Christian Online Services - East Africa: February 2021

How to Make Good Friendships

How can I make good friendships? When I first entered college, I knew that I would be far from home, in a new environment full of new people. The first few weeks were stressful, upsetting, and even lonely for me. But I was able to find advice, encouragement, and good company when I made friends. I don’t have a strict rulebook for how to make friends yet, but I learned several guidelines that have helped me to meet people, make connections, and grow long-lasting friendships. Here are some questions to consider and tips that I’ve found helpful.

What is a friendship? Definitions vary, but the following things are generally true about a good friendship:

– You have some things in common, and may do activities together

– You listen to each other and speak about your experiences

– You enjoy each other’s company

– You support each other physically, emotionally, spiritually or otherwise

– You respect each other’s boundaries and communicate about boundaries

– You are willing to put in the effort to befriend, support, forgive, and grow with them

Not all friendships look exactly like this. But these qualities and habits can foster healthy friendships between people.

How can I start a friendship? Friends share time and experiences, support one another, communicate, and grow together. While doing these things in great depth takes time, starting a friendship can be as easy as opening up and asking about someone’s day or interests.

1) Meet people: Go to new places, join or participate in activities such as sports, hobby clubs, service organizations, parties and otherwise. Talk to the people there.

2) Engage with people: ask questions, pay attention to their answers, support them, and share some of your own feelings. Keep things small at first, and try not to dump your whole life story on someone new, but make sure you show that you care.

3) Share the moment: Allow friends time and space to approach you and ask questions of their own. See if they show interest in what you have to say and support you.

4) Be honest: People want to be friends with who you truly are. Don’t change yourself into what you think they want. Be respectful, but express yourself as you are.

5) Set boundaries: Respect and defend physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. When you are hurt, let them know. When you want something, let them know. Listen to and respect their wants and needs. By giving each other space where needed, you can maintain a healthy, enjoyable connection for both of you.

6) Apologize and forgive: Friendship is a learning curve. If you make mistakes, apologize and right what wrongs you can. If they make mistakes, forgive them and give them a chance to make it up to you. Nobody is perfect, so it takes work to grow into a good friendship.

What if things just aren’t working out?

It happens. Sometimes, people just don’t “click.” Other times, people hurt each other. If you have to move on, respectfully disengage from the situation. Allow yourself to feel whatever emotions you are feeling, and try to learn and heal from the experience. You may feel discouraged. But if you keep reaching out, someone will reach back. It may take time, work, and even more failure, but no matter what, you can make and keep good friends.

By Tiffany

There have been several occasions in my life when I have been asked this question. Out of curiosity, I did a short search to see how others have answered it, and here are some of the answers that have been offered:

1. To come to know God and build a relationship with Him
2. To ask for strength, healing, or to make requests or petitions
3. To come to understand God’s will for us
4. Because we are commanded to do so

In addition to these, I wish to offer my own thoughts on why we need to pray.

As Christians, We Should Pray

First, when we call ourselves Christians this means we are taking upon us the name of Christ and trying to be like Him. When Christ was on the earth He set an example by praying. He prayed for guidance, He prayed for his disciples and followers, He prayed in gratitude and praise, He prayed when he instituted the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, and when He was on the Cross. So, if we are calling ourselves Christian, and becoming like Christ, then we should pray, as He did. (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, John 17:11, John 17:20-21, Luke 10:21, Mark 14:22, Matthew 26:39, Luke 22:44, Matthew 27:46).

Prayer is indeed our opportunity to come to know God and build a relationship with Him. However, it is critical to understand that in order to build that relationship we must understand that prayer requires two-way communication. Building a relationship with God is similar to building relationships with people around us, conversations need to go both ways; we talk, and then we listen. It is the same with God. Prayer allows us the opportunity to tell God how we are feeling, ask for guidance, assistance and answers to questions, but it also is our opportunity to learn from Him what His will is for us.

Another reason for prayer is for repentance (for example, see God Helped Me Conquer Alcoholism). Christ atoned for our sins so we can be worthy and pure to enter God’s presence. Only He can grant us forgiveness for the sins we have committed. Prayer is a means for confessing our sins. The Lord has promised us that “I, the Lord, forgive sins, and am merciful unto those who confess their sins with humble hearts.”

