ICE WATER BUCKET CHALLENGE

While the ice water bucket challenge that has gone viral all over the world might be meant for a worthy cause and fun  thing to do especially during Summer when it's extremely hot and humid, I still feel that if someone wants to donate for a good cause, they will do it at free will.

My second point might be controversial and also debatable, while lots of people are busy 'wasting' water in the first world, some and their livestock are dying because of lack of just a single sip in the semi-arid and arid areas both here in Kenya and other places around the world, some child is dying because of water-related disease because he/she drank a dirty and contaminated one and couldn't afford to get the clean and safe one and the list could continue!

USA AND FOOTBALL! OH! SORRY SOCCER!

I am not a professional writer but I like to write and share my thoughts with both the like-minded people and those that are not. My train of thought might not excite a few minds when it comes to issues which are close to heart and mind but that’s why, I gave my site the name, “SEEING U.S.A FROM AN AFRICAN EYE”. And this is the reason why my view of things happening in the U.S. of A might not ogre well with some but as always, I welcome and respect positive criticism and inputs.

That aside, one thing that intrigued me or puzzled my mind, I am not sure whether those are the right words to use though, while I stayed in the U.S. for a whole year was, I never heard of anybody going to watch a football match well, we'll call it soccer for now, or little did I hear many people talk about any soccer match that was happening at that time in the States. I must admit that this was one of the things that “culture-shocked” me! The ‘absence’ of soccer or just the absence of the talk about it or just the popularity, let’s say, caused my culture shock. 

But I remember attending one of the baseball games in Philadelphia where there was a total of 74,000 fans at Citizens Bank Park courtesy of my host brother, Gene Stevenson, may God bless him.

Many people followed and continued and I still think continues to religiously follow sports around NFL, i.e., American football that looks like rugby from where I am sitting, baseball that I might have easily confused with cricket and basketball! While soccer still lags behind baseball and the NFL in popularity, more YANKS are following soccer- or football as it’s known in most places in the world to my amazement during the current World Cup, I saw a lot of my friends from U.S.A talking more about soccer than any other time in history, i.e., since I started liking soccer.

It’s this time round of the current FIFA World Cup tournaments that I was coming to learn about the goalkeeper, Tim Howard, of course with his beards, who would identify him without beards, let’s say if he shaves them off?! Americans followed their team’s performance in Brazil with passion! And I know Tim Howard today is a Hero in the US! Is this love going to continue? Only time will tell.

Let’s face it people, USMNT has always represented US Soccer Federation and competed in CONCACAF (The Federation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) and is ranked 13^th in the world according to both FIFA and world rankings and the World Football Elo Ratings. They have also appeared in the last seven FIFA World Cups and hosted the 1994 edition! But who in America talks about Soccer? And I even doubt whether the current liking and talk about the team and soccer will last.

Just a bit of history for you, USMNT achieved their best result when they reached the semi-finals at the 1930 World Cup finishing 3^rd at that time. And this was also the highest finish of any team from outside of South America and Europe. After the 1990 World Cup, the U.S qualified automatically as hosts of 1994 World Cup eventually losing to Brazil in the round of sixteen. The team has qualified for every round of World Cup since, including 2014 World Cup.

Early Years!

The first United States national team was constituted in 1885, when they played Canada in the first international match held outside UK but Canada defeated USA 1-0.

They fielded a team in the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay, the first ever #WorldCup!

In 1934 #WorldCup, they played with Mexico and defeated them 4-2.

They withdrew from the #WorldCup in 1938 and appeared in the 1950 #WorldCup in Brazil.

Months before the famous #WorldCup loss to the USA, England had beaten all-Star “rest of Europe” side 6-1 in an exhibition match what was famously called World Cup upset by Americans in 1950, the “Miracle on Grass”.

And there is more and more history about the USMNT.

My question still stands, “How long will the talk about the team last?” “How long will the passion for the team exhibited during 2014 FIFA World Cup last?” “How many people will want to ask which outdoor league is USMNT going to play next?” Or is soccer gaining popularity in the US? Why has it taken them so long?

