Dr. Dodge: Passion for Health

Ethiopia is a place of great natural beauty. The country’s central highlands, where the majority of the people live, range in altitude from seven to thirteen thousand feet. Project Mercy, nestled at the feet of the Gurage Mountains, is at the western edge of Africa’s fabled Rift Valley. We woke each morning to a view of these awe-inspiring mountains, except for a few days when they were shrouded in clouds.

We were at Project Mercy for three weekends. On our first Saturday, we hiked to Fana Falls, deep in the mountains. The hike was a little over two miles each way, but because of the ruggedness of the terrain and the need for rest stops, the round trip took about six hours. The falls do not rank among the biggest in the world, but the sheer drop of the mountain stream down fifty feet of rock wall was worth seeing.

The sights along the mountain trails were almost as enchanting as the falls. The round thatched homes of the mountain people were scattered amidst terraced fields of grain and false banana trees. Children called across the valleys to each other, reminding me of the story of Heidi in the Swiss Alps. Even though many were barefoot, they scampered along mountainous trails far more easily than we did.

On our second Saturday we hiked to an orthodox Coptic church located high up in the mountains. After seeing the round church with its surrounding veranda, typical of the rural areas, we rested a bit before continuing our climb to a high knoll above the church. It was a tough climb, even more rugged than our previous hike, but the resulting view of the valley below was worth every step.

From our elevation of over nine thousand feet, we could see for many miles in every direction across the broad valley floor. The Project Mercy compound lay far below us at the foot of the mountain. The village of Buta Jira, ten kilometers away, was easily visible. Even some of the larger Rift Valley lakes, over thirty kilometers away, were easy to spot. Hawks and vultures soared across the valleys immediately below us, their cries occasionally reaching our ears. It was magnificent, idyllic scenery in the heart of Africa.

The “short” rains began during our third week at Project Mercy. Called the “short” rains because they last for only a few weeks in the middle of the dry season, they are beneficial in preparing the soil for the spring plantings and for replenishing water tables. Happily, our third Saturday at Project Mercy was bright and clear. After breakfast, we took the van to go to Crater Lake in the heart of the Rift Valley.

Crater Lake is thought to have resulted from a giant meteor falling into the Rift Valley eons ago. Almost perfectly round, this kilometer-wide lake is about two hundred feet down from the surrounding rim. We hiked around the rim and then down a steep trail almost to lake level. The luxurious growth of trees and vines at lake level were like a mini rain forest, reminiscent of scenes from Tarzan movies.

From the rim of Crater Lake, we hiked another half mile to the Hermit’s Cave, located part way down a mountainside leading into a deep system of caves said to be underlying part of the Rift Valley. We took a narrow trail along the mountain face leading to the Hermit’s Cave. True to its name, a Muslim hermit has lived in the cave with his family for two decades. Knowing of Project Mercy, the hermit welcomed us warmly, telling us they respected Jesus as a prophet of God. After a half-hour’s visit, he bid us a fond farewell. Our visit to the Hermit’s cave was a neat conclusion to our Saturday excursions in Ethiopia!