Firmness has made America, but pragmatism continues to mould it

In the US of A there are right hand side steered vehicles as well as soccer!

I was riding down this very big road. Why big? Well I originally come from another country where by all standards this road I happen to be riding on to and fro may be of sub-urban nature here but in my original country it is first class asphalt! Where was I? Oh, yes!

America-USA- is a very powerful country and there is no doubt it is the greatest nation in the world even now. Belief in constitutionalism, belief in creating a critical mass of systems that in turn are accessed by the masses to improve on their livelihoods, the tendency to regulate but at the same time ensure a promise of more tomorrow, the peace and belief held by Americans and those within the borders of USA that no one will take away their life, happiness and property is so palpable. That is firm!

So, I was riding down this road and a large ‘semi’ passes by at the posted speed in settled areas. I came to a next street and a white United States Postal Services (USPS) van with a blue eagle taking off halted. The driver was on the right hand side. It struck me as odd. I wondered why I was dwelling on that issue but at the same time had to be focused on the road. Then all of a sudden, a voice inside me was telling me: ‘that was a Right Hand Side (RHD) steered vehicle in USA.’I had to stop and look for another minute or two. There are actually Right-Hand Side steered vehicles in USA!

The pragmatic side of the USPS RHD Vehicles: they enable the easy distribution of letters or parcels even without the deliverer getting out of the vehicle.

I got to the library and immediately opened my e-mail to read mails. I had one inviting me to a soccer match where our program students are part of the soccer clubs of the area. I do volunteer as a teacher, counsellor and mentor. This has helped me to be part of the microcosmic space that eventually makes up the diversity that US of A is known for. I have even polished up my French so that am able to conduct halting conversation with some of my French speaking students who are learning English and the American way.

I want to learn to follow baseball and American football. I used to play a version of cricket, soft-ball and dodge the ball but I was always wondering why all of us were chasing after a ball or trying hard to dirten ourselves! I got a book on American Football, one day I even opted to listen to an American Football coach who was also a retired US Marine Colonel at a party. This meant I missed out on the barbeque! I still have not got the rules. All I see are chest puffed up players, with motor-bike helmets, sheen guards, so many lines and popcorns! Perhaps it is the popcorns that will motivate me. I do like popcorns. Anyway, soccer I can follow so is basket-ball.

This diversity in games; expression; getting together; ability to use technologies that are in other countries and; a compatibility of persons and systems makes US of A, a great country. These are the traditions, the culture and they will never go away. This is what makes America what it is.

Like we cannot do without the apps in our mobile units so should our values be in our individual lives.

Saudi, Mike and Alex are preachers of the Bible and talk about the love of God and Jesus Christ in such a way one is left thinking they met God or Jesus from the day they were born.

‘Take up Jesus as your personal savior’ says Alex a 19 year old High School student. ‘Jesus loves you’ adds Saudi a 20 year old lad from Virginia. It appears they rehearsed their parts.  Hands in pockets, they continue talking about how Jesus loves me after I asked how that was possible. ‘He loves us so much He gave His Son to atone our sins.’ Now that got my little theology alerts going! ‘Jesus loves me so much He gave up His son to atone for my sins?’ I asked incredulously. Alex did not see the reason for my question and I corrected him. I even threw in a quote. John 3:16. Alex soon realized his mix up. Saudi took over. ‘We have a card here, come to Grafton and pray with us’ he invited. ‘Grafton is like 3 train stops away.’ I replied. ‘Oh, yes, but many people from Grafton come to Worcester every day’ opined Alex. Meaning it would be easier for me. Saudi later told me I should call the number on the card and a van would come, take me to Grafton for prayers and back to Worcester.

