On the Run

The future of any nation depends on its ability to build infrastructures from steel. We know how the railroad system opened up America on its quest to become a super-civilization. The utilization of iron ore was the key and the dependence on foreign steel has led to many of our problems today. Although we have railroads which are the true backbone of our economy; we procure steel from nations which don't have iron ore reserves. The cost of everything related to steel is going up and all of our major foundry's are shutting down, because they cannot compete. I had a private conversation with the Ministers of Steel in Nigeria, I warned them of the consequences of dependence on foreign steel. The context of my dialog revolved around the iron ore mine at Itakpe, in Kogii State, Nigeria. As GM of Koch Nigeria, LTD, I saw first hand why they must revitalize that iron ore mine. The initial completion of the mine represented a quantum leap in iron ore production technology which is still decades beyond anything we have on Earth today. The process known as Super-Concentrate modulates iron ore which is 45% pure to 77% pure iron ore. The iron is to hard to make nails, the nail machines can't cut it, the frequent break down makes it not economical. The fact that there are three billion tons of proven iron ore reserve in Africa, 250 million tons of which is in Itakpe would have made it possible for Nigeria to become a world leader in the steel industry. It did not happen. Imagine some one driving a new car who has never driven a car in their life. I can even take you deeper; give the controls of the Space Shuttle to a child. This is what essentially happened at Itakpe. The systematic destruction of the Itakpe Iron Ore Mine was finally stopped last year. The recommission contract was all but a done deal for Koch Nigeria, LTD. It seems like it want happen , there is nothing in the new budget for Itakpe Iron Ore Mine or Koch Nigeria, LTD. It has been talk-talk all the time I was in Abuja. We delivered every document that Procurement requested, the Director of Steel and my MD were hospitalized in the Belgium Accident, Koch gave the Indians the parts they needed to keep production going at Itakpe, and the power point presentation given by the MD at the African Steel Summit opened everyone's eyes to the spoiling of Itakpe.

A company from India was given a free hand to run production by the Nigerian government, the contract went straight from the then director to the Indians, he signed off on it, the rest is history. The contract gave a foreign nation control of Nigeria's future in the world steel industry. Once the parts; which were under the control of Koch, ran out and they defaulted on purchases from other sources, the scavaging began to keep production going. The 50 million tons of ore processed while the Indians ran the mine; a zero in the ledger of income for the Nigerian Treasury. The Indians and their associates never paid the government a dime, it was all pure profit.Where did the money go; somebody got paid. A contract with Koch Nigeria, LTD made it possible to deliver 50,000,000,000 Naira worth of parts and consumables from Belgium to Lagos to Italkpe, The testing, running and recommissioning of the Itakpe Iron Ore Mine seemed a great possibility. It didn't happen; the mine is ghost. There are talks of privatization, the Chinese, Ukrainians, and Europeans talk of purchasing the iron ore mine and the iron ore. The workers and their families are starving; This was all the result of international strategic warfare against the steel industry in Nigeria. The mine fully operational is capable of producing forty million tons of Super-Concentrate each year. You might be thinking where is the market with the current down turn in the steel market price; Nigeria is its on market, the developing nations of Africa are the Market. Let's go back to the premise that steel is the key to industrial and economic progress; What about fifty more Itakpe's all throughout Africa's iron producing belts. We put the word out at the African Summit that Koch Nigeria, LTD can construct those mines; right now. The railroads would do the same thing for Africa that it did for the United States of America during nation building time. Instead of seeing a void from the satellite in space; Africa would be shining as it takes its role in the future of civilization. The Indians were driven from the Nigerian steel industry but the destruction was systematic; it will take eighteen months to re normalize the mine. They destroyed the automation system, heavy ground equipment, the primary crusher, electrical wiring, motors, conveyors, and scavaged the two production lines to keep one running. The fourth line was never installed but they promised to do that so as to win the contract from the start of them taking control of the mine. It seems improbable that one company could be in control of all the steel production assets; mines and foundry's of a nation, destroy or spoil each one without the government taking a stand, it happened. There lacking of funding for the project represents a slap in the face of the nation of Nigeria and Africa, the world.. The table is full; only a few are eating. Oil will not, by itself, sustain nation building; if it could there would be a electrical grid in Nigeria that works. Who is in charge? The destiny of many is in the hands of a blind few should not be the story told for this Nation. It has the formula of the future; its people and in the ground.

