A bridge too far….

As I now sit at home back in New York just having returned from Ethiopia, I begin to reflect on my trip and what I accomplished, did not accomplish and the reasons why I need to go back. Outside of deeply affecting experiences had in Ethiopia’s capitol Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s historic city of Gondor and it’s holiest city of Lalibela, the city termed “The New Jerusalem” had a profound effect on me personally, academically and spiritually. Each stop yielded experiences that were profoundly intense. Experiences that inspired me to reconsider and re-evaluate a lot of what I believed about life, personal responsibility and a stronger spiritual call to action in light of that responsibility.

I was thankful and humbled by the dialogue I was able to have with several of my new found friends in the theology and academia fields that helped me to come to a greater realization and understanding of Ethiopia culturally and spiritually. Among them, my brother Dr. Birhane to whom I owe a great deal of gratitude as he has provided me with the road map of key objectives for my next trip. My sisters in faith and devotion Saba and Selam whose graciousness and hospitality were the reason my trip was truly as amazing as it was. My countless other new friends and colleagues in the quest for truth and exploration of faith continue to inspire me and are intensifying my drive to return and continue my work.

The reasons I must return are numerous and all deeply personal as my faith and search for truth are so deeply tied to my heart and core. The exploration of the practice of Hebraic faith and those who practice similar forms of devotion has gone from mere fascination to a deeply personal and passionate search for like minds and in honest terms….family. The desire to search out the devout, their practices and their history are a part of the inspiration for my continuing research in Ethiopia. The church monasteries at Tana Qirkos and Merto Le Mariam, both in the Lake Tana Region, were the elusive objectives which escaped me this trip. Time, my sometime ally and guardian was not on my side as I learned painful lessons about the infrastructure around travel and access to these and other regions in Northern Ethiopia.

On a scale of relevance and importance to my over all research, these two sites are crucial in exploring the claims and legends of Ethiopia’s Jewish/Israelitish roots. The sites at Tana Qirkos and Merto Le Mariam as well as the temple at Yeha in the north of the country, reflect evidences of old Testament (Levitical) practices referred to as “ye Orit Mesewat” or the “ways of old”. These “ways of old” include Levitical rituals such as animal sacrifice for the atonement of sins and other practices derived from the instruction found in the Torah. The altar site at Tana Kirkos is said to be the oldest site of a Levitical style sacrificial altar in Ethiopia. There is another such altar at the temple at Yeha 545 Kilometers to the north. Both sites at Tana Qirkos and Yeha are said to pre-date 500 B.C., with the site at Tana Qirkos said to date back to 1000 B.C. The altar and related sites on Tana Island are said to be significant locations in Ethiopian religious history as they play a part in the history of Emperor Menelik the 1st and legendary travels of the Ark of the Covenant. There are other legends that add to the islands historical significance but nevertheless it is said to be home to the first Christian church in Ethiopia.

I scour my notes and resource materials as I lay out my plans for my next trip. Returning to Ethiopia is not a question in my mind. It is a MUST as I continue my research into Hebraic Christianity on the continent of Africa and beyond. The sites I need to return to are crucial in establishing the existence of hebraic practice in Africa existing almost 1000 years before the birth of the Messiah. I hope and pray I can make this a reality in the near future as the fruits of this research may help to expand the horizons for some and impress upon others the expanse and greatness of God and the vast history of ancient Israel and it’s continuing legacy.