Timkat in Lalibela

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Timkat is the ethiopian orthodox celebration of Epiphany. It is celebrated on January 19th.Timkat celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. This festival is best known for its ritual reenactment of baptism. During the ceremonies of Timkat, the Tabot, a model of the Ark of the Covenant, which is present on every Ethiopian altar, is reverently wrapped in rich cloth and borne in procession on the head of the priest. The Tabot represents the manifestation of Jesus as the Messiah when he came to the Jordan for baptism. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated near a stream or pool early in the morning. Then the nearby body of water is blessed towards dawn and sprinkled on the participants, some of whom enter the water and immerse themselves, symbolically renewing their baptismal vows. At midday the Tabots are brought back in procession to the churches they belong to with ceremonial singing and dancing.(Quelle Wikipedia) We were blessed to join this holy festival in Lalibela too and the video is giving you a small kind of impression.

Circus Group Lalibela – Acrobatics, Artistic and HIV information

New Project with orphans & streetkids well worth supporting

During our visit in Lalibela we got to know of a children and youth circus formed mainly out of streetkids and orphans coming together 6 times a week for training. We wanted to see so therefore we were welcomed in a dirty and bad smelling backyard with a small act.40 kids and youngsters with lots of joy in acrobatics and artistic showed us their abilities. Somersaults, flips, pyramids, funny interactions and traditional dance was shown and the number of  acrobatic elements without tools was amazing. There were existing 6 floor mats only, that`s all. The circus was founded 10 years ago with main function of getting children off from streets offering a sensefull kind of activity. 

Gashew came as a small boy and orphan himself 10 years ago  to the circus and meanwhile he is the coordinator. The circus group was always kind of family to him and proudly he is telling about sucessfull shows in and around Lalibela, winnings of competitions and trophys. In recent years traveling to competitions was unaffordable and there is no equipment for new practical training  or creating a new show. Except the 6 mats passed on through fundraising from an american woman 3 years ago there is only one speaker for training with music. The circus is not receiving any support by authorities and the churches did refuse the demand for support too. Gashew would like to offer a meal to the hungry streetkids after training – but that`s not possibel because of lack of money. Meanwhile he almost lost hope and wants to give up.

The circus created a small show and we did like the idea of giving information about HIV to the audience packed into artistic and acrobatic performances.They would like to go from village to village, into the mountains around Lalibela giving entertainment. According to that there might come up revenues which ought to be invested into training tools and material. For realizaton of this idea the group needed a small generator for giving sound to the show.

So therefore we made shortly up our mind to support the circus with a generator. Kevin got into the idea of Circus Lalibela and a small project turned out and is coming up. The generator was organized in Addis for about 180 Euro, did arrive in Lalibela and will be shortly presented to the circus group and their for sure happy and overwhelmed members. For the future we want to support the circus with tools like juggling clubs, diabolos, further mats and a spring board. Kevin is working hard in fundraising for the small meals served after training sessions. We will see what`s coming up.

If you like to support Circus Lalibela please donate via banc transfer to our association banc account and mention as purpose "Circus Lalibela". Recipient: Hope for Ethiopia e.V./ IBAN DE51793301110002340476/BIC: FLESDEMMXXX