Few days have passed since the world witnessed the killing and beating of Ethiopian immigrants on the streets of Riyad. Those sad pictures have moved the world and Ethiopians & friends of Ethiopians have shown their anger through demonstrations in many cities around the world. It is sad and sickening having to watch the videos and having to see the pictures. It is tragic to see any human being beaten and killed savagely – but to witness it being done to your own citizen is tormenting. As one activist wisely noted, as we rejoice as a nation whenever our athletes run and keep our flag waving up high, it is now time to grieve as a nation. Yes, as a nation – not as individual groups or ethnicities but as a nation. Various churches conducted prayer services for the victims and the preaching have mostly been about our loss.
Among all of the sermons I’ve heard, one sticks to mind. Last Sunday, the preacher at St. Michael Church in Washington D.C. wisely noted that perhaps the first nation to ever have given living permits to immigrants was Ethiopia. History has it that when the prophet Mohammed started his teachings, he had to send his family in exile ‘to a land which dealt hospitably to foreigners.’ True to his words, Ethiopia treated his family and followers with respect. In fact, long before Saudi ever accepted Mohammed’s teachings, Ethiopia had the first follower exclaiming ‘Allahu Akber’ (meaning God is great). And for hundreds of years, Christians and Muslims have lived harmoniously as one in the same land of hospitality. The Prophet, had he awoken for a second to see the events that happened these past few days, would have cried for the people who once provided him refuge. And he certainly would have been ashamed of and disappointed at Saudi. Saudi, of thee I cry with him!
Last Sunday, on one of the coldest days that most of us had ever experienced, it was a priceless privilege to have exercised the freedom to worship our God in the way we wanted. Yes, Ethiopians in Saudi are no different than Ethiopians in the US – we’re all immigrants. But our fellow citizens in Saudi are being beaten and afraid to reveal their faith while those of us in the US, proudly proclaim and exercise it. And so America, this Thanksgiving, of thee I sing! Fully aware of the freedom we’ve been granted, of thee we sing America!
There were many people gathered and praying together for those we lost in Saudi this Sunday and all the while I just said to myself, what a beautiful site to see Ethiopians together. Ethiopians, are beautiful have you noticed? Have you ever spent a day being an Ethiopian? It’s a different world, marked by faith and hospitality. If you were to spend a day being an Ethiopian, you would have lived a day of a proud culture and history, of an undying hope in tomorrow being much better than today; you would have been a Muslim, or an Orthodox, or Protestant … and whatever your religion, you would have lived a day of faith in the God that provides everything – that you shall never want.
This Sunday, I witnessed for the first time, the clergy of different churches coming together as one to celebrate St. Michael’s annual feast. And again, what a beautiful site that was! (I hope that was the case in every Ethiopian church and mosque). Could this mean that our priests and clergy have started practicing what they preach? Perhaps the day is approaching when we shall see Ethiopia’s rise in love and mercy – Ethiopia, for thee I pray! My people, for us, I hope.
The preacher, Memeher Tesfaye, reminded us of our promised rise if we can only gather in God’s name as one nation with one voice, cured of our disease of ethnicity. And a line in his sermon reminded me of the Psalmists song that fits our situation in Saudi:
“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down; yea we wept, when we remembered Zion!”
