Ethiopia - going to church on Sunday

The baby next to us in church

One of my best experiences in Addis was going to church. I only went on one Sunday, I mostly used Sundays to work while the girls weren't around. But I knew that I needed to go at least once just for the experience if nothing else.

It was 3 hours of music, prayer, rousing sermon, dancing, clapping, more ululating and a full house of excited and joyful people.

Because Koni leads a youth group and is well known to the pastor first of all I got introduced to him in his study beside the church. Church started with praying while he shouted us a macchiato (and Sentayehu and Aman, who had come with us had a Coke and a coffee too) and we talked about Australia, the States (where he lived for quite a while) and made other general conversation. He was called in and out a bit, but he was a really nice man (with a great smile, another gorgeous Ethiopian man) - his name is pronounced E-yoop, but I'm not sure how you spell it. So when the music started it was time for us to go in. There were empty seats at the front where we sat, only to be told that they were reserved for the people being baptised that day - over 80 of them. Still they just moved us forward even further and put seats in behind us.

The choir was singing when we arrived, and dancing and jumping and swaying were all included. This went on for over 30 minutes, only 2 songs, and the lead singer, a young guy called Asmama had an excellent voice. Then there were the usual things, prayers, offerings, the kids came in and went out, communion, a sermon, very rousing even if I couldn't understand a word the pastor had given me the gist before the service, more singing and then the baptisms. Singing and dancing all the time the people were being baptised. We left before they were all finished. All in all I don't mind dancing in church, especially when it's all as joyful as this service.

Aman told me he really liked it but Senti looked subdued, he found it very different to his own church and he also told me he "didn't like long". The noise level pretty much the whole time was amazing, people coming and going at will, amens and shouting and clapping at any given moment.... Once again, I knew I was a long way from home!

Can't get blogger to upload any images again tonight - hopefully I'll have Internet access again down the Nile, Alexandria today was wonderful. I have a 4.00 am start so I'm going to pack and go to bed.

Love to all

Lyndall