A Trinity of Miracles

My Ethiopian Travel Miracles
Submitted by Ijahnya Christian

Mulugeta, my Ethiopian friend, refers to his country as the Land of Daily Miracles and the following accounts explain why I think so too. In November 2010, I left the tiny Caribbean island of Anguilla, land of my birth, to live in Ethiopia. Prior to that, I had thought of Ethiopia as my spiritual home and each of my visits to date has included miracles involving money. You will therefore forgive me for anticipating the great fortune that awaits me in this blessed land.
Miracle 1 – I really wanted to go to Ethiopia for the New Millennium celebrations there but was already committed to a tour in South Africa. As I put my bags in the car preparing to travel first to a meeting in Barbados and then to South Africa, I heard a voice say - ‘Something will happen when you get to South Africa and you will go to Ethiopia for the New Millennium.’

‘Yeah, right, your feet will grow wings,’ I answered skeptically and headed for the airport.

On arrival in Barbados someone who lives in South Africa whispered in my ear as she greeted me, ‘Mama, you do so much… I have a ticket in South Africa for you to go to Ethiopia for the New Millennium celebrations.’

Miracle 2 - Two years later, I planned my second visit down to the last detail. I met all expenses in advance but had no spending money. Quite unexpectedly, a mere two days before travelling a visiting relative handed me an envelope to help with my trip. Inside the envelope was US $500. That relative just happened to be the namesake and grandson of an ancestor Robert Athlyi Rogers whose writings from the USA in the 1920s reflected the Ethiopianist fervor of the day.

Miracle 3 - I decided that it was time to relocate to Ethiopia and willed all my debtors to honor their debts so that I could purchase my airline ticket. One day before the ticket purchase date, with only one third of the fare in hand, another African country invited me to a meeting there, en route to my planned destination. I was therefore able to purchase a one-way ticket from that country to Ethiopia.

Here I am in the Land of Daily Miracles, living happily ever after.

(388 words)

02 February 2011