Prayer Helps Us Find Purpose

We can also pray and ask God to help us find purpose in our lives. He has a plan for us and desires to lead and guide us. I know from experience that when I have humbled myself in prayer and offered myself as a tool for Him, God has guided me in making life plans and decisions. He has even given me purpose that gets me through performing the mundane and seemingly purposeless tasks of daily life.

Finally, I think one of the most important purposes of prayer is to bring our will into correspondence with God’s will. I think many people pray and then become upset when their prayers are not answered. Even though God loves us, it is not always His will nor is it possible for Him to give us the things we desire. I have a friend who prayed for a unicorn every day when she was a child, but not surprisingly, she never got one. Was this because she lacked faith? I don’t really think so. If you aren’t receiving answers to your prayers, or your prayers aren’t answered in the way you want, maybe you need to evaluate what you are praying for and instead ask God what you should be praying for.

The bible dictionary notes that the purpose of prayer is “to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means of obtaining the highest of all blessings.”

Enjoy this exploration of Jesus’ miracles in the New Testament and archaeology

That Jesus was a miracle worker is central to the Christology of the New Testament Gospels and Acts.

Biblical scholars and archaeologists working in Israel have explored archaeological sites and historical records to provide context for the biblical text. How are we to understand the miracles Jesus performs, as related in the New Testament?

In “Understanding Jesus’ Miracles,” Jarl Fossum surveys the miracle stories in their biblical context. He shows that they fall into two categories (healing miracles and nature miracles), sometimes allude to Old Testament events and generally serve some theological purpose.

The Pool of Bethesda is mentioned in the Gospel of John as the site where Jesus cured a crippled man. Yet the seemingly odd description of five porticoes baffled scholars, and the exact location and nature of this pool has long confused experts. In “Puzzling Pool of Bethesda,” Urban C. von Wahlde clarifies the question of whether this was a reservoir or a mikveh, a Jewish ritual bath.

In “The Siloam Pool: Where Jesus Cured the Blind Man,” BAR editor Hershel Shanks describes the accidental discovery of the Siloam Pool, the site of one of the New Testament’s best-known miracles, and traces its history from the time of Hezekiah through Jesus’ lifetime.

In the Gospels, Jesus relieves a man tormented by demons by driving the demons into a herd of swine, which then stampeded down the hill and drowned in the Sea of Galilee. Discovered in 1970, and now excavated and restored, a monastery, basilica and chapel mark the location traditionally identified with this event. In “A Pilgrimage to the Site of the Swine Miracle,” Vassilios Tzaferis shows how this miracle site became an important destination for Christian pilgrims.

Bethsaida was one of the most important sites in Jesus’ Galilean ministry, but for 2,000 years no one knew just where it was. An international multidisciplinary dig team believes they have found the city—but not where you might expect. In “Bethsaida Rediscovered,” Rami Arav, Richard A. Freund and John F. Shroder, Jr. explore the site’s rich history from the time of King David to the New Testament period.

If discovering all the facts and theories about Jesus is exciting to you, then you’re exactly the kind of person for whom BAS created its renowned archive—including the Special Collection that reveals the discoveries mentioned above, The Miracles of Jesus.

Petr Jasek

Imprisoned in Sudan

As the leader of VOM’s ministry in Africa, Petr Jasek was arrested by Sudan’s Islamist regime in 2015 while in the country to help persecuted Christians. Convicted as a spy, sentenced to life in prison and forced to share a cell with ISIS terrorists, Petr witnessed to his fellow prisoners during his 445 days in prison. Today, Petr serves as VOM’s Global Ambassador, traveling the world encouraging believers to stand with our persecuted brothers and sisters in prayer and action. Petr tells the story of his imprisonment in his recently published book, Imprisoned with ISIS.

Andrew Brunson

Imprisoned in Turkey

In October 2016, following a failed coup attempt against the Turkish government, authorities arrested Pastor Andrew Brunson along with tens of thousands of military personnel, civil servants, educators, journalists and dissidents. Brunson, who served as pastor of a small church in Izmir, became a pawn in a geopolitical chess game. He spent two years in a Turkish prison before being released in October 2018. After his release, Brunson became the focus of worldwide media attention. He tells the story of his ordeal in the book God’s Hostage, published in late 2019.

