Celebrating Africa

Lucy Adams

2006-03-23T12:07:35+01:00

What has been developing in my life in the last two decades has been very exciting. I began writing the story of the great hymns of our Christian faith. First on radio, then newspaper and finally into a book entitled: 52 HYMN STORY DEVOTIONS. My web site explains my ministry with the book and other stories. www.52hymns.com
One of my latest stories brought the music of Africa to our church. The Zambian Choir was a true miracle of perfect harmony and great joy. I wrote the story for my newspaper. Now I am happy to submit it to this book about the many blessings that the continent of Africa and its people give to the world.
My husband and I are thankful to have three wonderful grandsons whose ancestry is African. I want them to always know their history even though they are often called mixed race children or African Americans. Generations ago, their roots went deep into the soil of Africa and its' beauty.
I praise God that they are a part of our family in a day when bi-racial marriages can be difficult. But our hearts are full to overflowing with love. Praise be to God who created us all.
Lucy Neeley Adams
Lake Junaluska, NC (USA)
www.52hymns.com

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The Dark Continent? By Brian Otido

2006-03-13T15:07:46+01:00

The equation Africa = Dark Continent is not only crude but also disheartening. It is, however an equation that is generally accepted and acknowledged by many as if it were holy writ. To some considerable degree those who associate Africa with darkness are not to be blamed- at least not entirely. For a number of years now, the world media led by multinational broadcasting corporations have painted a consistently bleak picture of Africa. Hunger, wars, natural disaster and the numerous pestilences that plague Africa have been permanent features of their news reports.

Granted, the above-mentioned woes do plague Africa and as such they have to be dealt with. For instance, the millions of starving children in Somalia, Niger and even Kenya cannot simply disappear. They represent a problem to Africa and the world at large, a problem that has to be faced. To ignore the existence of such a grave matter would be to subject oneself to denial and self-deceit. By reporting such incidences the world media is in a sense, simply dong its job.

However, by reporting only the sad and horrific stories that abound in Africa, those of the media are in another sense not doing their job well. Sure, such stories may make the world gape in shock and cringe in disgust from the safety of their TV couches and that’s about it. They hardly ever move their viewers or readers to taking decisive actions. Instead they present a one-sided and limited view of African affairs.

Africa has got problems- true. But then so do all other continents and everyone alive for that matter. Africa has got problems- true. But then problems are not all Africa has got. Africa as a continent presents a bigger picture which is yet to be explore and appreciated by the world.

Africa is full of thrills and surprises that make it so much more than just a dark continent. It is full of outstanding natural phenomena that have baffled geographers and scientists alike. For instance, there is the geographical conundrum presented by the second highest mountain in Africa, Mt. Kenya. It has a cap of snow at its tip despite the fat that the equator just touches its southern tip. Not to be forgotten are the Great Rift Valley, the magnificent Nile and the mystery of Senegal’s Pink Lake. These marvels of nature along with countless species of flora and fauna endow Africa with unspeakable beauty.

The most remarkable thing about Africa is the people- a people with a rich and diverse culture that stretches back to the days when men slaved to build pyramids in Egypt’s valley of kings. A people who have learnt to endure trials and tribulations together and yet live each day after the next with a smile and an ever-cheerful disposition, celebrating life with dances, stories and poems.

When all is said and done, the logical conclusion is that Africa is not a dark continent but a land full of beauty and mystery, a land that is unique by virtue of the wonderful people who call it home.

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My Home Town

2006-02-15T12:41:25+01:00

Welcome to Mtwapa, my hometown.

Try to imagine this beautiful tourist town, with a picturesque sandy beach overlooking the clear blue-jade waters on the east and coconut tree farms on the west. Beautiful homes and luxurious hotels line up along the beach like curious onlookers eager to unravel the mystery of the ocean. Further inland, simpler but still beautiful homes built with coral rock and thatched with palm tree fronds dot the scenery, becoming more concentrated along the Mombasa-Malindi Highway that cuts across the little town I grew up in.

Perhaps more beautiful to me than the scenery are the people and their amazing culture. You see, because it is a tourist town, the inhabitants of my little home town include the native mijikenda clans and swahili arab tribes as well as numerous other Kenyan tribes people who have migrated from other parts of the country in search of work. Very important inhabitants of the town are the short term and long term foreign residents from numerous countries on the globe. Together they create an amazing blend of warm, kind, hospitable and friendly cultures with deep and strong values that I grew up learning.

Mornings in Mtwapa are very interesting. Starting with the early morning muezzin from the local mosque that calls the Muslim inhabitants for morning prayers, the town comes alive in energetic vibrancy. In a few minutes you can hear the rushing feet of the Muslim worshippers rushing for devotion, and the happy calls of the cart pushers preparing for a busy day ferrying goods and water for their clients. If you go out onto the narrow dust lanes you can see the local women preparing to sell the local breakfast delicacies which include a sweet deep fried bread called mahamri and delicious peas cooked in coconut milk known as mbaazi. There is a special brew of coffee that is usually served to the town's older men. It is known as kahawa chungu. You can see the men settling at barazas (public courtyards) after the morning prayers and sipping at the bitter coffee while discussing business and local events.

By mid-morning it is already very hot, but most of everyone has managed to accomplish a large part of their planned daily activities. The women in the homes are already done with their household chores and the men outside are slowing down with their manual tasks. Business however must go on without ceasing. The children at the local schools recite information and work on arithmetic with determination. Then everyone takes a break for a cold refreshing drink before carrying on with their work.

I remember when I was about ten or eleven; I had some friends who lived in a house built in the old Arab style. We used to go up to the parapet in the afternoon after school. Up there we would play games and look down on the little town slowly winding up the day's activities. As we grew older and our parents slowly released the leashes of protection, we found our way to the beach where we could play beach soccer, volleyball, and even challenge the ocean by swimming, jet skiing or windsurfing.

Later on, when the sun was setting, it was time to be home, to help with chores. After the evening meal, most families sit outside on the verandahs looking out into the beautiful starry skies, listening to the distant rumble of the ocean and the closer whistle and whisper of palm and pine trees. It is at these times that the older ones impart the wisdom and understanding of time and life to the younger ones.

Life continues in my little hometown through the night, lulling at some point in the late of the night but picking up with a burst of resilience at dawn. This is the life of my little hometown.

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