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Look how far God has brought us.

We can only go where God guides us to.

We are exactly where God wants us to be.

Look at the creator's work.

Humans, we can only see physical appearances

but can we tell what's on the inside?

Once upon a time there was an old amir called Azurkherlaini.

He was a pious man.

One day, fear entered him.

He began to pray,

"My Lord, why has fear entered me?

I know I am ready to die".

That night, God spoke to him in a dream

"You must find Maoul Hayat".

"Maoul-Hayat" he said,

"it is the water of eternal life".

I remember...

My father and I used to grow coffee on our land.

This coffee brought memories of him.

The scent of coffee has changed.

It doesn't taste the same.

Our coffee was beautiful,

but it needs a lot of rain.

We replaced it with khat.

- You're back? - Yeah, I'm here.

- There's some more over there. - OK.

Go and get those.

- This is it, right? - Yes.

I could have been there by now.

Where?

I could have been in Egypt by now.

- In Metema. - Where is Metema?

The border of Ethiopia.

Do they take you to Egypt straight from the border

or do you go by yourself?

They take you across the border.

Then you take the boat to Egypt.

How much money do you need?

From here to Egypt

expenses alone, you need at least $30,000 birr.

From Egypt all the way to Europe on a boat

you need another $50,000 birr.

There is a mountain trek, and then it takes

15 to 19 days on the boat.

What do you eat? Do they feed you?

No, no one feeds you.

You have to bring your own food? But you are travelling...

You have to buy dry foods like beso.

If you get hungry on the road, no one will feed you.

You will fast the night.

Why did you come back?

I came back for my mother.

I would have left

but I came back because of her.

My mom left when I was little.

She crossed the sea.

She never came back.

You know the kid was a brilliant student.

Brilliant!

Woyone unfairly gave him incomplete marks despite his good grades.

He slipped through our fingers to Sudan.

- That kid is lucky. - What luck?

To be a migrant in a foreign land, is that luck?

Fertile land, country of honey dew.

There is nothing like our own country.

Yet every regime has kept us from working our own fertile land.

Instead of spending $50,000 to go to Europe...

I swear you can't make a difference in a short time.

Listen here, if you opened a business here,

I swear, you could!

Better than becoming food for the crocodiles.

We shouldn't have to perish in the deserts and the seas to change our lives.

There is nothing like your own country, it's true.

The love you get from your mother can you get that same love from a stepmother?

No.

It's the same with a country that is not your own.

To leave your country is

a very, very serious thing.

There she is...

the bride.

Will you take me with you?

You are still a kid.

What will you do there?

When you left, did you miss home?

You leave everything behind...

then you start remembering

the sound of birds

nature, the feel of clean air.

Memories, that is all you travel with.

May the lord deliver our children from suffering.

May the creator make our dreams come true!

May the creator make our dreams come true!

May the creator make our dreams come true!

May the creator make our dreams come true!

May the creator make our dreams come true!

May the creator make our dreams come true!

God fulfill our dreams!

From the first day I saw you

you stole my heart.

My love, let's agree,

bring my heart back to me.

All of this sky and earth

all to myself suffocates me.

All I eat and all I drink

is bitter as bile.

Your beauty, like the angel of love

appears right in front of me.

Wrecks my heart every time.

Denies me the remedy.

I had never opened my heart

for anyone but you.

You knew all about my dreams.

You knew all about my dreams.

From the very first day I saw you.

Everyone chews to get away.

Their flesh is here but their soul is gone.

Household, how are you?

How have you been Mohammed? Come in. How are you?

Thanks to God, I'm good.

What can I get for you?

Highland water, charcoal, shisha.

Allah, this is not enough money for everything.

- Oh come on, it's enough. - No, it's not enough, charcoal is 15 bir.

Shisha is 30, the water is 12.

- Don't you know? - Come on, it's enough!

It's not like that. Can you choose charcoal or shisha?

You'll find it cheaper at the big market.

Go to the bigger market. The money is enough.

- Come on, go my dear. - Okay.

Household.

Peace be upon you.

And peace be upon you too.

Thank you.

Bless you.

Amen.

- Bottle of water. - A liter?

Yes. And cigarettes.

- Household. - Visitors, come in.

- Where did you go? - The closer store was closed.

Ok, thank you!

Dear lord, mercy and heaven for Azurkherlaini.

Nabi Khedir, fulfill our desires.

Household.

This is not khat from Khalifa!

Where is Husena? There it is!

This is not it!

This is not it!

Please, this is not it!

Jamila.