Dan Baumann

Imprisoned in Iran

While traveling in Iran in 1997, Dan Baumann was falsely accused of espionage and detained in a high-security prison for nine weeks. After his release, Dan released his first book, Cell 58, which shares the details of his miraculous release. Since then, he has worked at YWAM training centers in Colorado and Hawaii, frequently visiting surrounding churches and universities to help disciple young people. He is the author of two previous books, A Beautiful Way and A Fresh Look at Fear.

REFERENCE

https://www.persecution.com/event/?_source_code=GSA21A2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsMXGtrv97gIVwl8VCB1MLQASEAEYASAAEgLeavD_BwE

Spirit Lake Ministry Center

We provide mission opportunities on the Spirit Lake Nation in North Dakota. Volunteers work closely with the residents of the reservation, performing light construction and Vacation Bible School for local children. All skill levels and ages are welcomed to inquire. United Methodist affiliation.

The peoples of the Spirit Lake Nation are of the Dakota Tribe and have been in this area since 1867. The reservation is located in one of the most beautiful parts of the Dakotas just 8 miles south of Devils Lake, North Dakota. The reservation consists of four districts on one half million acres spread across rolling prairie and wooded hills. The Spirit Lake Ministry Center is located on 80 acres in the Wood Lake District just 3 miles from Tokio, North Dakota. The Ministry Center has 4 dormitories, an up-to-date shower/toilet facility, a work shop, a kitchen/dining facility,food pantry, warehouse and a Christian Life Center. There are 3 separate devotional areas and a large fire pit available for the use of our teams.

The Spirit Lake Ministry Center hosts volunteer teams from all over the country. Our Ministry Center provides mission opportunities all year. These Volunteer in Mission (VIM) Teams perform light construction and maintenance on homes, Tribal buildings and grounds on the reservation and to provide team members for children’s activities. All activities are hands on and involve close interaction with the elders and children of the reservation. Each VIM team will also be provided opportunities for work projects on the Ministry Center. Opportunities for participation in Native American cultural activities are provided. Teams may include adult and youth members 14 and older. Younger children may be accepted if accompanied by a parent and approved by the Ministry Center staff prior to the mission dates. We also can make arrangements for Family Mission trips for individual families or churches.

GET CONNECTED

contact: Mike Flowers

Organization: Spirit Lake Ministry Center

Phone: 701-799-1174

Website: Visit website

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Address:
3365 81st Ave NE
Sheyenne ND 58374
US

The thrones are surmounted by a thatched roof supported by stone pillars. Many of them bear inscriptions in Geʽez, which commemorate the deeds and conquests of the kings of Aksum. There are also freestanding commemorative inscriptions which are sometimes written in Greek to allow travellers to read them.

The stelae mark the burials of some of the prominent figures of the Aksumite state. The three largest ones are elaborately carved with reliefs that imitate the doors, windows, and wooden beams of Aksumite palaces. Unfortunately, the largest of the stelae, to the west, has fallen down due to its weight of over 520 tonnes (equal to more than 50 elephants!).

The dark underground tombs are entered through corridors that give access to a series of side-chambers. In the unlikely case that you are granted access to the tombs you’d better bring a torch if you want to explore this subterranean area.

Christianity has a long and deep history in Africa, especially in Ethiopia where the religion was first introduced back in the first century A.D. This makes Ethiopia one of the first countries in the world to embrace the Christian religion. Because of this, there are many ancient and magnificent churches in Ethiopia. Of all the churches in Ethiopia, the most famous is The Church of St. Mary of Zion, which not only has impressively ancient roots but is also said to house the Ark of the Covenant.

In the fourth century, two Syrian monks led the King of Axum, Ethiopia to the Christian faith. The king is recognized as a saint in both the Ethiopian Orthodox and Catholic churches.

It was around this time, that the Church of St. Mary was first built in Axum. Axum was the first Christian kingdom in the world and the largest outside the Roman Empire. It was positioned on the caravan trade routes to Arabia, Nubia and Egypt. The church stood for hundreds of years before its destruction in the sixteenth century.

