I was born on April 2, 1981 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to two loving parents who were both devout in their faith and sincere in their love for Jesus. Before turning 3 years old, my family migrated to the States, where I ended up being raised by them. I grew up in a bi-culture home. I was raised in a home where I had parents who had all of their upbringing in Africa, while I had to grow up and assimilate into an entirely different cultural context. Navigating the tension that always existed between those two cultural realities (the east and the west) wasn’t easy—for either of us. To be clear, till this day I do appreciate the rich Ethiopian heritage that I was exposed to and even shaped by as a young boy in the West. Thankfully, I grew in a Christian home. I grew up going to church with my family. I grew up hearing the gospel. Sadly, even though I grew up with all of these blessings around me, I did not have a saving personal relationship with Jesus Christ. To my shame, I loved my sin and the world far more than Jesus. It wasn’t until after high school and while in college, that God in His mercy saved me. I was born-again and committed my life to Jesus at the age of 20. Immediately, I was surrounded with the right church, pastor, mentors, and community that would have a lasting impact on my spiritual growth and God’s call on my life. By the age of 23 I had answered the call to the ministry. It was at that point where it was absolutely clear to me that God would have me preach. For the next 8 years I both began my preparation for the ministry and availed myself to any all opportunities to serve freely by teaching the Bible in youth and young adult ministries, college campus ministries, home bible studies, retreats, evangelistic outreaches, and prison ministries. After those 8 years, God brought me into full-time vocational ministry. I have now been preaching and teaching the Bible and pastoring for 16 years. I currently reside with my family in Dallas, Texas.