Ethiopia
General information
Ethiopia is a country rich in history and culture. Boasting one of the world’s oldest human settlements as well as over 90 spoken languages, Ethiopia is truly a unique place to visit. Known as the birthplace of coffee, it remains one of the world’s largest coffee exporters.
A visit to this beautiful country is not complete without a detour from the capital to the historic sites of Aksum and Lalibella, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Sixty percent of Ethiopians practice Christianity, primarily as Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Christians. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church share a long, peaceful history and are in full communion with each other and the larger community of Oriental Orthodox Christians.
Ethiopia has a moderate climate with temperatures ranging between 6° C (43° F ) and 26° C (79° F ). In the mountainous regions of the country, sunny days are not unusual, and there are a few hours of rain daily.
Visa Information
All visitors to Ethiopia who are not Kenya or Djibouti nationals are required to obtain a visa. Visas can be obtained either in embassies and consulates outside of Ethiopia, or in Ethiopia’s Bole International Airport.
Airport visas are only available for nationals of the countries listed here.
Visa fees tend to be higher in the airport than in Ethiopian embassies. A schedule of fees for US visas can be found here.
**Ethiopia: Addis Ababa
March 2016 Mission Trip Overview
Through God’s grace and the help of 18 healthcare professionals (physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, and one physical therapist) and 3 students from the USA, Austria, Scotland & Egypt, 3,620 patients were examined and treated, plus 820 kids who were served in different schools and orphanages.
Come and Serve
The service is divided into two parts: medical and spiritual. The medical part consists of health care professionals who see & treat patients on a daily basis. They also offer lectures to medical students at the local universities. The spiritual group serves kids & youth in schools, orphanages and Sunday school.
Come & serve God with the talents and gifts He gave you whether in the medical field or the spiritual field. Don’t miss out the blessings God has in store for you.
Exchange Rate
The local currency is the Ethiopian Birr. Twenty Birr is roughly equal to one US dollar. Typical restaurant meals cost approximately five US dollars. Current exchange rates can be found here.
Health Advisory
The CDC advises that travelers to Ethiopia are up to date on vaccinations, including:
- Hepatitis A
- Typhoid
- Cholera
- Hepatitis B
- Malaria
- Meningitis
- Rabies
- Yellow Fever
A full list of CDC recommendations can be found here. Tap water in Ethiopia is not suitable for consumption.
Cultural Traditions & Ethiopian Food: Ethiopia has a largely hierarchical society. Relationships are very important in Ethiopian culture and should not be forced or rushed. The people tend to be more conservative than their western counterparts. Ethiopians tend to eat without utensils. This is due to custom, not lack of hygiene.
The primary Ethiopian staple is Injera, or sourdough bread, which has a sour taste and a spongy texture. Injera is often served alongside vegetable or meat dishes. Most Ethiopian food is very spicy. Because Ethiopian Orthodox Christians fast for a significant portion of the year, a large variety of vegan and vegetarian options are available.
Coptic Mission in Ethiopia
The Coptic Church and the Ethiopian Church both shared the same patriarch until 1959, when Pope Cyril VI crowned Abuna Basilios as the first Patriarch of Ethiopia. This long history between the two churches has allowed for continued missions from Egypt to Ethiopia.
The first mission to Ethiopia was in November 2011. This was a new milestone for CMANA since it was the first time the organization had served outside of Egypt.The initial trip was made through a mutual contact between H.H. Pope Shenouda III and Abune Paulus, the departed patriarch of the Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox Church.
The trip was an amazing trip filled with blessings where we were able to serve in the top two University hospitals in Ethiopia.
The mission was able to arrange for several spiritual conferences for physicians, healthcare students, and university students in the country. Also multiple visits were arranged to several orphanages nursing homes and shelters for homeless and destitute. The 2016 mission marked the 5th anniversary of CMANA missions to Ethiopia. Each of these missions have helped provide care to hundreds, if not thousands of patients.