In 1635, St. Mary of Zion was reconstructed on the ruins of the church that had been destroyed by the Muslims, and it still stands today.
Although invaded many times by surrounding Islamic countries, Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity regards itself as a fortress against Islam.

The seventeenth century rebuild of the church is a low, square structure surrounded by a colonnade, used by dancing priests during church services. It has fortress-like walls that reflect the past violence in the region and a remarkable interior of colorful murals and paintings. Foundation stones of the original fourth century St. Mary’s Church can still be seen on the site. The emperors of Ethiopia were all crowned here, and until 1930, criminals could receive sanctuary in the church by ringing the porch bell.

In 1955, the emperor built a new Church of St. Mary of Zion next to the old one. It was completed in 1964. Unlike the original St. Mary of Zion, the new St. Mary of Zion allows entrance to women.

The most notable curiosity of the church is that it claims to contain the original Ark of the Covenant. In 1965, a holy chapel was built next to Old St. Mary’s to house the revered artifact. The Ark was reportedly moved to the chapel adjacent to the old church because a divine heat from the Tablets was cracking the structure of the newly built church.

According to tradition, only the guardian monk may view the Ark per the biblical accounts of the dangers of doing so. The guardian monk is appointed for life by his predecessor before the predecessor dies. The guardian monk is confined to the chapel of the Ark of the Covenant for the rest of his life, praying before it and offering incense.

Many travel and tour companies offer tours of the Ethiopian churches in the region, including St. Mary’s. For more information,

On a hill above the capital of the island, Fort de France, the Sacre Coeur church invades the tropical panorama, a miniature copy of its famous prototype on the Parisian Montmartre.

Fort-de-France - Schoelcher Library, © Gerhard Hube

Schoelcher Library in Fort-de-France should hold a spot on your travel itinerary for its history and ornate design, not for its books. The building was originally designed and built for an 1889 exposition in Paris before it was shipped to Martinique and reassembled along the west side of La Savane. It was named in honor of slavery abolitionist Victor Schoelcher.

Recent visitors said it's definitely worth a quick stop in to explore and learn about the history; others point out that the free Wi-Fi is an enticing reason to visit, as well.

The library is open Monday afternoons, all day Tuesday through Friday and on Saturday mornings. There is no admission fee.

When Menelik returned to Axum, he brought with him the Ark of the Covenant with the tablets of stone, stolen from the temple at Jerusalem.

The old cathedral of Axum stands on the foundations of the first church of Ethiopia from the 4th century. Only accessible to men, it at first served as the storage place for the Ark of the Covenant. The cult around these fabulous Tablets of Stone, in historical terms a pure myth, became the core of the Ethiopian church.

An Aksumite jar. Around 3rd–4th century.

Aksum is a vibrant commercial centre which has access to goods imported from the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean through the Red Sea port of Adulis. You can buy glassware, beads, metalwork with glass inlays, carved wood, pottery, both locally made and imported. The Aksumite Empire is particularly well known for its carved elephant ivory, but it’s quite expensive.

Modern photo of the church of Dabra Dammo. Photo: A.Savin. Creative Commons.

Like the palaces of Aksum, some of the churches of the Aksumite empire are also built using stones and timber beams. You can see an example of this style of building by visiting the main church of the monastery of Debra Dammo, which is located about 60 kilometres east of Aksum. In this church, timber beams are set at regular intervals in parallel to the line of the wall and are kept in place with shorter perpendicular wooden beams with rounded ends that stick out of the wall. Some locals say that the rounded ends of these beams look like ‘monkey’s heads’.

Modern photo of the ruins of the palace of Dungur. Around 5th–7th centuries AD.
Photo: A. Savin. Wikimedia Commons.

Most of the houses in Aksum are small in size and are built using un-dressed mud-set stone and timber for the doors and windows. There are, however, several large palaces in and around the city which we’d recommend visiting. The largest of these is Ta‘akha Maryam which extends over 10,000 square metres. Another large structure, to the west of the Cathedral of Mary of Zion, is Dungur. The palaces are built in a distinct Aksumite fashion by using dressed stone, rubble, mud, and timber beams.