According to some sources, the United States has been the second largest market for ticket sales this year’s games owing may be to the proximity between the U.S and Brazil.

In fact, ticket purchases by Americans have outpaced those in several countries where football is by far most popular sport, including Argentina, Mexico, Portugal, France and Italy .

Enough said!

I'll appreciate comments.

MY STORY

While in the US, I worked as a Chaplain Assistant at Lebanon County Correctional Facility (LCCF), I also worked at a Half-way house called Transitional House where the formerly incarcerated who were also on parole were housed for a period of six months as they looked for a job and saved some money to help them as they transited to the “external” world. I also volunteered on Thursdays and weekends at a Thrift Store. All these stations of work were all under one roof, JUBILEE MINISTRIES, a very wonderful Christian Ministry organization that created and still creates the needed impact in that part of East Coast of the US.

One morning while attending to some of the incarcerated men in the prison in a Bible Study, I remember one member in my class asking me,” if the God you say exists and loves humankind so much, why did He allow my two sisters to die of leukaemia ” Another one in one of my closed door case studies asked me,” You say God is there and watches over, why did He then allow me to keep the drug paraphernalia that got me arrested again and I am back here in the prison?”

The above mentioned questions are just but a few of the difficult ones that I grappled to answer. How could I justify God’s LOVE for the few mentioned above! How could I convince them that God indeed was watching and that God not only loved them but LOVED them so very MUCH!

I have been back home for now one and half years now, I haven’t had a job for a very long time, close to a year now, I have been engaged long enough and ought to have been married by now, I have my pursuit for further education pausing if not stopping, a lot of “bad” things have happened that I haven’t liked and never thought would come my way. Jobs knocks at my door step sometimes and eventually slip off again; opportunities come and before my very eyes and many others that are more personal and dear to my heart.

I have asked for God’s provision, fasted, prayed and asked God to forgive me of my sins that at some point I thought were blocking my ways, I have served in church and in my neighbourhood, may be I haven’t done enough.

But as a staunch Christian who has walked with the Lord for many years and having been brought up in a Christian family and set-up, now, regardless of my shortcomings, I have always known that God’s LOVE is UNCONDITIONAL and true, I have always asked knowing that He will give, sought and thought I could find, knocked and I have been waiting for Him to open. I have known God to be very faithful in fulfilling His promises, many are the times that I have lost sight of this fact. I have asked for signs, I have asked Him to literally speak to me and be given direction but in vain.

Many are the times now I have found myself asking the same questions the incarcerated were asking me then! I have asked whether He do care, whether He watches, whether His LOVE is still UNCONDITIONAL. Some of the times, I have asked and petitioned Him to prove that His words in the Holy Bible are not lies. I have asked Him and told Him, that, yes, I haven’t been so diligent enough in my service to Him coming from my human background of culpability to sin but at least to reward me and stand out to the many that don’t trust in Him that indeed He does reward His people. I have complained that He has taken too long to answer my prayers.

The question that has always lingered in my mind is, “Am I asking for too much?”

I will leave it at that point.

USA AND GUNS PART TWO (2)

A few months ago I wrote about “USA AND GUNS”. Many became fussy, many thought I was meddling into their sovereign country’s affairs and many were not pleased by my article on my blog while a few praised my intellect on the same. The many who fussed and complained said, ”American needs guns.” My question therefore, was, “What do Americans need guns for?”

The Newtown, in an Elementary School, Connecticut heart-wrenching shooting comes after a few months of such irrational shooting that took place during the “Dark Knight Rises” movie in Aurora.

But I want to continue to reiterate that USA needs to enact some tough gun control laws.

And if I could meet president Barack Hussein Obama face to face, I would tell him not to fear the politics in the gun regulations but to bulldoze states (this might sound African but it’s what needs to be done) with the gun regulation tough laws and it should be done now and for all so that we, yes we, don’t continue to lose innocent lives to such heinous behaviour.