‘Why do you preach Jesus and not love?’ I asked. ‘You came here after you talked to those other people on that other bench and you have not even greeted me, but you straight away said: “Jesus loves you”’ I challenged Alex. I gave my name and asked theirs too. I asked them where they came from and that is how I got to know they were from a Pentecostal Church in Grafton run by Pastor Mike who is the uncle to Saudi and a benefactor to Alex. Saudi’s family is from Virginia and he had come to visit the uncle and not one to sit at home doing nothing, he escorted uncle Mike on a Worcester bound evangelization drive. That created an air of confidence on all our part and the hands were out of the pockets by now. There was dignity between all of us and we all assumed a respectful stance. Alex and Saudi sat next to me and we continued to converse. I told them of when I used to care for bed-ridden persons who were left for dead but nursed them back to life. I told them then I was doing more of Jesus’ work than preaching of love. We agreed that in USA we need more actions of love than mere words. That way Jesus is more manifest in our midst. Alex shared his experience of helping a near drug addict young person get back to a drug-free life. This was after I shared with them on how I helped 3 homeless persons who used to sleep on the park benches to access food, clothes and a warm place. I encouraged them to do more acts of love but also preach the word. Before we all went our separate ways we listed and compared apps in our mobile units and values that humans needed to live as one, happily and fruitfully.

Apps, circuitry and digital ware are to computers and mobile appliances what values are to humans. The ability for humans to interact, communicate, judge, make improvements on life and record experiences in turn depends on several values. Values are those innate non-tangible treasures such as:  livableness, respect, empowering, forgiving, regard, responsibility, dependability, patience, discretion, fair conduct, mindfulness, good-will, obedience, tolerance, dutifulness, consistency, restorer and uphold dignity.

This improves on one’s utility, utilitarian-ship, function, functionality and self-discovery. In knowing these inherent values we are forced to admire the fact that they actually lie in other people too. That should be the reason why all humans should be of good-will to each other. This is what helps us overcome challenges and mishaps. In preaching the word of GOD we all need to also practice acts of love. Acts of love spring from our innate values.

The axe entered the forest, the trees said as one: "look the handle is one of us." YORUBA SAYING

This week two incidents reminded me so much of life, the friends we make, the friends we keep, the steps we take, the mistakes we did, the look into the past and the regrets, fondness in that cup. However much we dwell on our past, it is imperative we use far more energy to project ourselves into the future. This is the essence of purpose. To live fruitfully.

A friend shared with me this; 'if you grow wiser than the the smaller group or circle of friends it is better to cast wider and increase on the friends' network. More than one friend is like a singing quartet where there is a tenor, soprano, alto and bass.' I thought about this for a long time.

Imagine a social network where people ask to be your friends and they make up the bulk of connections. One can get in touch with them or they too can get in touch or be in touch using various applications on this social network. These are virtual relationships. They are part of one's sense of direction, bonding, duty, loyalty and status. No doubt in such an arrangement there are those who are popular and those who are not. These e-relationships (i-relations) can get abusive, but still people hang in there for fear of losing these 'friends.' It is not easy to lose a friend. But, if one is abusive and uses very scandalizing language it is better to leave or opt out. There are very many reasons why humans get social or get into relations. The aspect of 'being one of us' that connects you to a particular social network can manifest in many ways: the things you aspire to or the fact that you are able to make more friends from all over the world. It is like the trees inviting the axe in their midst because of the wooden handle. When it gets abusive it is similar to the time when the axe is used to cut those very trees. Waiting long to go out of an abusive relationship is a similar case of when the axe is used to cut the trees! Waiting too long hurts. Be wise, get out. 


These can be some situations: If the other person uses abusive; scandalous or disparaging words that are not called for; use of expletives in a way that belittles you; use of any slurs with the intention of painting you as bad; stalks you by barraging you with texts or unsolicited messages even after being warned not to and;using intimidating language towards you.

There are cues in life that enable us to gauge the trend of our relationships. Use these as early warning signals. Use them to warn you and to help you contribute to building the relationship or learning what your other people want and are comfortable with.

