Ethiopia

Ethiopia, Cradle of Civilization, home of "Lucy", the oldest known human, revered by Ethiopians as, Dinkenesh, "You are Wonderful." Home of the breath taking rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, called by some the eighth wonder of the world. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and the source of the Blue Nile. Ethiopia with its ancient tradition of warmth and hospitality is also home to tens of thousands of refugees from Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea.

In February 2003, Janet and Tom traveled to Ethiopia. With the assistance of The United Nations High Commission for Refugees, they did twenty-one performances for 10,000 people. Tom and Janet performed in Addis Ababa for street children and in a few small schools, but most of their performances were for the Sudanese refugees living in refugee camps in Southwestern Ethiopia along the Sudanese border.

BONGA, Ethiopia (UNHCR)

As we drive into Bonga refugee camps, some 2000 refugee high school students are waiting for us. Waiting is something refugees do well -- some of these young men and women have been in this camp for 10 0r 15 years, some have been born into waiting, waiting for the day they will go home, back to southern Sudan.

Today they are waiting for magic...

For more about the 2003 trip see the UN web site article, “Magicians Take Refugees on More than a Flight of Fancy”

LaFleur (Janet) performing for the children at the Ababech Gobena Orphanage, Addis Ababa Ethiopia

In 2004, Tom and Janet again went to Ethiopia. With the help of the UNHCR they travelled for a month along the Sudanese border, performing for 25,000 Sudanese and Eritrean refugees.

Mahary Maasho was their guide, a most marvelous man who has worked with refugees for many years. Mahary is a magician who opens up the hearts of whoever he meets. Mahary led Tom and Janet deep into the heart of Ethiopia and her people. Often Mahary would stop

the Land Rover outside a stick and mud, thatch-covered tukel and within moments, all were inside sitting at a coffee ceremony or hearing stories and marvelous music.

They witnessed with amazement and awe an exorcism outside an Ethiopian Orthodox church, colobous monkeys playing in the trees along the road and endless miles of breathtaking beauty driving through the Simien Mountains. Outside Mekele they saw camel caravans bringing salt from the Danikil Desert as they have been doing for thousands of years and along the three thousand miles of dusty roads, always the delightful Ethiopian people welcoming them into their hearts and homes.

Tom and Janet gave many magic shows, but they came home overflowing with all they received from Ethiopia and her ancient and open-hearted people.

SHERKOLE, Ethiopia (UNHCR)

Outside the Refugee Women Development Center in Sherkole Camp near the Ethiopia/Sudanese border, 300 refugees have gathered under the shade of the mango trees. They have come to see a magic performance by Tom Verner and Janet Fredericks...

For more about the 2004 trip see the UN web site article, “Sparking Hope and Wonder in Refugees Worldwide”

For a report from the 2005 trip see this article about a performance at Somali Refugee Camps

Magicians Without Borders, 100 Geary Road, Lincoln, Vermont  05443  802-453-5425     verner@gmavt.net