Participants: Jim Ayer
Series Code: MW
Program Code: MW000049
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00:01 We're here in the church of the Holy Trinity.
00:03 It is a very old church in the heart of Addis Ababa. 00:06 I'm told someone actually talked with someone 00:09 who has seen it, but we can't gain entrance now. 00:11 There is a Holy, and the Most Holy place, 00:14 an entire sanctuary, and I'm told there is 00:16 a replica of the Ark of the Covenant. 00:56 Axum in Northern Ethiopia was among 00:59 the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient 01:01 world emerging around 400 BC. 01:04 The kingdom exerted the greatest influence 01:07 of all on the future of Ethiopia. 01:09 Most importantly it introduced Christianity 01:12 which reached Axum at the time of the Apostles. 01:20 Ethiopia is spoken up in the Bible on many occasions. 01:23 Moses married a woman from Ethiopia. 01:26 A eunuch, a great power in the court of Candace, 01:29 Queen of Ethiopia was baptized by Philip in 01:33 the Jordan River. This event occurred after 01:36 understanding the prophecies that explain 01:39 what he had recently witnessed in Jerusalem, 01:41 the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 01:45 But this is not the only opportunity that Ethiopia 01:48 had to learn of the one true God. 01:50 It seems that a Queen by the name of Sheba 01:53 from the land of Ethiopia visited King Solomon 01:56 long ago. No doubt Solomon told 01:59 her much about the creator God. 02:05 Foreign Language . 02:25 Haben, it's really good to be here today 02:27 when I first saw you I thought this fellow 02:29 looks familiar I wasn't exactly certain of the 02:31 story but then I realized you are our program 02:34 producer here in Ethiopia, and I've seen your 02:37 picture in some of our magazine articles. 02:39 Tell me a little bit about yourself. 02:40 My name is Haben, as you say it is. 02:43 So, I am working here in Addis Ababa here 02:47 in Ethiopia as a program producer. 02:50 But you didn't always worked for AWR. 02:53 You have a long and exciting story really. 02:55 If you wouldn't mind let start with your childhood. 02:58 Tell me about your childhood. 02:59 Okay, I am born in Tigray, Awi'aro, 03:03 in the northern part of Ethiopia. 03:04 After I think about I was nine years old, 03:10 I'm joining the campus, orphanage campus. 03:12 I'm parting with my mother because of, 03:14 she cannot care for me during that times, 03:17 so I'm joining the orphanage campus. 03:19 I remember there was Dr. Yasmin, she cares 03:22 about us, she teaches us about the love of God. 03:28 But when I was there I didn't believe in God. 03:32 I didn't want to attend the church. 03:35 So I didn't join the praying programs. 03:38 Everyday after eating my supper there is a church 03:42 but I am not attending there, I am going away 03:45 further from the campus, not only me even with 03:48 my friends. So when I was there, they was 03:54 starting the Eritrean War. So I didn't like to join 04:01 the army during that time, I was in high school 04:04 student. But because of the government it says 04:08 you have to join the army. So I'm joining, 04:13 but I was not interested in during that time to 04:16 join the military because I was starting to study 04:19 my education as well as I am trying to see 04:23 something about the goodness of God. 04:27 As you can see AWR is frontline mission radio. 04:31 Our first priority is to travel where missionaries 04:34 cannot go. We broadcast thousands of hours 04:38 each day in seventy major languages of the world. 04:41 AWR has the capability and capacity of blanketing 04:45 almost eighty percent of the world's population. 04:47 Not only do we broadcast via shortwave radio, 04:50 but our signal is on over 1000 FM and AM 04:54 stations around the world as well. 04:56 Our podcast subscribers, Internet users, satellite 05:00 downlinks are growing rapidly, evidenced by the 05:03 hundred thousand plus e-mails, letters and phone 05:07 calls we receive each and every year. 05:09 Yes, AWR is your mission radio. No walls and 05:13 no border. For AWR that means change lives 05:16 and change hearts around the world because God is 05:19 using the airways of AWR to reach people everywhere. 05:27 Here's another story of hope from Adventist World 05:31 Radio. Praba was ready to take her own life. 05:35 She had two small children, and was abandoned 05:37 by her husband, and because her family was 05:40 too poor to help Praba had to nowhere else to go. 05:44 Overcome by disappointment and grief, 05:46 she decided to commit suicide. But that night 05:49 she says was a great turning point, 05:51 while tuning her radio, she stumbled on a broadcast 05:55 from Adventist World Radio. Being a life long 05:58 Hindu, she had never before heard of a Christ 06:00 who cared for her. With a new hope in her heart 06:03 Praba decided to live for God, so she says 06:07 I'm sure I have a job to do for the people 06:10 who are like me on the edge of death. 