Even as we toil for days, there is a Divine hand in everything: the question is not whether there is a GOD, it is whether GOD works in our midst

Longevity breeds variety. Believers have a tendency to  think divine intervention is equated with fast results.  They want things done for them fast. After all they believe in the steadfast GOD. Mover of things. Decider, arranger, protector and giver. How else would they fail in anything? GOD works in our midst. All His magnificent works were spread out over time. Look at creation, it unfolded one day at a time. All the magnificence we read of is revealed as taking place in a chronology. God's will, will be done in time. Many books allude to the Divine. I choose the Bible once again. This time I want to compare Jacob's story to my argument. I concentrated on Gen 31: 38-41.

Jacob, the son of Isaac lived by God's rules. Jacob accumulated riches in form of: bumper harvests, a long life, animals, assets and even, by twist of events, married Laban's daughters. These riches did not come overnight. In Jacob's own words this took a long time. To get the tents, animals and wives he had to put in 20 years.

It was a long and painful time for me. I am used to writing down notes. Given that I was off-line for over two weeks it made me feel isolated. Isolated in a way that I was getting and not giving. The good side was that I had time to listen more and think harder about what was going on around me.

The mid week of August was an opportunity for me to reflect deeper on prayer, needs, duty and catholic tradition. I woke up earlier, as I always do. Did my mandatory calisthenics and headed off to church. It was the day of Our Lady's assumption. On this day, the church celebrates the assuming of Mary's body to heaven. I dedicated my time and effort from that day on for being more useful and understanding of things Earthly and Divine.

A letter came in the post. In it I was asked to confirm all my details with the USCIS. I am trying to formalize my stay in USA. It took me two days to complete everything to the letter. I sent the form by overnight express. I do hope all was received and someone is working on my documentation.

I listened to the core and fabric of the messages shared through the Martin Luther King Jr.(MLK) 50 year celebration. The celebration marked 50 years after the 1963 March on Washington monument (MOWM). There are media and systems that promoted this to many: symbolism, the creation of conversation over the economic disparity of the lesser privileged American and the positive solemn discourse over electronic and print media. I attended local gatherings to mark this event. I realized the organizers of the marches pointed out the pain but did not cut out other categories that make up America's body. The gist of the message: “ it was not enough to say African-Americans are in a sorry state, but that all less privileged need to have their status looked into.” Now that rings true and there is a true social justice mission.

one day,I walked past a gutted house and had to look. My science background about heat, convection currents and heat conservation was aroused. I looked at the house for a longer time. I did not know that the owner was irritated by “this seemingly reconnaissance person,” “who could be laying strategies for breaking in later at night or when we are not home.”

“Can I help you?” a shocking bellow much like a drill sergeant calling the formation to attention. I pictured 'Beetle Bailey' comic strips. “Can I help you?” A note higher. Angry emotions in the tone. I looked at him again, I did not avert my eyes. Another reason to suspect me. I stopped walking and turned to get back to him. I even put in an ounce of dumbness as I replied him. “Hullo, am so and so....” I said as he came at me in a very threatening way. He reminded me of Alpha males and how they are subdued. I did subdue him by greeting him loudly and asking him how I could help him. I even told him I did not understand what he was saying only that I heard him shout! I later told him I was looking at the silver foil that coats the walls. I talked physical science with him. This seemed to assure him I was not a thief. He then told me of certain races in USA that are known to be made up of thieves and burglars. He said when he saw me he thought I was a thief. I told him subtly that it is difficult to know a person that well unless you get to interact with them more often. After some time talking and him sizing me up, he realized I was a new person in USA. He asked me why we want to come to this..........( expletives, expletives) country. I said I did not understand the words he used. I am not that good in English vocabulary. He smiled for the first time. My acting dumb must have saved me. He knew he was the master of the game now. I was the errant pupil who needed straightening. Bottom line: He was sorry. He even revealed he was a PTSD. He had served in Iraq! I gave my compliments and from then on we became acquaintances.

War or strife can make us  pose questions differently. It can make us miss out on the crucial issues and relevance of things. In Syria, a very beautiful country, someone lobed Sarin gas at civilians. The containment of this material is done in special measures. Its conveyance requires logistics that are very expensive and manipulated by trained people. It is a dangerous weapon. It is even listed at various airports worldwide. My question is: who has the wherewithal to travel with Sarin gas canisters past airport officials? Who can kill over 2,000 civilians including women and children with Sarin gas? Which entity sits by as its people are butchered and massacred? Where was security?  The question is NOT ONLY whether Sarin gas was used in Syria but who is responsible ( for letting off the gas)?

