RAS SADIKI-I – THE MODERN DAY BUILDER OF THE TEMPLE
His Spiritual Journey to the Ark of the Covenant in Axum, Ethiopia
You may ask, why a young man born in the Caribbean island of Montserrat, who grew up in Boston, who is a performing artiste with his own unique musical style, who is a Rastafarian, why is his name known throughout the far-away Holy City of Axum, Ethiopia, and probably the entire country of Ethiopia?
An Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church video repeatedly played on nationwide TV in Ethiopia since January 2014 acknowledges him as the Builder of the New Temple of the Ark of the Covenant. This is the video of the opening and dedication ceremony of the new Temple of the Tablets which took place in Axum January 28. His name is also painted on the door of the Debre Loza Maryam Church in Ethiopia for which he also provided for its repair.
Ras Sadiki-I (Jevon White) is the only person known in Ethiopian Orthodox Church history to have been baptized by a Guardian Monk of the Ark of the Covenant. Because of the relationship he has with the Guardian Monk, he is also the only person who can promise a group of visitors to Axum that they will receive blessings in an audience with the Guardian Monk. To raise funds for the repairs to the older Temple of the Tablets and to repair and preserve additional structures and ancient sites throughout Ethiopia, Ras Sadiki-I will be leading Spiritual & Healing Pilgrimage tours to Ethiopia over the next few years. The first one is scheduled for September 24 and there will be 3 to 4 such tours each year as of 2015.
The Ark of the Covenant is a biblical treasure from the time of Moses that guided the Children of Israel escaping slavery in Egypt through the challenges they faced crossing the desert to Canaan (the Promised Land).
Although many other modern-day theories exist as to the whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has always quietly maintained that it is in their possession. Church history claims that The Ark of the Covenant was brought from Jerusalem to Ethiopia since the time of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba by their son Menelik. King Solomon had replaced the Ark with a replica in the Temple at Jerusalem and sent the original to Ethiopia with his son and a retinue of priests.
Asked how he became involved in all this, Ras Sadiki-I responded, “I went to Axum to pray before the Temple of the Ark of the Covenant, and after seeing the state of the building, I came back to Axum and asked to speak with the Guardian Monk. I simply asked the Guardian if I could be allowed to paint the roof and the fence. I wasn’t pleased with how the place looked being the home for the Holy Ark of the Covenant – God’s residence on earth.”
The structure was actually leaking and a new Temple had to be built for the Ark before the dome could be repaired. Workers couldn’t be allowed in or on the building with the Ark of the Covenant inside. The older Temple had been built in 1954 by Her Imperial Majesty Empress Menen, the wife of Emperor Haile Selassie I. So Ras Sadiki-I was allowed to paint the fence, which is now painted green, gold and red – no longer blue. A white tarpaulin now covers the older temple, protecting it from the elements.
The Guardian Monk took Ras Sadiki-I under his wings and has treated him like a son from the first day they met. When the Priests handed Ras Sadiki the specifications for the building, they told him they had been waiting 2 years for someone to come to build the new Temple. It appears that Ras Sadiki-I had been divinely chosen for the task by God and he was recognized as such by the Priests of Axum.
Guardian Monks are selected and raised under strict guidelines from they are babies. They are the only ones able to look directly at the Ark of the Covenant, and they pray in its presence continuously. They live a very frugal life, they do not wear shoes or or use modern electronic gadgets and are not normally allowed in the company of women.
The Guardian Monk very rarely allows himself to be photographed but he allowed Ras Sadiki-I to videotape him during his baptism and also as he blessed the cornerstones for the Temple site. (Ras Sadiki-I was given the honor to lay the cornerstones for the Temple.) Respecting the position and wishes of the Guardian Monk, Ras Sadiki-I edited out the images of the Guardian Monk in the copies that he shares with others. He shows the unedited video privately, and visits churches and other organizations to share his experience and promote the cause of preserving Africa’s historic structures. His story is also a testimony of faith in God.
Ras Sadiki-I was also befriended by the Priest of the Bet Gyorgis Rock Church in Lalibela, who accepted him like family and gave him one of his three new Ethiopian church names. The Priest directed him to visit a little known church off the beaten path – the Debra Loza Maryam Church which is between 1,000 – 1,500 years old. This church was originally built in a cave. Over time the cave had totally eroded and damaged the structure; but miraculously, the Holy of Holies was left untouched.