Something rattles me. Whenever there is such mass shooting, it is always blamed on the mental illness/mental health problems/mental instability! This to me is an excuse to continuing to own guns. By the way if the people involved in such shooting were said to me mentally unstable, why then do they go ahead and kill themselves after killing the mass? Where do they get the reasoning to kill themselves to avoid facing the wrath of the law after the act? They know better!! Do the mentally ill fear the rule of law, do they reason that way??

As an African who has met and worked with many from America and other parts of Europe in my homeland in the name of helping alleviate poverty, disease and illiteracy, I also want to offer myself together with other like-minded Africans as well as Americans to sit down and champion for some tough gun regulation laws and say why it’s important to have them.

I can’t continue being quiet over this issue while innocent lives are being robbed away by unscrupulous dysfunctional folks in the society.

I am therefore asking whoever is willing to join me blow this trumpet notify me.

I have a special place preserved in my heart for the American people. I also have very fond memories about the same and I do value every mankind’s precious life and nobody, and I mean nobody even one with mental problem should be allowed to take such lives.

Please, let our voices be heard at least on this.

I am sorry if this blog wouldn't ogre well with any of my readers and followers

God bless

"SAD AND TRAGIC DAY FOR OUR NATION"

I read the below article from a website and I thought it could help to post it on my blog for my follower.  i hope it resonates well with you. I can't wait to read your comments.Coming from Kenya in Africa makes me see a lot of good stuff in US that the people who live there can see and thus, "SEEING U.S.A FROM AN AFRICAN EYE."

Presidential Election:

by JO on NOVEMBER 7, 2012

After hearing that President Barack Obama had just been reelected to a second four-year-term as our nation’s president I turned to my laptop and watched as Facebook suddenly became a blur of emotions, with months of political discourse coming to a head and clashing in a sea of  insults and joyous celebration.

For perspective, I posted this on my timeline:

“In 1981, my parents fled Poland two weeks before Martial law. I was 4, my sister was 8 months old. They left the only home they ever knew and came to America, because they knew it was filled with promise and opportunity rather than riddled with the side effects of Communism, like crappy health care and 5 hour long lines for stale bread. Some are elated tonight, and some are downright depressed, but know this: we get to pick again in 4 years. Before you bad mouth our country, try living somewhere else, where there is No choice and truly No hope. Count your blessings America, because there are many.”

I awoke this morning knowing our country continued to be greatly divided and that emotions were running high and I checked in on my favorite social media sites to see how everyone was faring.

But my fascination quickly turned to disgust when I kept seeing the same status popping up over and over again:

“A sad and tragic day for our nation.”

Disappointing? Sure, if your guy didn’t win, I’m sure you’re feeling disappointed.

Frustrated? Nervous? Deflated? If you were counting on a different outcome, then of course you’re likely to feel these things.

But to exclaim that this is a tragic day for our nation?

Really?

To those who truly believe the Presidential election results are tragic, let me refresh your memory of what tragic really looks like, because it seems so many have clearly forgotten:

This is what TRAGIC looks like. Photo courtesy 9/11 Photos via Flickr

Again. This is what tragic looks like. Photo courtesy 9/11 Photos via Flickr

If I sound like I’m scolding some of you, it’s because I am. Get it together people and gain some perspective. Because this country will go to hell in a hand basket not because of a single man, but because we allow ourselves to forget just how amazing and resilient and FREE our nation truly is.

Maybe you woke up this morning feeling frightened about your future because you were counting on the other guy to make things better. But you also woke up in the same country where you are Free to express your religious beliefs, Free to speak your mind, Free to choose where you want to live, and Free to think idiotic things such as “this is a tragic day for our nation.”

I urge you to find a way today to remind yourself just how good we have it, even if you’re facing economic strife or some sort of adversity. I can tell you this much: as a mom of a special needs child, there’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be because I know that even though we have a long way to go in the way of awareness, accessibility, and acceptance, we are light years ahead of so many other countries in the world.

Today I un-friended the first person since the Presidential campaigns began. She threw a tantrum on Facebook and compared our President and those who voted for him to terrorists.

