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Ethiopia
Population: 56.7 million Life expectancy male/female: 46/48 years Infant mortality rate: 212‰	Illiteracy: 40% (1987) Religions: Christians 40-50%; Muslims 40-50%; Christian Jews; Animist Jews; Orthodox. GDP per capita: US$ 140 (1995)

There are two groups in Ethiopia, the Gamo Gofa group, and the Boranaland Group.

Gamo Gofa Group

Spiritan presence: 8 professed members (6 priests, 2 brothers).

In 1997, this Group celebrated the 25th anniversary of its ecumenical work in Ethiopia. This represents 25 years of continuous effort to convince the ecclesiastical authorities, both catholic and orthodox, of the validity of their work.

The Group wanted to put the ecumenical teaching of the Roman Catholic Church into practice. The speeches of Pope John Paul II, on the occasion of the visits of various Patriarchs, have reinforced their conviction that they must continue along this path. It has always been a difficult mission. Being on the defensive over 25 years has left its mark; one sees its influence in the way they think and behave, and sometimes also in the judgements they make.

The famine which has hit the region several times has led the Spiritans to get involved in aid work. They have built up a development organisation for the region that continues to grow in importance. The confreres feel obliged to give much of their time to this service. It is thanks to this kind of work that they are in the country at all; officially, they enter the country as members of an NGO.

Boranaland Group

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