WHO IS THIS MAN?

I deleted the article about Sir David Osunde, it was really a tirade,emotionally motivated because he disrespected me and all that I stand for as a man. Don't play with people if there is no good involved in the decision to consider that person a friend. He was like a brother to me, I looked up to him because he brought me in on a mission to help change a country, Nigeria. I watched him move towards that goal, witnessed the distress and blocks to its completion. I did all I could to escalate a vision. When he and the director were injured in Antwerp I was there; he survived and kept moving on forward to raise up Itakpe Iron Ore Mine. We lost each other somewhere on that road to Africa, my trust was all I had to offer. I am a man. No man runs my life; money does not make me. I came here empty handed, empty handed I will return. Power does corrupt but it also can get things that are positive done in Nigeria. I am signing multimillion euro contracts with out getting a euro, riding down the road to the mine with a prayer and a hope, all the time dealing with a trickster. "The sky is the limit!", he told me in London. I believed him. The haters got his ear and we became less than friends, it was hard times. Life only gives so many friends; real friends. It was taken to another level when my vacation home to America became a termination, he could not even tell me man to man. His daughter told me by relay message to my sister; it was messy. Who is this man? A dreamer? A big man stomping the spirit out of the "American' who only wanted to see Nigeria rise to its destiny throne? I am family but my abandonment was beyond the bounds, I feel worse than his worse enemy now. I don't appreciate being disrespected like that, no one I met in Nigeria can say that my vision was not strong in the hope for Nigeria; the role it will play in the future of civilization. It is a bad flavor.

Nigerian Queens

I hadn't seen her in months, she was lovely as ever. We fell in and out of love but we will always be friends. I said, " Let's get something to eat." We went to Assorted to pig out on our favorites, some of the best food in town. After a meal suit for a King and Queen we headed to a bar only she could find to chill over cocktails. "Why did you leave me, Daddy?", she had that whining tone in her voice. It wasn't going to work, she is too jealous. I told her the truth, " You are jealous for no reasons, I think you like stirring up drama." She kicked me on my leg, I kicked her back, she must have been a tom-boy; so playful. "Alright now you playing to rough, let's get out of here; your choice.", I was looking in those green eyes and wondering I must have been out of my mind to let her go.

Nigerian Queens 6

Nigerian Queen 6


I was busting out of my suits from all the dining and wining. The Nigerian cuisine is exquisite. It was too hot to get out and run. I would be running down the street and possibly get shot by an eager Mopol. There was a union uprising in Kogi State at the mine; I was on the road. I have never observed such lush emptiness before in my life. The fact was that the people were out there in the bush and villages. The vegetables were being sold on both sides of the highway, when we encountered a town it was culture shock. The motorcycles and cars were vying for dominance on the two way highway; it was a dangerous situation. I was thirsty. We pulled into the café, the merchants swamped us before we could get out of the van; they were selling everything. The joint was like the juke joints in Louisiana back in the woods, it was popping though. I ordered a round of beer to quench out the thirst. When I spoke it was if I was speaking Chinese; no one could understand what I was saying; good, it made the tension go away and we got along. I took pictures. The place was full of the energy of the hustle; I will never forget that. My cell; who is it? It was Dee Dee. A golden lady I had captivated at the bank before I traveled. “Where are you, Mr. Charles? How is your day?” she was on the hunt. I loved being the prey in Africa; my hunters where the most beautiful and cunning throughout the universe. I said, “I am on the road. Business. You want me don’t you?” She was laughing. I had called it right but we would have to wait. “I just called to see how you are doing; when will you be back?” she said. No pretense there; real women tell you upfront in Africa what is going down. Imagine a cross between a Beyounce’ and Berry, six feet tall golden Amazon. Those emeralds green’s mesmerized me from the get go; super fox. I stayed cool with it, “I will be back soon. We will dine and dance; OK. I am on a mission.” The call dropped right then, that was the last I heard from her in two weeks. We were back on the road; debris field on both sides reflecting the carnage that is involved in driving on the highway in Nigeria. By the time we made it to the mine my blood pressure must have gone up sixty points; it was like a collision derby; dangerous is not the word. We got settled in and I called my Stella. She shoulda been in Nollywood, beautiful beyond compare and she loves her some Charles; she is a doll. “Hey baby, what’s up with it? Daddy is in town, come on down. I have missed you; you know that.” I was feeling this. “I am on the way now. I missed you too; my love. I will bring food and drinks. I am so glad you are here. Oooh.” She was ripe for the taking; time does make the heart go stronger.