I draw the line there. Those photos above? That’s the handiwork of terrorists.

So if you’re feeling a bit down in the dumps today because Mitt Romney won’t be moving into the White House come January, remember that we live in a nation where you get to do this all over again in four years.

In the meantime, empower others by getting involved in your community somehow. Do something kind for someone. Be someone’s hero. Spread kindness and tolerance. Teach your children that diversity is the cornerstone of this country and show them that not only is it possible to lose with dignity and respect, it’s imperative if we’re to move forward as nation.

Then meet up with your coworkers at the water cooler or your friends at the bar, and talk about what an idiot you think Obama is.

Because you can.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE BEEN HELPED BY THIS ARTICLE

WHY I WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!

Having lived in America for some time, I got to understand that politics and religion were some of the sensitive topics that nobody would dare talk about in public or in a group unless one got to understand really what kind of people were around them. So I most of the times shunned and have continued to avoid these thorny topics.

One thing that has really really made me to shun from meddling into this topic of politics even after being home from North America at a time when Americans were at the apex of making decision to elect their next president for the next four years was that, not many of my friends in the US supported Obama’s candidature! I would say that 1 out of 10 only did support my “uncle”.

I have struggled balancing between friendship and opinion by not contributing to this discussion for a long time on social media. Many are the times I would get hit really hard when I read many of my friends post many negative and derogatory things about Barack Obama and to maintain friendships, I felt bad and avoided the discussion because I value relationships! That’s my confession. Thank God this campaign and voting stuff is said and done.

Why I could have still voted for Barack Obama even if it meant losing with him, not because he’s my uncle, not because he’s coming from the same village where my mother came from and not because our ears and noses look alike but because of the following:

·    He was consistent all through his campaigns and never changed goal posts.

·         He admitted that things had been tough for the last four years he had been in the office. And I know many Americans blamed him for so many things during this time.

·         He always had the ideas and he laid the clear-cut plans on how he was going to accomplish them.

·         He was always very realistic even with tax deductions and stuck with it. He has been confident in himself and in what Americans are capable of doing.

·         During his tenure in Office, he managed to make sure that the Al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden was hunted down and killed. Terrorism has been a thorn in the flesh for many countries around the world and we even felt the wrath of Al-Qaeda here in Kenya when US Embassy was bombed in August, 1998.

·         He has always gone slow with immigrants since many of the them have contributed to Americans development to where she is today.

·         He moved me when he admitted that he was taking full responsibility as the president when the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya was attacked and US ambassador together with other three American citizens were killed.

·         When the superstorm/Hurricane Sandy ravaged most parts of the East Coast of US, he demonstrated leadership and did what a good president who cares about his people should do and he stood with people during such hard times.

·         He’s a people’s person, humble, social, articulate, jovial, etc.

·         In his ancestral background in Kogelo, many have felt his presence due to the many infrastructural development that our Kenyan government has taken over there in terms of roads, water, electricity, security has also improved. It’s turned to be a tourist destination for many and this has helped to facelift the region’s image and create jobs for many as well. Meaning, his leadership has trickled down to the small village in Kogelo.

N/B: The above, together with many other things could have made me to vote for my uncle even if just in case I did not like him as a person. I know many American voters would have had different reasons to vote him or to vote for the GOP’s candidate ranging from Tax cuts; employment and education, abortions, same sex marriages, pot/marijuana smoking, Medicare, foreign policies, immigration to personal attributes, etc.

But I am still glad that he WON.  

I loved it when Barack Obama said the below statement.

I think bo is his dog!!

"We're all in this together. That's how we campaigned, and that's who we are. Thank you. -bo"

The above is just my opinion, not meant to brush with anybody in whatsoever way. Since this is a very sensitive topic, I will agree to take constructive criticism, corrections and comments. Apologies to any who might have felt that his/her right has been infringed on in any way or the other.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS KENYA

UNITED STATES AND GUNS

I tried to study US and I have continued to do so even after I returned home. For one, USA takes pride in so many things one being the established infrastructure they have had and continues to sophisticate since the discovery of USA by Christopher Columbus, anyway, where and what was USA then before its discovery???

