The following translation is from an old Amharic Magazine, which is attached below with the picture of Emperor Haile Selassie the First while He inaugurated the church of Ejersa Goro.

Majestic day in Ejersa Goro

October 3, the inauguration day of the Hohete Mesrak Kidane Meheret church, christened Bethlehem, where our beloved Emperor was born 69 years ago. The cost of the work 73 thousand birr comes from the Emperor’s Private Treasury, and in addition to the church, an Elementary school built at the cost of 23 thousand, and a health center at cost of 17 thousand birr were inaugurated.

To launch officially these three institutions, the Emperor, escorted by His dignitaries in the Land Rover, covers the 38 Km distance from Harar to arrive at His birth place, in Ejersa Goro in one hour and 45 minutes.

On arrival, the Governor of Harar, Kegnazmach Asfaw Haile Mariam who had been there in advance, received the Emperor in warm ceremony with the excited gathering. Throughout the travel, the people lined up on both sides of the road from the city of Harar to christened Bethlehem, Ejersa Goro sang and cheered the Emperor.

The historic erection and inauguration of this church, the school, and the health center were significant contributions for the growth and development of the area.

The End of the translation

A note from an unrecorded history which is often told by elders:

“We have been asking the Emperor to erect His statue in tribute of His birth place. However, instead of that He gave us, a school,  a health center, and a house of the Ark of St Kidest Mariam, which had dwelled in temporary shelter since 1911. The Emperor believed that education is the be-on and the end-on.”

The added title Hohete Mesrak on the St Kidest Mariam church was an insertion of the Emperor meaning the East gate of St Miriam, the Mother of God.

Please take a look at the original Amharic attachment.

Peace and love from new Bethlehem, Ejersa Goro

Please, forward it to any Rastafarian, thank you.