Alemu Checole (1941-2018)

Alemu Checole: teacher, pianist, and church leader; born to his mother Dirib Bisetegn and his father Checole Lema on 22 September 1941, in Gzirebila, Seqota, northern Ethiopia. He married his wife Abebech Wache on 10 April 1977, in Nazareth Meserete Kristos Church. They had six children: three daughters and three sons, and 13 grandchildren. Alemu died of illness in his 77th year on 1 December 2018 (Hidar 22, 2011 Eth. C).

When Alemu was eight years old, he lost his sight from an infection sometimes referred to as “river blindness.” Since there was no modern medical facility in the area, Alemu tried holy water, donkey’s milk, and other remedies to restore his sight, but nothing helped. The illness went from bad to worse, until his eyesight was completely lost. Alemu, however, considered himself successful with his blindness and felt deeply indebted to his father for the opportunities he had.

When Alemu was a child, his father carried Alemu on his shoulders from the town of Dese to Addis Ababa, a journey of 400 km, to seek medical treatment. During their stay in Addis, they encountered Emperor Haile Selassie’s procession, and Alemu’s father fell prostrate before the emperor, requesting that Alemu be entered into school. In 1948 Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia asked North American Mennonite missionaries to operate his new school for blind children that he would personally finance. This school began its work on 23 July 1952; at the age of eight, Alemu became part of the first student cohort.

Alemu earned his B.A. from Addis Ababa University in English language and history in 1965. He also earned an M.A. in teaching English as a second language from New York Buffalo Syracuse University in 1973. Alemu understood his blindness as a disguised blessing and gift of God. He said, “In retrospect, I look upon my blindness as a special gift from God in bringing me out of that hopeless situation where I could have remained a beggar by the roadside in that remote village or, at best, a teacher in the Orthodox church.”

Alemu generally had a positive outlook on life and relationships, but once he faced difficulties in his faith and became severely depressed for three months while a student at Buffalo Syracuse University in New York. Of this time, Alemu said:

"I enjoyed my studies enormously and my participation in the Mennonite fellowship, except for three months in 1972 when I almost lost my faith after taking a course in literary criticism. The books we were told to read belittled Christianity so much that doubt set in, and I fell into deep depression. I stopped going to the fellowship, quit attending Intervarsity Bible Study, and stopped having my daily devotions. I hated going to my classes and even started skipping meals. I began to question the purpose of living and even considered committing suicide. I was living on the 18th floor of the building, and one day the terrible thought of throwing myself out of the window came into my head. I stretched my left hand and my neck out of the window, but kept clinging to my bed with the right hand, and then I cried out, saying, “Lord, remember me once, and give me your peace.” And immediately unspeakable joy flowed into my heart and I fell to the floor, praising God for restoring my faith in him. I felt a peace of mind that was unspeakable."

After graduating from New York University, Alemu continued teaching at Nazareth Bible Academy from 1966 to 1982. He taught English, history, Bible, music, and Amharic typing. Following the nationalization of the Bible Academy in 1982, Alemu continued teaching at Gelawdios Comprehensive and Vocational Secondary School (GCVSS) in Adama/Nazareth, until his retirement in 1997. After his retirement from GVCSS, Alemu taught English in private colleges, including at Meserete Kristos College from 1997 to 1999 in Addis Ababa; at Grace Theological College from 2000 to 2002; and then at Memosa Preschool Teachers Training Center for a brief period in Adama/ Nazareth. Alemu also worked for a small non-profit organization called Reaching the Poorest Community as a communication officer from 2004-2008 and for a private adoption center until he was fully retired in 2008.

Alemu served as a cultural bridge between Meserete Kristos Church (MKC) and North American Mennonites and their mission agency, particularly as an interpreter and translator between Amharic and English. Throughout his life he interpreted for many North American and European Mennonites as they came to Nazareth MKC. Alemu’s translation services ranged from sermons to academic work.

Alemu’s contribution was acknowledged by Nathan B. Hege in the writing of Beyond Our Prayers: An amazing half century of church growth in Ethiopia, 1948-1998. Brent L. Kipfer also relied on Alemu for the interview translations contributing to his work, “Thriving under Persecution: Meserete Kristos Church Leadership during the Ethiopian Revolution.” Aaron Daniel Lehman also acknowledged Alemu’s contribution in translating interview questions and responses for his paper, “Aster Debossie: Meserete Kristos Churchwoman in Lay Leadership in Ethiopia 1974-1991.” Assisted by Samuel Asefa, Alemu wrote the chapter “Mennonite Churches in Eastern Africa” in Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts: Global Mennonite History Series.

Alemu was involved in various voluntary services before and after his retirement, including serving as chairperson, elder, Bible Study team leader, Bible teacher, member of the Holistic Development Committee, and member of the construction committee for North Nazareth MKC. He was also a song composer and choir voice examiner at different times in Adama at Nazareth MKC, in addition to serving as Nazareth Region and National-level Executive member during his term of service.

Alemu filled many roles in the church, from Bible teaching to language interpretation to music instruction. This author was also personally impacted by the English class that Alemu taught him and other friends at his house.

Bibliography

Alemu Checole. Interviewed by Balcha Dinegde, 3 May 2013. Video recording, Adama/Nazareth, Ethiopia.

Balcha Denage. “A Loss of Sight That Succeeded Success: The Story of Ato Darge (Alemu Chekole).” Essay for “Psyc 523: Qualitative Research,” Adama Science and Technology University School of Educational Science & Technology, Teacher Education Department, May 2013.

Hege, Nathan. Beyond Our Prayers: Anabaptist church growth in Ethiopia, 1948-1998. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1998.

Kipfer, Brent. “Thriving under Persecution: Meserete Kristos Church Leadership during the Ethiopian Revolution (1974-1991).” Mennonite Quarterly Review 91 (July 2017): 297-369.

Lehman, Aaron. “Aster Debossie: Meserete Kristos Churchwoman in Lay Leadership in Ethiopia 1974-1991.” Undergraduate thesis, Goshen College, 2003.

Author(s)	Workineh Ayele Yami
Date Published	27 Aug 2024

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, Workineh Ayele Yami. "Alemu Checole (1941-2018)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 27 Aug 2024. Web. 25 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Alemu_Checole_(1941-2018)&oldid=179530.

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, Workineh Ayele Yami. (27 Aug 2024). Alemu Checole (1941-2018). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 25 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Alemu_Checole_(1941-2018)&oldid=179530.

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