Another thing that USA continues to boast about is the “proliferation” of guns, the freedom they continue to enjoy up to date be it owning shoguns, hunting guns, etc. Some guns are even inherited by the descendants in a family line. I tend to think that once one dies, a gun should be returned or just sold back to the dealer.

Owning guns in the US hasn’t done them any good at all but rather has brought more harm than good to the citizens by many indulging in irrational gunshots here and there with the recent ones being the at Middle Town close to Empire State Building, a very prominent place for tourists visit where a gunman stealthily followed a former workmate-his boss and shot him dead-Jeffrey Johnson is his name, two shot dead, him being one and the victim and 9 others got injured.

Another case was the mass shooting during a new Batman film, “The Dark Knight Rises” at Aurora where 12 people were shot dead and 58 others wounded by a PhD student from the University of Colorado and the Wisconsin Sikh August 2012 hate shooting (domestic terrorim) where 6 were killed on the spot leaving 4 with injuries.

The above hasn’t been the only cases of irrational gun shootings; I have only managed to quote just but a few of the recent ones. There have been several others in the past in the major cities like NYC, Philadelphia, Chicago, in schools, homesteads, other social gatherings, etc. But did you know that James E. Holmes, the 24 year old PhD student at the University of Colorado bought a gun, tactic gear, vest, magazine pouch and other ammunition with your own hard earned taxes? He used to get a federal scholarship of $26,000 per year for his education!!

The following questions continues to linger and puzzle me and many others around the developing countries around the globe and the US citizens and residents;

1.       How can one just get to a shop and buy guns and ammunition like he is buying groceries and nobody seems to question what they are going to do with the same??
2.       How many of such irrational killings will it take US to get serious about gun control?

I know one thing for sure that none of my friends in the US is feeling safe when walking/strolling around their towns/cities, neither is none feeling safe attending a movie nor is any feeling safe attending a church/temple service. And for this reason, as a layman and as a non-US citizen/resident, I want to say that it’s high time the Religious sectors, Human Rights institutions, Corporate bodies, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) engage the US government in serious gun regulation/control policies.

EXCLUSIVE

What do you think of Dr. Dinesh D’Souza’s Obama’s America 2016 video trailer?

I have the following observations to make regarding Mitt Romney’s campaign conference in Florida;

1.        While addressing the attendants, Mrs. Anne Romney did not touch any issue regarding Mr. Todd Akin’s “legitimate rape” something that I expected her to at least talk about.
2.        She seemed to talk about more of their love, without becoming sensitive of how many women in that same conference doesn't have husbands to love neither is some interested in any!

Please, I would like to hear your comments, criticisms, corrections and your sincere opinions on this.

THANKS

"MISSION TOURISM"

Growing up, I could read about Missionaries and meet some from the developed world coming pretty much to help spread the Good News in our developing world. These servants of the Lord, helped spread the Good News of the Lord by planting churches, they promoted education by building schools, promoted primary health care by constructing health amenities, fought against human sufferings by forming human rights societies, people who supported destitute children with all their strength and heart and never became “Orphanage Tourists”, etc. Generally, they did a very good job, very reputable and people loved them and from the articles and books I read about them, I grew up knowing Missionaries were up for some good causes in life and people loved them! I think I am one of the Missionaries’ products from their hard work they did while they first arrived in Kenya. But gone are the days when Missionaries were Missionaries! Today, I see a lot of people calling themselves Missionaries not really living a life that the Missionaries I read about and met lived. The old days Missionaries lived a very humble life, very meek people and may God bless them wherever they are. People who truly dedicated their services to the Lord, people who were really out to help good causes and people who made sure they did what brought/took them to their places of service, very humble and dedicated people they were, people who minimized their travels abroad to help support a good cause. What I see today are people who call them Missionaries but are out to tour the world, people whom I sometimes call, “Religious Tourists”. People who just volunteer to go round the world to make money and joyride in the name of missions, people who are out to do business, enjoy good services and finally decline to go back to their original countries and eventually buying houses in their host countries and ending up staying. I have happened to interacted with a few, many who come from North America. People who have either consciously or subconsciously explicitly showed racial/ social/political hatred. Some who have come to my place of work and asked,” And who is this?” People who have come to my place of work and after ushering them into the office, ignored to greet me and others. People who have conspicuously portrayed clear indifference between us and them by enjoying services that the hosts they claim to support should have. I will leave it at that point,you are welcome to criticize,comment and correct and respect my opinion.I would be for sure so happy to hear from you.