Nigerian Queens 5

The mopol’s were putting there foot’s down in the compound and on the streets; security was a must in Abuja. The previous night the bad boys made a move against the rear of the compound which was rare in this neighborhood. It was just a check out following shots being fired the night before in the streets in front of the compound next door. I heard shots fired; the security rushed to the back and found nothing. A car in the front warned the intruders in the back to retreat; they were checking out our resolve. The mopol were on edge and some worker got out of line and was stomped down. Justice is quick and immediate in Abuja; bad boys run in gangs of ten, twenty, and sometimes thirty strong, armed to the teeth. I had to be careful of my coming and going; we were on high alert, something was going down. “Hi. Where are you?” it was Omar with her fine self. “I’m ten minutes away. Can I come pick you? We have a date: remember?”she said in that seductive voice that is so irresistible. “Things are in chaos, I got to be careful, come on.” we just had to disappear in the weekend rush. When she drove up in front of the compound she had an angel of delight with her named Rose. I got in back. “Mr. C this is Rose.” It was two against one, “Hi, Rose. How are you doing?” “ I’m good. Omar told me about you and I decided to come along if she needed backup.” I was laughing inside so hard it hurt, “You know kung fu? You strapped?” She asked what strapped was and laughed hard too. “You got ninja skills or you kill with your beauty?” I let the air of that situation and told Omar we need to get on the move. The Assorted is an up scale eatery, professionals have their cars parked there until it closes; assorted might give reference to the multitude of fine Abuja women who frequent the place. It was like we had just dropped in from Mars, the crowd was talking loud, blam; Omar and Rose put a spell on the noise, they rank as topnotch any where on earth. We got in line and ordered, I got a table with clear views all around front and back. I was on razor ALERT. Omar said, “I know what I want for dessert.” Rose said, “Me too.” I felt like a steak in a lions den. I capped back, “I want a double dose of something sweet and hot. Two sugar wugar’s with cream on top.” They burst out laughing; message received loud and clear. Rose was here for the weekend, bored from the college stress. They were both going to school in Benin; an ancient center of learning, still going. The meals got to our table quick, I was starving. Nigerian women are something else if they like you; they both took turns feeding me. I was a little embarrassed but kept it cool. I was being Kinged by two of the baddest women in Abuja; it gets no better than that. I felt honored to be in the service of two flawless queens; I’ll never forget that day. “I want to go to the Hilton, Mr. C., We can have breakfast there: Ok?” Omar looked at Rose, “I want bacon and eggs, Orange juice, sweet bread, and coffee. OK?” I just hit the jackpot; bingo! “What time is it?” I had to say something to throw them off, I was going to the Hilton but we had to pick up boots, a bottle and some water. I paid the tab. They sandwiched me on the way out; I must have been the envy of every man in the Assorted that day. I love women who love back; from the soul. We headed for the Hilton; Abuja’s play ground for the rich and famous. The lights came on as we neared the hotel, it is a huge edifice, traffic backed up around the corner. We had no problem getting a suite but going through the lobby was a blast; these women mesmerized the throngs of partiers and guests; stood out like diamonds on black velvet. Our glasses tingled as the first toast of many that night, “To the good life, to the long life, let me see what you working with?” I knew I was in Touble but I did not care, you only live now. The lights went off, Nepa, when they came back on in less than a minute; I was standing in front of the most dazzling display of womanhood ever put on this world. They rushed me; you know who won?