'Obelisk at Axum'. Daniel Havell, after Henry Salt. From Twenty-four views taken in St Helena, the Cape, India, Ceylon, the Red Sea, Abyssinia & Egypt. 1809.

The city of Aksum is the capital of the East African Empire of Aksum and has been thriving since the 1st century AD. The 3rd-century Persian prophet Mani named the Aksumite Empire as one of the ‘four great kingdoms on Earth’ together with Babylon, Persia, Rome and China.

The city of Aksum is situated approximately 50 kilometres northeast of the Takezze River and 150 kilometres southwest of the Red Sea, at an altitude of approximately 2,100 metres. It is in a plain area between the hills of Beta Giyorgis, to the north west, and May Qoho, to the north east.

The city itself extends over an area of more than 1.2 square kilometres and is the largest city in this region. While not as large as some of the major cities in East Africa, such as Alexandria, it is slightly smaller than Roman London and approximately the same size as pre-Islamic Damascus.

Eduard Zander (1813–1868), drawing of a view of the Cathedral of Aksum from a sketchbook recording scenery and people of Ethiopia. Pen and black ink, 1853.

In this FREE eBook, examine fundamental questions about Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus is the central figure of Christianity, the world’s largest religion. As a teacher in first-century Galilee, he influenced thousands. Yet many questions today surround this enigmatic person. Where was he really born—Bethlehem or Nazareth? Did he marry? Is there evidence outside of the Bible that proves he actually walked the earth?

Drawn from articles in Biblical Archaeology Review and Bible Review, the Biblical Archaeology Society eBook Who Was Jesus? Exploring the History of Jesus’ Life examines the history of Jesus’ life, from where he was born, where he grew up and whether there is extra-Biblical evidence for his existence.

Chapter 1 Did Jesus Exist?

Did Jesus of Nazareth really exist? What’s the evidence outside of the Bible? In “Did Jesus Exist? Searching for Evidence Beyond the Bible,” Lawrence Mykytiuk examines Classical and Jewish writings from the first several centuries C.E. These records give us a glimpse of the person who would become the central figure in Christianity mere decades after his crucifixion.

Chapter 2 Jesus’ Birthplace and Jesus’ Home

Where was Jesus born? The Gospels of Matthew and Luke say that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. So why is he called a Nazorean and a Galilean throughout the New Testament? In “Jesus’ Birthplace and Jesus’ Home,” Philip J. King examines what the Bible actually says about Bethlehem, traditionally considered Jesus’ birthplace, and Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown.

Chapter 3 Has Jesus’ Nazareth House Been Found?

What was Nazareth like during Jesus’ time? In “Has Jesus’ Nazareth House Been Found?” Ken Dark describes the excavation of an intriguing first-century “courtyard house” that may have been revered as Jesus’ boyhood home in the Byzantine period. Other archaeological evidence suggests that Jesus’ Nazareth was larger and wealthier than previously thought.

Chapter 4 Did Jesus Marry?

Modern movies and novels always want to marry Jesus off to one of his most prominent—and perhaps scandalous—female followers, Mary Magdalene. But Jesus’ own words suggest he wasn’t interested in such worldly matters, according to Birger A. Pearson in “Did Jesus Marry?”

Chapter 5 Was Jesus’ Last Supper a Seder?

Matthew, Mark and Luke say that Jesus was crucified on Passover, suggesting that the Last Supper was a Seder, a ritual meal held in celebration of this Jewish holiday. John indicates otherwise. Who’s right, if any of them? Jonathan Klawans examines this question in “Was Jesus’ Last Supper a Seder?”

Moses’ story is told in the Book of Exodus, but it starts in Genesis with the story of Abraham and his family with whom God makes a covenant. Generations later, the Biblical Moses draws the extended family together in the form of a nation with a structure and code of law, given to him on Mount Sinai. In a BAS Library special collection of articles, examine the incredible life of the Biblical lawgiver who led the Israelites out of Egypt.

The Bible records that the Phoenicians had a close relationship with the Israelites: Their royalty married each other; they traded with each other; and, significantly, they never went to war with each other. Who were the Phoenicians? Where did they come from? With whom did they trade? In this BAS Library special collection of BAR articles, explore the identity of the Phoenicians and the extent of their reach across the Mediterranean.