06:15 Adventist World Radio shares the hope of Christ 06:18 with millions of people everyday in their own 06:22 languages. For more information visit awr.org. 06:31 The Holy Trinity Cathedral located in Addis Ababa 06:34 is a massive cathedral, believed to be the second 06:37 most important place of worship in Ethiopia, 06:40 ranking behind only the old church of 06:43 St. Mary of Zion in Axum. 06:52 Today almost half of the Ethiopia's population 06:55 is orthodox Christian. Orthodox Christians 06:59 bring religion into every aspect of life, 07:02 and have traditionally dominated the country's 07:05 past and continues to influence the phylum, 07:08 political, social and cultural values. 07:14 Albino Palace, patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox 07:17 Church said, we follow the same dietary laws 07:20 of Judaism. That set out in Leviticus, 07:23 meaning his followers keep culture even though 07:27 they're Christians. Parents circumcise their baby boys 07:30 as a religious duty. We often give full testament 07:34 names to our boys and many villagers in the country 07:36 side still hold Saturday sacred as the Sabbath. 07:43 We're here in the church of the Holy Trinity. 07:45 It's a very old church in the heart of Addis Ababa. 07:49 I'm told someone actually talked with someone 07:52 who's seen it, but we can't gain entrance now. 07:54 There is a Holy, and the most Holy place in 07:57 the entire sanctuary, and I'm told there is a 07:59 replica of the Ark of the Covenant. 08:01 I'd love to see it, but apparently 08:04 we can't gain entrance. 08:11 According to Ethiopian tradition the Ark of 08:14 the Covenant which was kept within the 08:16 Holy of Holies in the sanctuary was carried 08:19 off from Jerusalem and brought to Ethiopia in 08:22 first millennium BC. It is believed by many to 08:25 sit in the church of St. Mary of Zion in Axum. 08:29 Today every other Ethiopian church has a replica 08:32 of the Ark. Throughout Ethiopia, orthodox churches 08:38 are not considered churches until the local 08:41 bishop gives a Tabot, a replica of the tablets in 08:45 the original Ark of the Covenant. 08:48 It's the churches single most important element 08:50 and it gives the building its sanctism. 08:57 Pilgrims still journey to Axum, and the great 08:59 majority of Ethiopians have believed passionately 09:02 that the Ark of the Covenant resides there. 09:14 What they do in Special Forces, can you share 09:16 it all, a little bit about what is Special 09:18 Forces and how do you train for it. 09:20 I remember it's not only how to fight 09:26 or how to use the guns, different type of guns. 09:29 And even if they train us about the karate, 09:33 kind of equal to karate like a 09:35 martial arts, something like that. 09:36 I know that in my own country the Special Forces 09:39 are the first ones that are put out on the frontlines, 09:42 was that the case with you. 09:43 In Ethiopia it's different, first the men that are 09:50 fighting in front of us. If there is any problems 09:54 or holes or if they are defeated. 09:57 Then the Special Forces starting to fight again. 10:01 So, if everybody is running from the 10:02 frontlines then they send you up. Yeah. 10:04 Okay, I'm not interested during that time to join 10:09 the military, but because of the government 10:11 I've joined the military. This is a border issue. 10:15 This is a national issue. So you have to join the 10:18 military. If you have a nationality of Ethiopia, 10:22 you have to fight for Ethiopia. 10:25 So your country was at war with someone else. 10:27 Yeah with Eritrea. Most people don't have 10:30 a clue where Eritrea is. Tell us where Eritrea is. 10:34 Okay, Eritrea and Ethiopia connect in the eastern 10:37 part of Ethiopia and Eritrea is in the southern 10:40 of Ethiopia. Before its in one but after some 10:46 government changing they've separated from 10:49 Ethiopia. They have their own country now. 10:52 So we saw so many things in the battle area during 10:57 that time. You see something wounded, 10:59 and something dead, you see blood. 11:03 So you're out of your imagination during that time. 11:08 You are deciding today to die because 11:11 after that I will die. So you're seeing 11:14 death all around you, and you're 11:15 saying there's got to be more. 11:17 My friend has told me that why you are 11:20 believing now in God. I told him, I saw 11:24 so many miracles in my life, God helps me. 11:28 So at one time I remember when 11:31 I was in a battle, I think it was in the morning 11:34 my friend opened his radio program. 