Getting Back to Basics for the people of Faith

As I go about my daily shuffle here in the "Big Apple", I watch the expressions of all I encounter. Each day I view so many looks of frustration, disgust, discouragement and utter dispair with the occassional illumination of a face that shows contentment and peace with their environment.

This daily display makes me realize that those of us who declare that we are people of faith have a lot of work to do in our daily walk so as to cause it to align with our much talk. We truly must get back to the basics.

If at any particular moment I can't remember all the components of the teaching from college and seminary, or if I have a lapse of memory in which I forget the tenets and liturgy of my denominational mandates, (forgive the run on sentence?), I always keep near my heart the words of the scripture found in Matthew 22:37-40, which basically tells us to love God with all of our being, and to love our fellow man. It is upon these two commandments that all aspects of our faith are built.

Unconditional, real love, heals all the ills that the world has ever and will ever face!

Grace and Peace to all.

Development in Kabala

Kabala is a wonderful town in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone, which boasts an estimated population of over 18,000. It is the district headquarters of the Koinaduga District. The town is surrounded by the Wara Wara Mountains and is near Sierra Leone's highest Mountain Peak, Mount Bintumani. Kabala is 185 miles north east of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone founded in 1787 by repatriated American and British slaves. In the Limba language the name means " at Bala" or "Bala's place"

The town incorporates two chiefdom centers, Gbawuria the center of the Limba Chiefdom of Wara Wara Yagala and Yogomaia the center of the Koranko Chiefdom of Sengbe

Kabala has very diverse culture comprised of Mandigo, Limba, Koranko, Temne and Fula.

I have met good friends from Kabala, I am hoping to do some mission and development work there soon!

Sierra Leone

In November 2006, I had Dr. Rick Kittles of African Ancestry in Washington D.C., conduct a matriclan test on me to determine my Ancestral DNA. The test discovered a 99% match with The Mende and Temne people of Sierra Leone. Of course in my excitement I begin to research the history as well as he current events of Sierra Leone.



I found much to my dismay that Sierra Leone had suffered a decades long war from 1991 to 2002, that had devastated her infrastructure and economy.



I also found however, a wonderfully resilient, kind courteous and determined people. People of a nation that was once declared the Athens of West Africa because of its pursuit of educational excellence with institutions such as Fourah Bay College.



Though presently ranked 177 on the United Nations Human Development Index, I am certain that Sierra Leone will fully rise from the ashes of the effects of war, and I am determined to help her do so!