With a commercial empire that lasted a millennium, the Phoenicians were major players in the ancient Mediterranean world. Spreading their culture and goods, they came into contact with many different groups, but their relationship with the Israelites was distinct. In “Phoenicia and Its Special Relationship with Israel,” join Ephraim Stern as he explores the Phoenicians’ identity and interactions with their close neighbor and ally, Israel.

The Phoenicians had a profound impact on Israelite art and architecture—and were the cause of heated clashes over the influence of their Canaanite religion. Prompted by looting, archaeologists undertook the excavation of three major cemeteries around the Phoenician site of Achziv in northern Israel. As Eilat Mazar describes in “Achziv Cemeteries: Buried Treasure from Israel’s Phoenician Neighbor,” what the archaeologists found is helping bring an ancient culture back to life.

Tel Dor, on Israel’s Mediterranean coast, seems to be a contender for the title of “most-conquered city” in the ancient Near East. Practically everyone occupied the site at one time or another: Canaanites, Sea Peoples, Phoenicians, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Romans. Despite such a tumultuous history, however, Dor was culturally dominated by the Phoenicians for some eight centuries and now provides archaeologists with their best window onto that culture. In a three-part article, Dor excavation director Ephraim Stern’s presents the story of “The Many Masters of Dor.” In part one, “When Canaanites Became Phoenician Sailors,” he looks at the city’s earliest remains, the conquest by a Sea People tribe and the rise of the Phoenicians.

Even though the Phoenicians exercised autonomous rule in Dor only from about 1050 to 1000 B.C.E., their culture dominated the city for approximately 800 years. Ephraim Stern explores the Phoenician remains at the site and considers the question, “How Bad Was Ahab?” in the second installment of his three-part article, “The Many Masters of Dor.” The title question arises because although the Bible excoriates Ahab, king of the northern kingdom of Israel (874–853 B.C.E.), he initiated many great construction projects, probably including the rebuilding of Dor as a major Israelite seaport.

The spirit of Phoenicia lives on in every city with streets laid out in a grid and governed by zoning laws. These innovations in city planning appeared at Dor and at other places a century before they were codified by Hippodamus of Miletus. This is but one example of Dor’s Phoenician heritage that survived despite a succession of conquests by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks. Ephraim Stern explores this legacy in “The Persistence of Phoenician Culture,” the conclusion of his three-part article, “The Many Masters of Dor.”

It’s the most dramatic event in the Hebrew Bible—the flight of the Israelites from Egypt and their miraculous escape across the Red Sea. The articles we’ve selected here address several key issues: How much history is contained in the Biblical account? What was life like in ancient Egypt? What is the story of the Ten Plagues trying to convey? And much more.

The articles below were hand-selected by Biblical Archaeology Society editors especially for members of the BAS Library.

Explore the origins of the church in Greece and Turkey. All three of Paul’s missionary journeys were centered in ancient Turkey and two of them ended in Greece. Moreover, the apostle John’s ministry was located in Ephesus where he wrote his gospel, three letters and the book of Revelation. Travel by deluxe motorcoach to the ancient cities of Athens, Corinth, Thessalonica, Philippi, Ephesus, Priene, Hierapolis and Assos. At these sites we will discuss the birth, growth, trials and development of the earliest Christian congregations as they struggled not only to understand their new faith in Christ, but also as they dealt with false teachers and hostile forces opposed to the church. At the end of the first century, John wrote letters to the seven churches of Revelation which were coping with similar problems of false teaching and persecution. Thus, we will also visit the seven churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. We will include a tour of time–honored Istanbul, where you can enjoy its rich culture, historical sites and impressive archaeological museum.

Who is the Queen of Sheba? In the Bible we are introduced to an unnamed queen from the land of Sheba who travels to Jerusalem to meet King Solomon (see 1 Kings 10; 2 Chronicles 9). Accompanied by many attendants and camels, the Queen of Sheba brings a large quantity of spices, gold and precious stones with her. She is drawn to Jerusalem because of Solomon’s fame, and she tests the king with hard questions. Solomon is able to answer them all.

