There’s Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle-East, and then there’s Ethiopia. There’s no other place on Earth quite like it. While it’s true that many other cultures also have their own alphabet and cuisine, Ethiopia’s customs and traditions are unique unto themselves. Ethiopia remains the only country in Africa that was never colonized, not to say that people didn’t try. The advent of Orthodox Christianity here in the fourth century created an ancient bastion of Christendom that in many respects remains unchanged until this day. Ethiopia is culturally rich, but materially poor, and a journey here can be both uplifting and exhausting. I’ve recently spent a week here covering some the work of the International Orthodox Christian Charities. While IOCC has a number of diverse programs in the country, including agriculture and vocational training, the photographs shown here highlight their work with the disabled and infirm. Podoconiosis, also known as Elephantiasis, is[…]
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