Beyond and above

May 6—Lalibela is remote. Balbila, a bustling village 30 rugged mountain kilometres north, is even more remote. And we kept going, winding through tortuous mountain trails, climbing steep hillsides, pushing deeper and deeper into the heart of the high country. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking. The place looked uninhabitable.

And yet, people by the thousands live on these slopes, eking out a precarious living as farmers. Who could imagine they could stand on that incline, let alone till the soil with oxen. Throughout the countryside the crack of the farmers’ whips resounded as pairs of oxen pulled single furrow ploughs up and down, back and forth, leaving a heaping hint of opportunity for a crop ahead.

We were on our way to visit an ancient church (Yimrahana Kristos) and palace built in a cave. We parked at a small village and hiked 15 steep uphill minutes in the thin highland air before arriving at a large cave sheltered by ancient junipers. A wall encased the entrance.

We removed our shoes to enter through the narrow gateway. Inside the floor is covered with hay. Three stone and wood buildings stand in the gloom of the cave compound—a “palace,” a storehouse and a church. Behind the church in a special enclosure is the tomb of King Yimrahana who made the construction in 1180 A.D. He is one of three Ethiopian kings who have been sainted; each left a legacy of church-building.

The walk to the church and back again is lined with people begging, each seemingly more desperate than the last. On the way up I determined that I would choose one to give to on the way back down. It seems a rational strategy. I gave a few birr (Ethiopian dollars) to a worn out woman and a small child. She is grateful.

Closer down to the village, a two-year-old girl ran forward, grabbed the little finger on my right hand and walked with me. Labourers working on a sidewalk laughed at her effrontery, but she stuck with me. I released her with a blessing and walked along. She came running around to the other side, took my left pinkie and walked further with me. I felt blessed. The workers were greatly amused. Eventually, I asked for a photo. She obliged. Her mother came and picked her up. She cried over her mother’s shoulder as they continued on their way.