11:38 When he opened the radio program it says 11:42 this is Adventist World Radio the voice of hope. 11:45 So my body was shocked because I hear about 11:49 Adventist now, because I remember when I was 11:52 in the campus, I told my friends I was in this 11:54 campus; I was in this denominational campus. 11:58 So they're happy, I'm starting to hear 12:00 World Radio, so I get the hope. 12:02 You're in the middle of a battlefield. 12:05 Your friend's got apparently then a radio. 12:07 He's listening to AWR, and you begin listening 12:11 and your heart is changing, how about his? 12:12 Did his, what was going in his mind. 12:15 We believe in God, but it's not necessarily to 12:18 say something about God in this place because 12:21 it is illegal. The radio it's good for me during that 12:24 time because it changed my life. I am starting 12:28 to pray. I'm starting to what they kind of call it 12:32 to changing my vision, to become a servant 12:37 of God. So I say to God, God help me, if you help 12:42 me out of this battle area, I will serve you. 12:49 Is the one that they say is the real one, 12:52 is that up at Axum. They say the real 12:54 Ark of the Covenant the original from 12:57 Jerusalem is there and kept there by the monks. 13:05 Yes, there is an Ark in the Axum church. 13:08 There is only one person who's permitted to enter 13:12 that room and see the Ark. There are seven rooms 13:15 in that church in which no one can enter. 13:18 The Ark at Axum is the original Ark which was 13:22 done by Moses. No one ever sees the place 13:25 because it's highly protected, but there 13:28 are other earthen replicas with the 13:30 Ten Commandment in other church such as this one. 13:34 Can I ask you how the Ark came to Ethiopia, 13:39 I've heard stories that it was one of 13:41 Solomon's wives who was Ethiopian, 13:43 it was their son who brought the Ark here. 13:46 Is that the correct story? Yes, that is right. 13:55 The son of Solomon called Menelik was living 13:59 with his father in Israel in Jerusalem. 14:02 When the ordered for all first born to leave 14:05 Israel happened, Menelik left Jerusalem with 14:08 the Ark and brought it here to Ethiopia. 14:11 Many people don't know how close that Ethiopia 14:14 is tied to Moses and to Solomon, and some 14:20 of these things, it's very interesting information 14:22 that you share. Well thank you so much, 14:25 I appreciate it. Thank you. 14:35 Churches in Ethiopia are very hallowed places. 14:38 Shoes are always removed before entering 14:40 the church. Clothing should cover all parts 14:43 of the body and never try to enter the replica 14:46 of the ancient sanctuary containing the 14:48 holy of holies which is immediately behind the 14:51 front curtain. It is reserved strictly for priests. 14:55 Our team desperately wanted to film the area 14:58 but had no success. This cathedral is also the 15:04 celebrated final resting place of Emperor Haile 15:06 Selassie and his wife Empress Menen Asfaw. 15:10 Their massive Aksumite -style granite tombs, 15:13 complete with lions' feet sit inside. 15:17 The heir to a dynasty that traced its origins 15:19 to the 13th century, and from there by tradition 15:23 back to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, 15:25 Haile Selassie is a defining figure in both Ethiopian 15:30 and African history. In 1923 he obtained 15:34 Ethiopia's entry into the League of Nations. 15:37 Shortly after Ethiopia's first constitution 15:40 was introduced. Upon his death the emperor's 15:43 body was declared sacred, and he was 15:46 the last emperor of Ethiopia. 15:51 I'm told the sanctuary is right behind this curtain. 15:54 The holy and the holiest of holies and in there 15:57 the Ark of the Covenant at least the copy 15:59 they say, because they say the original is 16:01 up in Axum, which is hundreds of kilometers 16:04 north of us. Abune Petros is the patriot 16:15 of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. 16:17 He was asked about the tradition linked to the 16:19 church's claim to hold the Ark which Ethiopians 16:22 call it Tabota Seyen or the Ark of Zion. 16:26 It's no claim it's the truth he answered, 16:29 but remember it's all tradition. I asked if the 16:36 Ark in Ethiopia resembles the one described 16:38 in the Bible: almost four feet long, just over 16:41 two feet high and wide, surmounted by two 16:44 winged cherubs facing each other across its 16:47 heavy lid, forming the mercy seat, or footstool 16:50 for the throne of God. He said, can you believe 16:53 that even though I'm head of the Ethiopian church, 16:55 I'm still forbidden from seeing it? 16:59 On the other hand many Biblical scholars 17:01 believed the Ark was hidden away in the cave. 17:04 The Ark of the Covenant, the Ethiopian eunuch, 17:09 how Christianity actually came to Ethiopia. 