another feature of a favourite writer

13-15 Aug 24 

Michael Jackson's Heal the World and BBC's news were my first introduction to Ethiopia and Addis Ababa. These names evoked in my mind images of starving children and scenes of undeveloped streets. Impressions that held strong despite V's enthusiasm about this being the cradle of humankind and the original garden of Eden. 

Landing in Lalibela - meaning conquerer of bees - was thus an unexpected surprise. We flew in a small two propeller airplane from Addis Ababa and landed on a runway flanked by a simple one storey building airport terminal nestled amidst cool mountainous landscape. It felt surreal that such a rustic serene place should greet modern inventions as airplanes. The peace was deceptive though as the region's in the tail end of a war with northern neighbour Eritrea, there were signs of bullet holes on the glass wall of the air terminal. 

Dwellings for villagers and livestock dotted the land we drove past, all was awash in green from the rains. It felt fresh and resourceful. We passed villagers walking in twos and threes, some with their goats and cows and sheep, trotting along on surprisingly well paved roads. Walking or running is the default mode of transport and it's little wonder so many great athletes originate from this part of the world. 

The attraction in Lalibela is its enclave of eleven rock hewn churches, commissioned by none other than King Lalibela who'd traveled beyond for 10 years and brought back with him a deep motivation to provide means for his people to express their devotion and faith, leading a tireless multi-year excavation of mountains of rock and granite to shape houses for God and Saints. These solid structures are still standing strong today and used daily by the villagers. Their celebration is a strange fusion of necessity and cultural evolution - they come to church cocooned in white shawls, whether men, women or children, as if they will be reborn daily, pure again and free from sins. They pray mostly standing up, as seats are limited, and mostly outside the church buildings which are all quite small within. Voices of priests reading scriptures and chanting in the ancient duryic language reach the congregation via loudspeakers or microphones. Almost every available wall surface inside or out, is touched by hands or faces or bodies, pressing in, seeking and drawing strength to press on. 

For life must be hard in this world cut off from modern conveniences. Electricity and running water are in limited supply and many still live in bare huts made with straw and mud, devoid of bedding let alone furnishing. The church structures serve as communal gathering points for individuals to gather frequently, almost daily, for hours of meditation and prayer. They observe over 200+ days of Lent annually, during which there is widespread fasting from animal related products - no milk, butter, meats - our 40 days of selective sacrifice pale in comparison. 

I wonder at the thoughts in their minds - the young and old, ordinary and religious - cut off from worldly ambitions - what can they be wishing for in a seeming mind-numbing repeat and rewind? 

Perhaps they are focusing on the afterlife which looms large daily, "take me away to you God, quick, I seek the paradise of your heavenly home, bring me away from all these!" Hence their prayer route a highway to our same God with a simple exultation. Whereas for us, we traverse the long and winding route, needing divine help for our many other material needs and wants in our modern sophisticated living, afterlife being far receded in our minds. Even so, I hope God's fine that my faith journey, like this sojourn in Lalibela, goes off the beaten track, every now and then, more often than not. 

Addis Ababa was another surprise. I'd not expected it to be this built up; with 6 lane landscaped roads with clean wide pavements, meticulously decorated construction hoardings, relatively organised traffic and glittering street lights.

At least in the more outward facing parts while the local areas are still a mix of old and new, donkeys jostling with cars, hawkers hustling with their wares laid out on street walks, ancient discovered fossils humbly displayed in simple settings. 

May their momentum and drive for better be sustained and continue to stay strong, for not only will they need new roads and new light fixtures, those newly installed ones will require maintenance and replacements. May the memory of strong leaders like King Lalibela inspire and fuel them for many more years, as proclaimed by their national flag carrier Ethiopian Airways- theirs is the new spirit of Africa - may it burn bright & long!