Who is the Queen of Sheba in the Bible? Here is one artist’s depiction of the Queen of Sheba. It comes from the Medieval manuscript Bellifortis by Conrad Kyeser and dates to c. 1405.

Impressed by Solomon’s wisdom—and by the riches of his kingdom—she proclaims, “Your wisdom and prosperity far surpass the report that I had heard” (1 Kings 10:7). The Queen of Sheba gives King Solomon 120 talents of gold, precious stones and the largest quantity of spices ever brought to Jerusalem (1 Kings 10:10). In return King Solomon gives the Queen of Sheba gifts and “every desire that she expressed” (1 Kings 10:13). After receiving these gifts, the queen returns to the land of Sheba with her retinue.

The Biblical account of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon ends there, but later Jewish, Christian and Islamic sources have elaborated the story—adding details to the famous queen’s visit. In his article “Where Is the Land of Sheba—Arabia or Africa?” published in the September/October 2016 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Bar Kribus investigates the location of the land of Sheba and looks at the figure of the Queen of Sheba—both in the Bible and in a text called the Kebra Nagast.

The religion section of most bookstores includes an amazing array of Bibles. In our free eBook The Holy Bible: A Buyer’s Guide, prominent Biblical scholars Leonard Greenspoon and Harvey Minkoff expertly guide you through 21 different Bible translations (or versions) and address their content, text, style and religious orientation.

Dated between the 6th–14th centuries C.E., the Kebra Nagast (The Glory of Kings) is an important text to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. It names the Queen of Sheba as the beautiful queen Makeda and identifies the land of Sheba as ancient Ethiopia. Kribus thoroughly examines the latter claim in his article “Where Is the Land of Sheba—Arabia or Africa?”

According to the Kebra Nagast, Queen Makeda travels to Jerusalem and has a love affair with King Solomon. Makeda then returns to the land of Sheba—giving birth to a son, Menelik, along the way. Menelik is raised in Ethiopia, but when he turns 22, he travels to Jerusalem to meet his father. King Solomon is delighted with his firstborn son and tries in vain to convince Menelik to remain in Israel and succeed him as king. However, Menelik chooses to return to the land of Sheba. Solomon sends the firstborn sons of Israel’s elders with his son from Israel to Ethiopia, and the Ark of the Covenant travels with them. To this day, many Ethiopians believe that the Ark of the Covenant resides within the Chapel of the Tablet next to the Church of Maryam Tsion in Aksum, Ethiopia.

Is this the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant? Many Ethiopians believe that the Ark of the Covenant resides within the Chapel of the Tablet next to the Church of Maryam Tsion in Aksum, Ethiopia. They believe that the Ark traveled with Solomon’s firstborn son, Menelik, from Jerusalem to the land of Sheba. Where is the land of Sheba? According to the Kebra Nagast, it is ancient Ethiopia. Photo: “Maryam Sion in Axum Nebenbau Mit Der Bundeslade 2010” by Jensis65 is licensed under CC-by-SA-3.0

Ethiopians claim the Queen of Sheba as part of their heritage, and through her union with King Solomon, Ethiopians also claimed a connection between their kings and the Davidic monarchy of Israel. Bar Kribus explains: “Their [Ethiopian] kings were seen as direct descendants of the House of David, rulers by divine right.”

With 11 rock-hewn churches, Lalibela, Ethiopia, is understandably a place of pilgrimage for those in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Explore Lalibela’s spectacular subterranean churches in a web-exclusive slideshow >>

But is the land of Sheba truly ancient Ethiopia, as purported by the Kebra Nagast? Archaeological and historical sources document a Kingdom of Saba (Sheba) during Biblical times in modern-day Yemen. Those in ancient Ethiopia were fully aware of the Kingdom of Saba in southern Arabia—and sometimes even appropriated aspects of their culture.

Built from the mind of an Emperor whose very birth was spoken of as a miraculous event, Lalibela is a place of ancient wonder and spiritual discovery. In the beginning the town was known as Roha, eventually gleaming its name from its noteworthy ruler, Saint Gebre Mesqel Lalibela. From birth, Saint Gebre made an impact, with his mother telling all who would listen of the swarm of bees that surrounded him as baby. An event that she, and so many others, took as a sign of his future reign of Emperor of Ethiopia.