17:14 Much of it's conjecture but it is interesting 17:17 conjecture because always in conjecture 17:19 there's a little bit of reality too. 17:23 I had a Bible when I was in the war. 17:26 I got from my friend. I'm starting to read 17:29 the Matthew, Luke, the Christ's life. 17:34 So my life was changing. A friend gives you a Bible 17:38 and my life just begins to transform. I was speaking 17:42 to many people about the love of God. 17:44 But they told me that we will die tomorrow 17:48 or after tomorrow, so it's not needed for us, 17:52 they say to me because they have not any hope, 17:57 but for me I have a hope. Your leaders said you 18:01 were extendable. Don't bother about any of 18:05 this stuff, you're extendable, 18:06 but you grabbed the hold of hope 18:08 and said God I want to serve you. 18:09 Yes, even it's illegal to read the Bible 18:12 or to sing spiritual songs there to share the word 18:16 with other friends. It is illegal in the army 18:18 in Ethiopia. So I remember one time 18:21 when I was in the war in Bure, after three 18:26 or fours hours we're fighting our army starting 18:30 to go in the front. And one of our leaders 18:35 whose name is Asafa, he was with me, 18:38 and we were starting to collect some guns 18:41 something like that from enemy guns 18:43 and our military who had died. In front of us is 18:47 open area, so another army are starting 18:51 to come to us, to shoot us. 18:57 You end up right in the very front of the battle. 18:59 Yeah, so my commander says you have to stay here. 19:04 He made me to stay in the a little stone to cover us. 19:09 And they're started to fire their guns upon us. 19:13 The stone is coming, this time it is coming up to us, 19:18 what can I call it? From the stone. 19:20 Oh pieces of stone. Yeah, pieces coming over us. 19:23 But the commander says be ready. 19:27 My commander, he has a bomb, so he is starting 19:33 to throw it to them. They're coming, 19:36 but they're not coming close to us 19:39 because they're afraid of us. So only they are 19:42 starting to fire against us. We are hiding there, 19:45 I'm starting to choke, he says my commander 19:48 be ready now. But something come into my heart, 19:51 the sound of God, it says pray, pray, pray. 19:56 So, I'm starting to move my gun to my left down 20:02 on the ground. And I am starting to bring 20:04 my book Holy Bible and I'm starting to pray. 20:07 God save me from his condition, lead me out, 20:10 I want to become your servant. 20:12 Bullets and rockets are flying and hitting all 20:15 around you, the chunks of rocks are raining 20:19 down on you because the bullets are hitting 20:21 everywhere, you're such a gun sight, 20:23 pick up your Bible and if I understand you 20:27 correctly a total piece came over you at that moment. 20:30 After I'm finishing my praying, opening my eyes 20:36 into my Bible in the backpack. I think after two 20:40 or three minutes our army coming from the right 20:42 and the left side. So we are saved during that time. 20:47 So they saw us, they told, are you okay, 20:50 something like that. We are okay. 20:54 Through the Radio Wave of AWR, 20:56 God is reaching people around the world. 21:00 We'd like to offer you an edition of Making Wave. 21:02 It's four of our episodes brought to you from 21:05 around the world. God speaking to hearts, 21:08 the hearts of the listeners of AWR exciting stories. 21:11 We hope that you'll share those with friends 21:13 and neighbors, apprentices, anyone you come in 21:15 contact with. Join us to make waves. 21:17 It's completely free. Right now the information 21:20 is on your screen. For your free, 21:23 no obligation DVD, write to Adventist World Radio, 21:27 12501, Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, 21:31 Maryland 20904, or call 1-866-503-3531 21:39 or log onto www.awr.org/MWDVD. 21:46 Be sure to request offer number 10, 21:49 that number again is 1-866-503-3531. 21:57 Here is another story of hope from Adventist 22:00 World Radio. Igor and Svetlana, 22:03 unlike some other Russians have seen nothing 22:06 but hard times since the fall of Communism. 22:08 The agriculture industry so vital to their rural 22:12 town has plummeted leaving the area in poverty. 22:15 Watching their dejected neighbors fall to alcohol 22:19 abuse, they were concerned about the influence 22:21 such a hopeless society would have on their five 22:24 children, so they searched for a positive influence 22:28 for their family. They found it in 22:30 Adventist World Radio. You are the brightest light 22:34 in our hard life they wrote to us. 22:35 We're always looking forward to your next program. 