The Holy of Holies is where the Orthodox churches keep a replica of the Ark of the Covenant and only designated church officials are allowed to be in its presence. As he was to do for the Temple for the Ark of the Covenant, Ras Sadiki put up personal funds for some needed repairs to that modest structure. To express their gratitude and acknowledge his work the church community has emblazoned his name over the door of the newly renovated chapel.
The Debra Loza church also had special historic significance as it relates to His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen. Empress Menen had been healed by the touch of the wooden Maskal (cross) of that Church and Ras Sadiki-I was told that the Emperor used to go there to pray. The Emperor also presented the church with a big outdoor tent. Another miraculous story was told about the Maskal – it escaped a fire that burnt down the home of the Priest and it was found two days later in a tree, with only a small scorch.
Before going to Axum to pray at the Ark of the Covenant, Ras Sadiki-I had been blessed by Sheik Saliou Mbacke, the son of Ahmadou Bamba, the renown Muslim Cleric of the Holy City of Touba in Senegal. Ahmadou Bamba had been thrown into fire and in a lion’s den by the French invaders/colonizers who tried to kill him because of his strong faith and influence on his people. Failing to kill him, they decided to exile him to Gabon in chains. He was warned not to pray or he would be shot. The soldiers later reported that on the way the chains fell off him and he jumped overboard the ship. Miraculously a prayer mat appeared on top of the water and he sat on it and was able to pray.
In Senegal, Ras Sadiki-I had also made contact with the Bifals – a group of Muslims connected to Sheik Saliou. They wear their hair locked and wrapped like members of the Bobo Shanti Rastafari – one of the mansions of the Rastafari movement. This sect originally migrated to Senegal from Ethiopia hundreds (if not thousands) of years ago. Two months after Sheik Saliou prayed for Ras Sadiki-I, he died. They said Shiek Sahliou had been waiting for Ras Sadiki-I to come and they prostrated themselves and asked Ras Sadiki-I to touch them and pray for them when they found out that he had been blessed by Sheik Saliou.
His video, “Chronicles of Ras Sadiki-I” shows his spiritual journey in Ethiopia and features his divinely inspired songs. The places shown on the video will be just some of the sites to be visited on the Ethiopian Pilgrimages.
The tours will include several holy sites where he was blessed by various priests and places where he washed in holy water, including: a river of holy water and a holy water waterfall that flows down the mountainside in front of the ancient Yimrihane Cristos church built inside a cave on top of a lake over 1000 years ago. At another site he visited he was told that His Imperial Majesty used to come there every day to wash in the holy water.
Participants on the tour will also receive audiences with the Guardian Monk, the Patriarch of the EOTC and the Priest of the Bet Gyorgis Rock Church in Lalibela.
When Ras Sadiki-I was given the responsibility by the Guardian Monk to build the new Temple of the Tablets and repair the old one, he sought out the Ethiopian World Federation, Inc. (“EWF, Inc.”) Headquarters in New York on his return to the United States. The members of the EWF, Inc. have the constitutional responsibility to preserve “ancient Ethiopian culture” and uphold Ethiopia/Africa’s ancient traditions – their “divine heritage”.
There are hundreds of ancient churches, temples, monasteries, other holy sites and traditional structures throughout Ethiopia/Africa that are falling into ruins. Many of them are already ruined beyond repair. Recognizing the purpose that had been designed for him by the Creator, EWF, Inc. International President Sister Gem Morrison officially appointed Ras Sadiki-I the Chief Builder for the Preservation of Monasteries, Chapels and Ancient Structures and Sites in Africa/Ethiopia.
Sister Gem has supported the cause since then, assisting Ras Sadiki-I in getting the word out to the community to raise funds for the project. She, along with other members of the EWF, Inc. will be accompanying Ras Sadiki-I on the Tour, bringing a Repatriation and Development Fact-Finding element to the tour for those who have an interest in Ethiopia’s progress and in Repatriation to the Motherland.
The EWF, Inc. was given as the protectorate/government for the Black Peoples of the World with a Constitution & Bylaws by Emperor Haile Selassie I in 1937. The organization was also given administrative responsibility for the Shashemene Land Grant which was also given by the Emperor for the Return/Repatriation of the sons and daughters of Africans who were taken in slavery to the Americas.
The Shashemene Land Grant will be one of the stops on the Tour. Cornerstones will be laid to begin the construction of the long-awaited Vocational Training Institute and to initiate the sustainable and holistic agricultural program that is a part of the proposed Institute. These projects are already registered as EWF, Inc. NGO projects with the Ethiopian Government.