How do you feel now that he's back?

You know how I feel about him,

but when people live apart for a while

you never know what they're thinking.

I really missed you.

That's the way it is my son, thank God we are together again.

Does anyone know me better than you?

Mom?

How is Jamila? Did she get married like the rest?

You know we've loved each other since we were kids.

Right.

I know, that's why she is waiting for you.

Trust me dear mom, I'll make you proud one day.

I've done it before, haven't I?

I'll make you proud.

Let me go see my father now.

Good, your brother is there too.

Our only wealth is our farm, they are working the land.

I am so happy you came my son, thank God I lived to see you again.

Thank God I lived to see you too.

To see you grow and grow

I just want to see you married with children of your own someday.

Fatuma?

Fatuma, wake up.

Come back to yourself.

My child, my love.

We all went through this.

But, sadness passes.

Nothing stays the same.

My mother had warned me.

"Let him divorce his wife first".

"Let him divorce his merkhana first".

Made you forget your kid, your home.

Merkhana.

They call her Merkhana.

The ghost who abandons your warm bed

every morning when you wake.

The scent of incense remains even when the smoke disappears.

I am losing your scent.

I can't remember your touch.

It's been so long...

only fabric caresses my body.

Do you know loneliness?

I am forgotten.

Do you know what I want?

To leave this darkness.

I want to run to a place

where I can't hear these thoughts.

A quiet place where I can forget.

We loved your father like a brother.

We lost him too soon.

At your age this should not be your job.

We would not wish this job upon you.

But you are here because of a tragedy.

You are here to help your family.

- Are you going to school? - Yes.

May God help you, you are young.

You can do this job and also continue your studies.

- Do you chew khat? - No.

Great, don't chew.

You are still a boy, you have a lot of growing to do.

Don't stop your studies, and don't start a chewing habit.

Be courageous.

You have a future ahead of you.

Hello, Mom.

How are you?

Is everything okay?

I'm fine I swear.

Yes, I'm eating right now in the cafeteria.

That night, God spoke to Azurkherlaini in a dream.

"You have to find the water of eternal life".

The wise amirs Khedir and Elias

agreed to join Azurkherlaini on his search for Maoul Hayat.

Khedir silently prayed,

"God, please allow me to find Maoul Hayat,"

"for all the people in the world".

Elias prayed to find Maoul Hayat for all the people in the world,

and for himself as well.

Azurkherlaini was so blinded by fear,

he prayed to find Maoul Hayat just for himself.

Mohammed!

Come on, hurry up!

I am talking to you.

You piss me off, just like your mother!

Huh! Where is my setup?

- I just got here. - Where is it? Where were you?

Allah, Allah, please!

Where is my setup?

- Allah Father, I'll do it now. - So where is it?

Why are you doing this to me? Come here!

You are driving me crazy!

My Harara is boiling up my head!

Wait, you'll be back!

Unbelievable, you make me burn up inside!

I'm the one who spoiled you and your mother!

Mom, when harara time comes,

dad becomes a crazy man.

He is losing it with khat.

In the morning, before he chews he is a different person.

In the afternoon, at his harara hour he is another.

At night, after chewing he is another person.

You know him.

I never know which person to expect.

I don't know what to do about my Dad.

Mom, why can't I be with you?

What's wrong if I come to you?

She put up with him for two years.

- What does one become? - Two years.

Not easy.

When you keep things inside too long, you start dreading it.

It makes you want to throw everything in to the fire.

Harramaya was a very big lake.

But, it dried.

But, like Sheikh Elias said

we sinned too much

so Allah dried it up.

You never loved anyone after him?

No one, it's true.

Everyone else is invisible.

I remember when we were in the struggle

my friend Tadesse Dendena was shot by a bullet

but we couldn't even take him to the hospital.

So many were injured by tear gas.

It is on our own land that we are dying,

being imprisoned and forced into exile.

All of this because we are Oromo.

Nothing else.

Our struggle is not new.

Our grandparents and great grandparents went through it.

Having to leave school, being imprisoned,

beaten, tortured.

This is the price we've had to pay for our people.

The sacrifice we made was worth it.

And I am happy, I am not bitter.

It is hard for me to open up and say what I feel inside.

That's all, I am very happy we made it to this day.

This token freedom is not enough for us.

Our struggle will continue.

The creator fulfils.

May Badru help us.

The times are cruel.

May the creator help me too.

- May the creator help you. - Lord, stay by my side.

May he help us.

The children...

may the creator shield the children from suffering.

Chew! Chew! Chew! It's alright!