I looked forward to relaxing. a friend who knows the streets far better than I took me to the various shopping malls after we attended a community fare. I moved about various displays of goods and wares. I now know where to shop smarter. No longer will it be on-line! I only managed to know these places after staying longer in USA. Neighborhood convenience stores and groceries are good for swift shopping errands but these malls that are downtown or in the other towns are good for optical nutrition and shopping a variety of things. Longevity breeds variety.

Viral attack, Nerve gas attacks, MOWM.....

I last did something to this blog a few weeks ago.
I could not open my computer.
A virus..'malware' purporting to be FBI originated
had corrupted all my files!
To undo everything, they sent a page on which they were asking for a lot of money to get me back online.
so, for many of you who have missed seeing more blogs, I was blocked for all these days.
But not to worry. Soon...I shall be fully on online.
More blogs on the way...........

To be thankful

Am thankful because am grateful

You helped me get here

 

When all that is required is to sit back.......and relax!

A poem

Ceramic in the woods

My walk is through the thick woods,

on the same trail trodden for ages,

A deer’s footprint left marks of its hoof,

either on a run or a leisurely sojourn.

A small pond hidden by overgrowth lies ahead,

Wild ducks splattering their feathers look out,

On the mark, to fly away they seem ready,

I turn at a safer distance; the alpha’s neck is stout.

A plate and fork are abandoned,

the ceramic china so out of place,

a silver fork lies forlornly cold,

there ahead lie strewn plastics and debris.

I didn’t put the deer here,

Nor the ceramic plate there,

I can live in harmony with nature,

as the  fork to kitchen.

It is not where you start...it is where you finish.

There is an African saying which can literally be translated as: 'where you are born, may not be where you are bred'. An equivalent that comes to mind and is more American: 'where one starts is not one's destiny.' A man who works as the janitor and environmental officer for a sports stadium in our neighborhood had on one of those T-shirts emblazoned with the words: It is not where you start...it is where you finish. I approached him during an intermission before one of the teams playing soccer resumed.

I approached him and told him that saying on his T-shirt was a loaded statement. I read it out loud and he said ‘true that’. I waited for him to explain further but he was clearly busy cleaning and picking all those strewn plastic bottles. That gave me time to think. I also over heard a medical team ruminating over the very saying. I was seating next to the medical camp tent.  I decided to write something short about it. I got out my note book and drafted my short essay. I decided it would be around my personal journey and throw in a spiritual quote or two.

I came to USA from the trappings of a near middle-class to a refugee who had to start from zero. I did join university to read further.  I also enrolled in a volunteer program to help other immigrants to assimilate in USA life. One of the reasons why I was at the stadium was to give morale boost to members of our program who were also part of the international soccer and cultural exchange event organized annually by this city where I live.

In order to look at this statement I had to approach it from how I spend my days. I chose to look at 3 important days in my life. The days are: yesterday, today and tomorrow. Yesterday gives us lessons and prizes. Today gives us responsibilities and tasks. Tomorrow gives us expectations and hope. It is important to deliberate on today’s responsibilities and tasks. These are the ones used to gauge or weigh us. It is these that build into the final measure expected of us. It is these that build the bigger picture.  So, what I engage in today makes up the things expected of me.  This is what fulfills me and in turn it is how I may fulfill others.  It is how I come into other peoples’ lives or them into mine. 

Jesus talked in length about us ‘minding our today’ zealously. There are many Gospel passages in which His disciples show us this. The Lord’s Prayer is one such example. I do choose Luke 12: 22-40. In this long passage we meet Jesus talking about readiness, responsibility and dependability.  We all have small tasks to do today; we may not be owners of big factories or industries. We may not be citizens in USA yet we are living within the USA borders as immigrants, aliens, or on a visitor's visa, or asylum seekers. We may actually be left in charge and on behalf of a richer well placed owner. Our task is to do the will of the owner and be accountable accordingly. The owner my ask of us to conduct ourselves as law abiding peaceful persons or any other positive task. That is the task of today. Today may repeat itself tomorrow and tomorrow it becomes yesterday. We need to learn to link the days seamlessly. We need to engage in our tasks to completion. That is what we shall be measured for. That will be our finish point. We have to uphold mindfulness, an attitude to be positive, vigilant and readiness to produce results. That will give us a good finish. We may have started haltingly as inexperienced persons but we need to finish as experienced competent persons. I now know, if I left Africa and came to USA and am so raw now, I need to work so hard to navigate through. I should not feel sorry for myself. I need to use the opportunities here to be a far better person. It is possible and it will be. One day, I shall be able to say that my life in USA changed me and made me look deeper into my strengths and use the strengths to make me a better person. I want to be a scientist, philanthropist, naturalist and writer.

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.