Meanwhile build a base for yourself so that when you do need time to yourself you know how to use it well in constructive and productive ways. This is a good skill; to use time and resources around effectively to improve on yourself and others. Be comfortable with yourself and only then will you be comfortable with others. We can only be ready for the future when we set ourselves ready. The future is based on our readiness. The Irish have a saying: 'the future is not set, there is no fate but what we make for ourselves.' FABER EST SUAE QUISQUE FORTUNAE.

The Royal baby, Great Britain, Common Wealth, USA and the world at large

At the corner of a very busy street there happens to be a wide kerb which serves as the sun-break patch for members who stay in a very large apartment building. Different groups spoke different languages; Vietnamese, French, Japanese, German, Bengal, Bhutan, Chinese, English, Spanish, Portuguese and a sprinkling of African dialects. The reason for this gathering and murmurs was a topic whose events were happening in St. Mary’s Hospital in London in another country on another continent far away from the Americas. On July 22^nd 2013, an 8 pound (lbs) happily bouncing baby boy was born to Prince William Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton Duchess of Cambridge. The baby boy was named George Alexander Louis on July 24^th 2013.

It is said all sorts of names were put forward by royalty followers both in Britain and outside of it. Alexandra, Charlotte, George and James were ranked so high. There was an expectation of either a boy or girl. No one thought of twins or triplets! But anyway it has been settled and the title of the baby is His Royal Highness (HRH) George Alexander Louis, Duke of Cambridge.

HRH, the newly born is third in line and waiting for the crown. There is a popular saying doing the rounds: the baby makes three. This is a symbol of blessing. And in Great Britain, a Christian land this lends itself the Trinitarian attribute. In it lie godliness, kindness, mercy, blessedness and promise.

I had to get to the library, to get to my very liked haunt on the 3^rd floor in a very quiet well-lit corner, with windows the size of a table-tennis table. I would have told the group about how all children born on this day in Uganda will get to be given names like; Georgina or George. I also didn’t share with them that I come from a smaller Kingdom nation in Africa with a similar arrangement to that of the British crown. I did not tell them that the naming of the royal child in Buganda is so different. In Buganda, the royal child is given Christian, cultural and gender-related names. Like the British we also name after a past long gone relative. Unlike the British, our culture does not reveal a royal child until that child is around a year or two years old.

The world is watching in anticipation. What happens in Great Britain has its reverberation felt at all corners of the world. The message to all of us is that: we are living in a hopeful world with possibilities and opportunities.

As a feminist, I find this article insightful

http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Entertainment/When-dance-seeks-answers-to-feminism/-/812796/1919978/-/3tkqvj/-/index.html

When was the last time somebody raised questions on the feminism movement and the entire women emancipation agenda in this country? Has the gospel gone too extreme, almost on the border of losing track? Are there things the feminists are not taking note of and should do better in articulating their message? Well, a group of vibrant, almost elite Kampala women actually think the feminism movement has lost track.

They think it is time to start posing the hard questions, if only to salvage the original woman, who they argue gets lost in the emancipation labyrinth. 
This is the aptly named Beautiful Feet Dancing company Uganda, which in the words of its managing director Jacqueline Tumusime, is “an all-female dance company that draws from the roots of traditional African dances, blends them with elements of contemporary genres to create a fresh fusion of ethnic and contemporary dance”

Not your average group
And the group, founded in 2009 by Nancy, Kacungira and professional dancer Catherine Nakazibwe strives to establish its niche on advancing the feminism cause through dance. Contemporary dance at that, whose origins date as far back as the 1920s is as a protest to ballet.

Certainly, the group, managed by Autumn Ventures with training studios in Makindye, a Kampala suburb, is not a charity. Like any social enterprise, they are out to hunt for some money. The name, Beautiful Feet, is derived from the book of Isaiah Chapter 52, that acclaims the beautiful feet of those who bring good news. The group is not your average dance group that will stage performances for the sake of bagging the money after pulling crowds.