It's alright!

You still have more blessings to do for the world.

They say everyone inherits their kin.

Fathers to sons, mothers to daughters.

I'm afraid of becoming like my father.

People say I have his nose and his personality.

45, 46...

47, 48, 49, 50...

1, 2, 3, 4...

5, 6, 7, 8...

9, 10, 11, 12...

13, 14, 15, 16...

17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24...

25, 26, 27, 28...

29, 30, 31, 32....

33, 34, 35, 36...

37, 38, 39, 40.

838 Biftu

838 Biftu

21, 22, 23, 24...

26, 28, 30, 31...

32, 33, 34, 36...

40...

42, 43, 44...

46...

47, 48...

I wish they would let us see their eyes.

So many locked up

they did nothing wrong

they are just fighting for their rights.

I'm just worried about my mom, day and night she cries.

Don't let it get you down.

Be strong, she needs you.

Everything is in God's hands.

Urji?

Urji

Are you sleeping?

You sleeping?

Nure.

How are you?

Come in.

This looks good.

It looks ready.

Yeah, it's ready.

From the very first day I saw you...

Everything ends.

Yes.

Mom?

The softest!

Look at these!

What did you say?

Bring it here.

How much is a kilo?

Saida, talk to me.

Mustafa.

Good, I found you in health.

Take my voice and broadcast it to the world

for the political prisoners.

The children are in a big crisis in Aweday.

43 people are in serious peril.

Jawar has the truth. He should be able to eat for the rest of his life.

His conscience is at peace. He uplifts the poor.

Guided by truth and the creator

he broke the blade of the axe and ignited the fire within us.

He lights the fire with his blood He lifts big mountains up to the sky.

He was chosen to lead, the creator knows that.

He doesn't stray from the truth with a hammer in hand...

May the creator keep the evil eye away from him.

Freedom is an art, let's find the harmony.

Harmony is the work of God.

When dad has no money to chew,

Dukak comes for him in his sleep at night.

The Dukak puts him inside a bottle

and drops him on a highway.

"Please get me out of here," he screams

but there is no one there to hear him.

He chases and chases him.

He runs and runs and runs

but he can't get away.

We begged and took him to Sheikh Hashim.

They did a blessing.

Cut bread. Cut the rope.

But he is not healing.

You know how he is.

I found the number for the boat man, I called him.

Tomorrow, he said.

We are leaving tomorrow morning at 4 AM.

- He said not to bring anything. - What, we're leaving tomorrow?

- But what do we need to bring? - He said not to bring anything.

Just to wear a warm jacket, closed shoes for the cold and water.

But we don't even know him!

He is a sheikh, he is a God fearing poor man.

How do we know that?

What can he do to us? He is a Muslim, he is a Sheikh!

- He himself would be coming with us. - Exactly!

- But we don't even know who he is. - What do you mean?

Who is calling?

- It's my mom. - Don't pick up.

Don't pick up, you're gonna get us caught.

We've been planning to go away for months and now you're not going?

- Hang up! - Man, I'd rather miss out.

- Why can you miss out on this? - I'm not going.

Come on, we talked about this, let's go.

Let him go man!

What, are you staying here to go to school?

How far do graduates go? They're all chewing khat all day.

Don't miss out, think about it.

Peace be upon you.

And peace be upon you too.

- God bless you. - Amen.

Come in, welcome.

Thank you.

You are not leaving today?

Are you ok?

What's wrong?

Don't be afraid, speak up.

I am tired of everything.

Tell me about your world, where you go.

Don't fantasize about it.

I heard someone say that when people are high

they start watching films in their mind.

Once you go in, you won't find your way out.

The world we carved for ourselves is an empty and lonely hideout

where no one can ever visit you

our own dark and lonely world.

Wherever I turn, all I see is darkness.

To my left, to my right, behind me, in front of me.

Do you want to live in darkness?

After a long journey in search of the water of eternal life,

Khedir was the first one to find Maoul Hayat.

He drank the water of eternal life and became daylight.

When Elias arrived at Maoul Hayat, he found only muddy water.

He drank the muddy water...

Elias became the darkness of night.

When Azurkherlaini arrived, the water had dried.

He was so afraid, he began to pray.

"I have no wife, no children".

"Who will remember me when I die?"

God heard his prayers and grew khat for him.

"From now on," God said, "whoever eats khat"

"will always remember you".

We ate together and drank together.

You knew about love.

Oh, never mind...

All those moments we shared.

My belly can't take it.

Better to keep the murmurs of the heart to oneself.