also voluntarily spends one hour per week teaching English language basics to female theology students.
Still, “God’s voice kept ringing in my heart for future studies. I was looking for universities abroad and looked at a few Lutheran Universities in the USA for Ph.D. studies. But always God’s will wins in my life. Within a very short period of time, I processed the scholarship offer from the North American Lutheran Seminary with the help of many good people.” Nardos came to the NALS Seminary Center in Ambridge, PA, and she has begun her first semester.
Her educational life and her spiritual life are not separate; it is important to describe how God has been at work in her life. She grew up in a family of abiding Christian faith. She had access to the Bible and participated in the life of worship at her mission school. As Nardos recalls, she “was really happy to hear God’s word and sing in the chapel. I started attending every program that was taking place at that time. The love of God won my soul, and I turned my life over to Jesus.”
After she completed high school, she attended a nearby church where she met Aschalew Sima Ashame, who served as a youth pastor at that time. The two fell in love and, despite her family’s objections, they married. Nardos is amazed that with so many of God’s miracles in the world, her husband and she were granted five of those miracles in their children. Medhanit Aschalew (20) is a third-year university student at ASTU, (‘Adma’ Science and Technology University); Deborah Aschalew (18) recently graduated high school and is awaiting results from the national exam to make her eligible for university studies; Fares Aschalew (15) is in the tenth grade; and Barkot Aschalew (12) is in the seventh grade. Asche and Nardos adopted a daughter, Yordanos Daniel (24), who is now married and has two sons.
Her husband, the Rev. Aschalew Sima Ashame, is called to Messalemya Congregation in the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus. Nardos describes him as “a very handsome, intelligent, and loving person with a very good character. He is also a good husband to me and a wonderful father to our children. Not only this, he is a strong Christian, a nice brother to many others, and a good leader of our church.” He holds an M.A. degree in Theology from Addis Ababa Bible College.
In their congregation, Nardos serves as the youth committee coordinator; a trainer to teenagers, children, and families on different issues; and a marriage counselor. She also sings in the choir. Nardos feels called by God’s Holy Spirit to serve alongside her husband in the congregation in these ways.
Nardos also shared with me a message of thanksgiving: “I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of you who took part in my journey to the USA for future study of my S.T.M. and the kindness and generous scholarship I was provided from the NALS so I am able to have everything necessary for my stay. God bless you all and let our God make you more blessings to many others in the world!”