Sister Gem and Elder Gerald Brissett, President of EWF, Inc. Local Number 43 in Kingston, Jamaica, are leading the Fact-finding part of the Mission. Elder Brissett was one of the signatories on the Deed for the Shashemene Land Grant and also an International Director of the Executive Council.
Tour participants interested in doing business in Ethiopia or in Repatriating in the near future, will get a first hand look at the Land Grant and into development opportunities in agriculture and other areas of commerce in Ethiopia.
As an accomplished artiste, another fund-raising and public relations project for Ras Sadiki-I is a series of concert tours to bring attention to the Temple Preservation projects and other charitable programs in Africa. He will be reaching out to artistes who share a love for Africa to participate in these concerts. Several artistes have already given of their talent to help raise funds for the Temple, including Jamaican-based reggae artistes Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica. Ras Sadiki-I is expecting that more artistes will come on board.
This past St. Patrick’s Day Ras Sadiki-I was invited by the people of Montserrat to share this special time in his home country. Apart from Ireland, Montserrat is the only other country in the world where St. Patrick’s Day is actually an official public holiday. This is an indication of how proud the country is of the achievements of their special son who was called to build a new Temple for the Ark of the Covenant.
We asked Ras Sadiki-I what was the biggest lesson he learned from his truly amazing experience. “It was all a great learning experience. I learnt that when you are given a purpose and a task by the Most High God, He provides the way and the people you need to complete the task. At times I was a bit worried about raising all the funds, but I never worried for long. The realization always came to me – ‘This is God’s work. He can make it happen in a day if he so choose.’ So then I just relaxed and left it in His hands.”
Ras Sadiki-I shared with us that before he came to the Axum, God had told him to cut his locks. He said God told him that he had met a lot of important people, but there were even more important people for him to meet, but “they will judge you before you get inside the gate”. He asked God to show him a sign if that was what he wanted him to do. He said God gave him 3 signs and in obedience, he promptly cut his dreadlocks. He believes that if he had not been obedient to God he may not have been accepted for the task.
We asked Ras Sadiki-I what would be the next project for him after such a crowning achievement.
“Well, the older Temple still needs to be repaired, there’s additional work needed on the Debra Loza Maryam Church, but the next big project under consideration is the Birthplace of His Imperial Majesty – to improve facilities for visitors and upgrade the property overall.” He then reflected, “I am also entirely open to suggestions. This is all bigger than me – it is a worldwide cause to preserve a big part of history.”
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is said to be the first Christian church as a result of the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch from Queen Candace’s court by Peter on the road to Damascus. Ethiopia’s place in history and in the story of the Bible cannot be denied. The country was mentioned in the first book of the Bible (Genesis 2) as Cush – with the River Nile (Gihon) forming a part of the Garden of Eden. Early maps show almost the entire African continent being called Ethiopia. It is indeed a special place, with the highest point on earth to the heavens, and possibly the place with the lowest point as well – the Abyss from which we get “Abyssinia” one of the older names by which Ethiopia was known.
Ras Sadiki-I was chosen by the Most High God to take a journey to Axum, Ethiopia where he was recognized, accepted and ordained by the Priests of the Axum Diocese as the Builder of the New Temple. He was able to personally fund the major portion of the project as God provided for him to be able to do so. God also touched the hearts of many who were inspired to make a sacrifice, no matter how small, to help finance the project.
Ras Sadiki-I speaks of God talking to him as casually as we speak of our friends speaking with us on a daily basis. And he always tries to act on God’s words. He is a true witness to the fact that God still lives and speaks to His people today. If only we could all have that kind of faith!
Ras Sadiki-I’s name will be known in Ethiopian and world history.
Ras Sadiki-I’s spiritual journey took him from Montserrat in the Caribbean, to Axum, Ethiopia to become the Builder of the New Temple for the Ark of the Covenant. He is the only person known in Ethiopian Orthodox Church history to be baptized by the Guardian Monk. He is honored in this dedication ceremony. Ras Sadiki-I has been appointed Builder and Repairer of Monasteries, Temples and Ancient Sites in Ethiopia/Africa by the International President of the Ethiopian World Federation, Sister Gem Morrison in 2012. Along with other members of the organization he will be leading Spiritual Healing & Repatriation Fact-finding Tours to Ethiopia to raise funds for future projects. The first tour will depart September 24, 2014. The second tour, January 2015.
THE EWF, INC HEADQUARTERS 