WHY THE THIRD WORLD AND NOT THE DEVELOPED WORLD??!!

Between 2010 - 2011, I got a chance to participate in a very lovely International Volunteer Exchange Program for one of the leading North American NGO. This is a one neat program that helped me widen my horizons to a very higher notch and changed my way of thinking to a great deal, a program that draws a quite a significant number of participants from all over the world as well. The program’s main objectives were; 1. Broaden horizons; 2. Correct Stereotypes and misconceptions about other people; 3. Promote international peace building and reconciliation; 4. Vocational training, etc. The Program had other sister programs called; Serving And Learning Together and Young Anabaptists Mennonite Network. Before participating in the International Volunteer Exchange Program and Young Anabaptists Mennonite Network, every participant is warned /told not to think about staying longer in North America or about going back to North America before two years elapses upon return to their original countries or not to totally think about relocating to North America in the long run claiming the program’s objective isn’t to help participants to immigrate to North America. But let’s get things right here, there is a sister program for the same NGO I volunteered for close to a year in North America that does send volunteers from North America to different parts of the world, Africa included. These people have a choice to extend their terms of service upon completion of the first year whenever they want to and even get back to their previous areas of service. Some get back to the countries of previous service before even six (6) months elapses. I am saying this because I know a couple of acquaintances who have flown back from North America to their prior countries of service, not one, not two people. What intrigues me is why put the restriction for the developing world participants and not the developed world’s?! North America is full of goodies and everybody desires to live and earn a living there and in return give back home! I will leave it at that point!!! This blogpost is a bit controversial but you are welcome to comment,correct,criticize,etc

RE-ENTRY

THE BIG QUESTION! WHY IS IT SO HARD COMING FROM THE WEST AND TRYING TO RE-ESTABLISH IN HOME COUNTRY???

CHRISTMAS IN NORTH AMERICA!!

What a Christmas in North America!

I think I am gonna miss North Amrican way of celebrating Christmas!!
But I want to say that Christmas in North America is a no nonsense activity! It is full of business,businesses thrive during this festive season! Christmas in this land is full of running up and down the shopping malls to get gifts to share with friends and family! When Christmas draws near in N.America, everybody else start thinking of decorating their houses to bring in the Christmas moods, Christmas Carols are played all over and people run in to big debts to acquire Christmas gifts to make the others happy!

People end up getting stuffs that they already have and don't need anymore.Christmas in North America is a matter of making another one happy while you will be struggling to pay debts accrued due to trying to please the others by giving them gifts.

I don't know how to describe it but I feel, many North Americans plunge into the idea of Christmas,gifts,decorations,food, etc and for a while forget that CHRIST IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

It is high time North Americans that you just stop sharing the gifts that you already have amongst yourselves and share with the rest of the world the same for in that way, you will be reflecting the true picture and meaning of Christmas,placing Christ at the centre of Christmas celebrations.

MERRY CHRISTMAS NORTH AMERICANS WHEREVER YOU ARE!!!

NEW BLOG PROFILE PICTURE!!!!

CHECK IT OUT,YOU GONNA LOVE IT!!!

AMERICAN GRAMMAR/ACCENT VERSES OTHERS AND MINE!