22:39 Thank you for your message of kindness and hope. 22:45 Adventist World Radio shares the hope of 22:47 Christ with millions of people everyday in their 22:51 own languages. For more information visit awr.org. 22:57 My friends they know about me, 22:59 that I am Adventist. I told them so many things 23:02 when we are in the battle area. 23:04 One day they're coming, crossing the road, 23:08 they saw Seventh-day Adventist church. 23:10 So they're coming to our camp and told me 23:14 we saw your church. I am so happy, 23:17 I am so happy and starting my baptismal class. 23:20 And I'm baptized and receiving Jesus as my 23:24 personal savior, when I was in the military in the 23:26 government work. So I mean I was there, 23:30 I'm starting to pray and attending Sabbath programs. 23:33 But some programs are over during that time. 23:36 My leaders said stop to go to church 23:42 because in this military life it's illegal to worship, 23:48 to read the Bible, or to go to churches, 23:52 because you are in military. I wrote a letter, 23:55 I'm writing to my commander and I said 23:58 I didn't want to serve here in the military. 24:02 I need to go out, because I'm a servant of God. 24:05 But the military commanders told me that 24:08 we need you to work here for about fourteen 24:10 or something like that years. You have a good 24:12 conduct, so we need you. One day there is man 24:17 I knew, he saw me, he hugged me, he is very, 24:20 very, very happy. And he told me, 24:22 did you want to come out from the military, 24:25 I mean the governmental work, the military. 24:27 I said yes, I want. So he told me, why you are 24:31 not joining the Ethiopian Adventist College to 24:33 take the theology program. I told him 24:36 I have not money. But he told me, 24:38 I will make your fee, I will pay for all things, 24:40 so you can come out from the government 24:43 work and join that Ethiopian Adventist College. 24:47 So during the summer break I am coming here 24:50 to Addis and starting to work in AWR as a reader. 24:55 And after I'm graduated I go to Tigri. 24:59 When I was in Tigri, I'm telling the people about 25:02 my life and about the love of God and so many 25:05 people were touched. There are so many brothers 25:09 and sisters I got there. They are happy, 25:11 and God gave me about seventeen people 25:14 that are baptized. It sounds like AWR reaches 25:18 in the battlefield, it's reaching across 25:21 country lines where they don't want Christianity, 25:24 it seems like it's reaching everywhere. 25:25 Yeah, yeah, so many letters are coming. 25:28 You are reaching the unreachable. 25:30 I can show you a letter that I have from Eritrea, 25:34 even in Tigri told me, we are working here secretly, 25:37 but you are working no secretly, openly. 25:39 So you are doing great, please continue. 25:42 You can't stop the waves of AWR. 25:45 Yeah, so you're interesting, we're happy. 25:47 God is working well there in Eritrea. 25:50 So one day we'll get to be together again in heaven. 25:54 I believe in that. Amen. Haben, thank you so much. 25:58 What a story we've heard today. 26:00 Haben of course isn't the only person 26:03 who has found salvation on a battlefield, 26:05 but the real question is whether those people 26:08 have followed through by living a life dedicated 26:11 to Jesus Christ. Haben certainly has. 26:15 When I think of Haben's story I think of Psalms 91. 26:20 Let me read a portion of it for you. It says 26:22 "If you make the Most High your dwelling, 26:25 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come 26:30 near your tent. Then there's a section here as 26:33 though he's right in the battlefield. 26:35 You will not fear the terror of the night, 26:37 nor the arrow that flies by day. A thousand may fall 26:41 at your side, ten thousand at your right hand; 26:44 but it will not come near you. Friend, you may have 26:49 some problems in your life, some fears, 26:51 some things that you don't know how to handle. 26:54 You can turn to God and find peace and comfort 26:59 and rest. You can trust in Him. You can claim this 27:02 promise as your very own. You probably notice that 27:06 Adventist World Radio has a way of finding people 27:08 in the most unusual circumstances, 27:11 and I know that many of you would like to help AWR 27:15 to find other people like Haben, who in their most 27:18 unusual circumstances are shown the way of salvation. 27:23 AWR is touching hearts everywhere. 27:25 If you like to partner with us, give us a call today 27:28 1-866-503-3531 or you can write us at 12501, 27:35 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904 27:39 or log on to www.awr.org. Thank you for watching 27:46 and please join us again for another 27:48 exciting gospel adventure, because 27:50 around the world AWR is making waves. |
Revised 2014-12-17