Built in the 12th and 13th Centuries, Lalibela is a remarkable place. Most remarkable of all are its 11 medieval monolithic churches, built uniquely from the top down and carved with such master craftsmanship from the very rock which surrounds them. Nowhere else in the world can such a number of rock-cut churches be found in one place, and the effect is one that leaves a lasting impression on all who venture to see them.

Perhaps one of the most important things about the Lalibela churches is that they are still in use. They are not ancient museums whose role remains in the past. Instead, they’re a living heritage, as every day of every week there is a service in all of the churches.

The layout and names of the major buildings of Lalibela, in northern Ethiopia, is widely accepted to be a symbolic representation of Jerusalem. Saint Gebre was said to have seen Jerusalem with his own eyes, and attempted to build a new Jerusalem in his capital, in response to the capture of Old Jerusalem by Muslims in 1187.

The first European traveller to set eyes upon these impressive churches was the Portuguese explorer, Pêro da Covilhã. A Portuguese priest, who accompanied him, wrote in description of the churches:

“I weary of writing about these buildings because it seems to me that I shall not be believed if I write more…”

Chiselled from the living rock, the churches in Lalibela seem to radiate with holiness of the people who live nearby, a population consisting completely of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. And even those who are not religious are lulled into silence by the holy aura that seems to vibrate from the chiselled creations around them.

Richard Pankhurst, a British academic with expertise in the study of Ethiopia wrote that “what is special about Lalibela (as every tourist knows) is that it is the site of eleven or so rock churches, not just one, and they are all with more or less a stone’s throw of each other.”

As monuments go, the rock churches of Lalibela are a distinct monument to the spirituality of its people, both in the Centuries they were built, and now. Their impressive architecture and rich cultural heritage have seen them entitled as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978. And with a solid foundation of followers who breathe life into the ancient rock walls, there is arguably nothing comparable in the World to the Lalibela rock churches.

The Holy ghost mission fathers’ house is one of the many landmarks in the town of Bagamoyo – Tanzania that are of historic value. It has three stories and is one of six sites that are in the compound of the Catholic church (Bagamoyo parish), with the others being the dispensary, the sisters’ house (now museum), the Livingstone tower, the baobab tree where madame de Chevalier tied her donkey, the current church and the cemetery where some of the church’s earliest missionaries were buried, all of which date back to the late 19th century.

A history of the placeThe house was built originally built in 1873 to be a residence for the Holy ghost fathers, a group of missionaries of the Roman Catholic church [1]. The whole construction was done in three stages, the first part of which was the ground floor that was completed in 1873, then the first floor in 1877 and finally the second floor in 1903.

In 2009, part of the front wall collapsed but was later on rebuilt [2]. The building is currently owned and run by the government of Tanzania and not the church.

What to do there?Nothing much as the whole building is currently under renovations by the government, but there is talk of plans for it to be open to the public in the future (unconfirmed). Leaving little activity at the site but admiration (if you like) of the 19th century architecture that has stood the test of time for over a century, or you could visit the other four buildings nearby (see list above).

If you have a keen eye, you would notice that the house, the garden, the statue in front of it and mango drive all the way to the cross on the beach, form an arrow like shape, visible from the air (see map), that points slightly north of the equator. We don’t exactly know why yet but it may have something to do with the direction of sunrise.

Location of Holy ghost fathers houseThe Holy Ghost fathers’ house is located at the end of Mango dr. and in the northern suburbs of the small town of Bagamoyo – Tanzania. Behind it is a teacher’s college and infront of it Mango drive that leads to the christian cross that is on the beach. For more information on its location, please see the map below (click to start).

How to get there?From the town centre, you would have to head north along a tarmac paved road that runs alongside the coast until you get to Mango drive, a long stretch of dirt road with Mango trees on either side. The house should be one of two buildings you see at the end of this road (right).

References1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Ghost_Mission_(Bagamoyo) – accessed on 26th May, 2017
2. http://www.bagamoyo.com/famous_sights.html – accessed on 26th May, 2017
Other information from a visit to the museum