For a very long time growing up, I ever adored Americans speaking in their accent and I would think and say they were speaking through their noses! I would wonder how somebody would understand what an American was saying whenever they were speaking and wondered whether at one point I would speak like Americans did/do.
When we would share a Sunday church service or other fora with some/one American(s),an interpreter would be invited to help-somebody who had had contact and conversation with Americans before,this person would be considered very smart according to my standard of rating then!Sometimes I would wonder if the interpreter was taking listeners for granted and just made some words up that he did not always grasp!

As time grew by, I grew to adore British grammar and accent which is tricky to emulate unlike American accent.By the way, I would like to imitate British accent now that I have the grammar!

Being a good English grammar student that I am, I have realized some 'loopholes' in some American grammar or accent,it tends to be a little bit 'loose' or just "fluid-like' to me and many a times I have had issues with some words' pronunciation and articulation!Over many a times I had problems writing what I could hear Americans would say/speak e.g, American would say "WORA" for "WATER","DORA" for "DAUGHTER","PITSA" for "PIZZA","RIDAS" for "RITAS", "MADIS" for "MARTYS" "PIA" for "PIER-PAYA",etc.If I would say WATER in my accent,over a hundred times, many Americans would ask,"What are/is you/he saying?" Until I would say "WORA" for one to understand!

Many a times I had people tell me,"You have a hilarious accent!" Some would say, "He has a funny accent!" " I enjoy speaking to you because of your accent!"This was great, and I stood out amongst millions of people,this would draw people to me,this made me make many friens and acquaintances! Being different in a good way is such a precious thing!

While in and out of America,the intersting thing now is, people back at home say, I have borrowed American accent which pretty much puts me in a very akward position being in the society that I come from,many would say, I am becoming proud, many would wonder how easy it would be for me to have learnt the accent in a such a 'short' time,many would adore hearing me speaking with an American trying to emulate the accent for him/her to understand me,etc and many would just take me as smart to be able to grasp all those words being spoken through the nose,crazy this is,they say I nowadays tweng like Americans do!

I will leave it at that point friends,comments,constructive criticism,corrections are all welcome.The above blog is my own independent and random thoughts expressed on a piece of page on my little blog.
Once again,thanks for being my consistent blog followers!

AMERICA AND RACISM

I have lived in North America for a period of one year and while in the U.S. I lived among Christians and went to church together with them for a period close to one year, I NEVER experienced any racial prejudice amongst this congregation, I found love and felt it in my skin.And remember a sample of population always represents the whole population.

While racial prejudism is of dismal amount in colleges and high schools in specific areas amongs the students in the US, I want to reiterate that people who tend to be racists-this is a very strong term though,are racists because of their ignorance about the importance of people and because they haven't fully comprehended the origin of both the so called Blacks, "Whites", reds and browns-light skinned.

At one time I was in a group of youth who were high-schoolers,they tended to create a lot of racial prejudice jokes and I continue to call this IGNORANCE of highest order which exposure to different cultures would help deal with to a great extent.

While people at my home ground continues to say that President Obama who has Kenyan decency in my neighbourhood is being criticized on racial grounds, I would like to say that America voters knew before hand that Barack Obama was half-black and half white and because of his good policies, he was elected to the highest position in the world. While American politicians continues to fight him politically, I would like to correct my brothers and sisters from my culture that he is being constructively criticized depending on his policies because of politics and politics is politics because it involves a lot of games and schemes being drafted to satisfy self interests! Let's leave politics to politician and Obama's presidency is NOT being criticized based on racial prejudices.

I stand to be criticized and corected on this note,this is my personal opinion.