The girls, many of them corporates drawn from different career pools in their mid 20s, pride in their diverse and all culture embracing style, performing a variety of dances, each enveloped with a message that touches on aspects of womanhood such as virtue, resilience, compassion and misery. 
For instance, to portray the message of resilience in a single mother, 24 year old Florence Ndagire twists her body to a rigorous West African dance that engages all parts of the body, she swings her hands in the air, throws the legs crossways and gets lifted by a colleague as tranquil music from Qwela Band plays in the background.

Another set of dancers take on Dance from the heart, fusing western Uganda dance, ekitagururo, Indian dance and Buganda’s Bakisimba, to play out pertinent issues afflicting the ordinary woman like domestic violence while in essence questioning the woman too. Their attire, designed by Ras Kasozi, a renowned fashion designer in his own right, is also inclined to the theme. This was evident at their latest 30 minute production at Sheraton Kampala Hotel on 5 July which questioned feminism, “Is there a danger of women losing themselves in the pursuit of their emancipation?”

For Ndagire, a sponsorships coordinator with Watoto Church ministries, “it is easier to act out something that comes from the heart, we identify with our performances because many of us have gone through these experiences. We are not just articulating the woman’s troubles, we identify with them so the dances are not choreographed, they come from the heart.”

Reviving the original woman
Ndagire, who speaks with Bible in hand during our interview and quotes it often, is convinced her performances can, “touch a soul and revive the original woman, that woman God created in Genesis who is beautiful, hardworking and responsible. Through our dance we are saying you can be a CEO but you don’t have to overthrow your husband.”

These issues, Tumusime emphasises, form the backbone of their performances, and company philosophy, “we think contemporary dance has been abstract, we endeavour to remove it from the theatre and tailor it to issues the society relates with. We keep talking of the girl child education but where is the boy child? Feminists always bash the male species, but are we not being blind to our own weaknesses? You hear female activists advocating for homosexuality. Now what is that? These are the issues we want to bring out through contemporary dance.”

But well, how do you advance that conversation beyond the dance floor and audience seats? At Sheraton for instance, over 1,000 guests attended but how sustainable or even measurable is the impact of the dance?

“Sustainability is not our worry because these issues affect the everyday person, ours is to set the agenda, we want to first start that dialogue through dance,” Tumusime explains. At the Sheraton, there was a 40 minute dialogue after the dance by eminent women activists like Dr Miria Matembe who discussed the feminism question. And yes, if policy dialogue and dance are fused, then the question on feminism might be in the right hands.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

Diaspora, sending money to Africa and hoping the money will grow

http://theafricaneconomist.com/more-than-just-sending-money-home/#.Ue1lq421Fxw

Exercise Marthan agility and a Marian humility as we possess this world

There are practical books that give us direction as we continue living happily and fruitfully in this world. Good conduct aside, skills and connections can help one but all are rendered obsolete without God’s blessing. Ever since I took a spiritual soul search, I have taken to reading various spiritual books from different religions, ethnicities and writers. The Bible has tended to be my source on ‘accepting God in our lives’:  In Genesis 18: 1-12 one reads of Abraham’s experience of hosting God and how Sarah was to have a child in old age. In Luke 10: 38-42 one reads about Jesus pointing the way to possess this world by balancing spiritual and physical needs. In the reading one meets Martha ‘the woman of the house’ in her spirit and element. She is obsessed with entertaining Jesus, a Jewish Rabbi. We also meet Mary ‘the wise one’ sitting at Jesus feet intent on listening to every word that comes out of Jesus. Martha complains and asks Mary to come over to help with preparing meals. But Jesus reassures Martha and Mary that His word was all they needed at that moment. Jesus was a frequent guest at this home and he must have been entertained numerable times. Jesus emphasized various actions but the five that were important are: love of God and humans; forgiving; appearances/attitude; fairness in how we treat each other and; giving (especially alms). We meet this advice in Luke 11: 41-54. Elsewhere in Mathew 16:24-26, Jesus castigates us and guides us on how to winning both the world and our souls. We need to strive to gain both the world and our souls.  Humans were created to possess the world but as we do so let us keep in mind our Marthan duties and Marian imperatives..