AMERICAN HOSPITALITY, ACTIVITIES AND FAREWELL PARTIES

FOR A VERY LONG TIME I HAVE EVER WANTED TO POST THIS ABOUT THE AMERICAN PENNSYLVANIA-DUTCH HOSPITALITY THAT I HAVE BEEN SHOWN IN THIS ONE CHURCH THAT I WENT TO FOR MOST OF MY TIME AT PALMYRA FIRST EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.PENNSYLVANIA

MANY A TIMES I WAS LEFT SPEECHLESS AND TONGUE-TIED NOT KNOWING THE BEST WAY TO BRING MY WORDS OUT TODESCRIBE MY DEEP SENSE OF GRATITUDE TO THIS ONE IN A MILL

FARE=

ION MAN WHO CONSISTENTLY WAS UPTO HIS GAME THAT HE MUST TAKE ME UP ON HIS SMALL JET ATLEAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND HOURS BEFORE I LEAVE PENNSYLVANIA. I REMEMBER US TALKING ABOUT THIS SINCE LAST FALL,THE WEATHER WASN'T ALWYAS PLEASANT FOR US TO GO UP,IT WAS EITHER SNOWING OR VERY WINDY BUT REV. JOHN GORDON NEVER CEASED FROM WANTING TO TAKE ME THOUSANDS OF FEET AWAY ABOVE THE GROUND,WHEN WINTER WAS DONE, WE RESUMED ON THE DISCUSSION AND HE MADE IT HAPPEN AND HE DID IT AGAIN IN MAY BEFORE I LEFT PA FOR MICHIGAN.

WHO IN KENYA CAN TAKE HIS TIME, MONEY AND AIRCRAFT AND TAKE A POOR YOUNG KENYAN MAN FOR A SMALL JET RIDE FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS???!!!!

CHECK OUT THE PICTORIALS.

AMERICAN HOSPITALITY

I will be soon posting a story of American hospitality,watch out!

MISSIONS

Many a times Americans tend to send a lot of missionaries overseas,which is a good idea.When the American christians do this I see a lot into their mentality,'They are the only people who can save the world!'We see this everytime we have political differences in other countries,they always think of how to intervene into wars.The mentality behind this kind of thinking is that,they are the only people who can help other people!

While I get confused when people tell me,"Before I became a christian!" To me christianity means more than "just" believeing in God but having a personal relationship with Christ.

Many a times I see missionaries in Kenya coming from America,they try to do good things in those regions but I tend to think that they should shift their focus to eliminate the meantality of planting their churches in those regions and focus on strengthening the existing congregations by training stewards but not doings things for them.

I have also realized during my time of service in the USA that America needs more Missionaries than they send!
These missionaries MUST come from Africa!

PICTURES

Halloween

Taking a break for lunch from Youth Activity in New York-Clifton Springs

One of the convenient fast food restaurants

At my work place-Transition House,left is Aftercare Administrator,Joe Vangeli, right,Jim Artz-staff looks on as I help develop an Evaluation checklist for the former inmates

Horse and Buggy in Virginia,what a ride!

On the banks of Susquehanna River-Harrisburg,Pa





Gene,my host brother and Noah his son sleeping on the back after hiking the hill,we are at the peak!I wonder how much energy little Noah expended as we hiked!

  

MORE FUN PICTURES

I am seriously enjoying playing in the leaves after I had raked them,with my host brother and her lovely daughter Aria who want to marry me,I will make sure I keep the promise!

Trying my riffle to shoot for the first time,I don't remember killing a deer though



Waiting for some General TSOs chicken at a Japaneese/Chinese Restaurant.
Looking on is,left Susan,next is Ressler and my fellow friend Kimsophat from Cambodia-This was taken in Philadelphia



IVEP peers visiting in Virginia

Fishing before the pond was frozen

WITNESS Gospel Music artist in Pocono's

In the middle of nowhere-Klingerstown,Pa

QUESTIONS!!!

I was asked very funny questions:

"Do you have ice cream in Kenya?"
"Do you have apples and bananas in Kenya?"
"Do you have cookies in Kenya?"
"Do you have tables in Kenya?" "How big are your tables?"
"Do you have Mc'Donalds in Kenya?"
"Do you live in houses?"
"Do you know computer?"
"Do you have trash cans in Kenya?"

Whenever I would ask to befriend somebody on facebook,they would ask me,"You know facebook!" "Did you launch it when you were already here?" "So you mean you have computers in Kenya?"
Do you know French fries,crackers etc questions.
These were very intersting times and I enjoyed answering the questions and I still do.I have been able to enlighten friends across the board.