Nigerian Queens 4

The spirit of a woman is the most exquisite entity in the universe; her very existence is the balance of absolute. The ebbs an flow of her well being determines the fate of destiny; we need treat her as queen no matter the circumstances. If you know one woman; you know them all.
Their connection in the world of bliss is crucial so don't take her for granted. She needs to be satisfied; with the big S in satisfied.
As the waves of pure bliss made us oblivious to the world, a realization experience invaded my my mind. I had been with plenty of women but this encounter had taken on a mystical quality; it felt like a soul blending. The give and take of this interlude pressed me to the utmost of blisstivity. The power of our struggle; that moment right before dawn, but held down by a force to mysterious to contemplate. I was shaking; plateaus never envisioned washed through my body. She was getting hers, so lovely, as the peaks and valleys played with the precipice of ultimate gratification, her aura was golden. I was enjoying every moment of this exploration of the unknown; we were going somewhere else. I could hear my heart pounding, my ears were stopped up; the only sound I could hear was us. She burst through to a new level of motion, " UMMMMM! Just like that; YES!" That door was opening, we turned the key; BLAM! She was moaning, shaking, crying and beating my ass, " Just like that, give it up, bliss with it, hehhhh!" I whispered in to her ear. I held on for dear life, " You killed me. You too strong. Don't stop. Ooooooh!", she wasn't going to let go. I went through the top, the dam blew apart opening us to a new state of being, I exploded, the bed collapsed, I didn't relent. The voice I heard shouting; it was mine. We floated, swept away to a dimension beyond existence, thusness; undescribable bliss. I kissed her, wiped away the tears, " You OK? I got you; just hold on to me, I'll never let you go.Never." I was whispering as though the cosmos might hear every word I spoke; wrapped up in and out of each other. " I feel like a woman. It is like I am awake again; not a rag doll like I have been treated by men here. You made me climax. I'm feeling this all over my body and mind. You strong; I like that.", she confessed, flinging her self all over me, showering me with kisses. We had taken control of the new ground, " You with me?" I like this about her, she looked me straight in the eyes and said, " I'm with you, C." We both won, I thought you knew.

Nigerian Queens 3

She got up from the bed and just stood there; I guess it was show down time. I was about to bust but I stayed in control. I had to say something, " I guess it is time for desert; what will you have?' In one motion, a back reach and a wiggle; the dress hit the floor. I was standing in front of a naked Amazon with all my clothes on, she stepped to me, I hugged her for all I was worth. In a blur, shirt, trousers, shoes, t-shirt, socks and boxers flew off my body; we were equal. I picked her up, placed her on the bed like she was priceless fragile, " You gonna take it easy on me, I been virgin for two months, right?", looking into her sultry eyes and playing with her ear. " Mr. C you are in big trouble tonight, call for help while you have a chance, I'm poppin that cherry!", we both had to laugh off that remark. The fire of ecstasy had been lit, I stroked her body from toes to the top of her head with my fingers, soft touching until she trembled. Her hands were all over me firing up my arousal, soothing me with the anticipation of unbridled passion, " Oooh you make me feel so good, I'm hot, do me C, give it to me, I can't take much more of this, please." she moaned as pre-climax stirred her body. I kept right on tormenting her, touching and tasting until she actually shuttered and bucked in the bed. She reached out for the prize, but I had to boot it up, safe than sorry, we met on the field of lust; two warriors united in the battle of ultimate climax. Guess who won?

Nigerian Queens 2

I would pass this hotel, Embassy Suites, were lovely women seemed to be flocking, I made that my chill after work place. The patio was just what I needed to have a drink and relax; it was secure also. I was doing my usual; sipping on beer and checking my cell. It must have been my lucky day; I saw them before they saw me: two super foxes. The one in the back did a double take, she was a cutie pie. It took all of twenty minutes for her to reappear heading my way, " Hi. My name is Sunshine, you want some company?" She was fine like sweet Georgia wine, looking like she wanted to be mine. I said, " Hi yourself. I'm C. Sit your bad self on down. They must have sent you from heaven; I am blessed by your presence. What you drinking on?" I must have been dreaming so I took a bite, she was real and I was alright. Good fortune was smiling on me; I wondered what she was doing here at the Suites. Joe had told me about the college girls looking for fun and action; they come in for weekend fun. I would have given my eye teeth to be with her; I let the flow work on its on. I spotted the waiter, " Bring me a bottle of your best red wine. Baby girl would you like to dine?" We made our order, their food was topnotch she must have been hungry; I told her to get what she wanted. " You must be a college girl; what clique you with?" I had hit a nerve, she said, " I am not with a clique. I'm from Jos kicking it for the weekend with my friends and cousin. We on break. what you doing here Mr. C ?" I opened up to her quiz, " I'm just in from Dallas. America. I work contract." The ice breaker went over with out a glitz; it was like we were old friends. As usual she asked questions about America, everyone in Nigeria wants to come to America; it is an obsession. The attire was revealing but amplified her awesome charms, she was topnotch. I could get use to her fast and in a hurry. She pulled her chair closer and said, " Do you have a room? We can dine there and be alone. I want bite." I said, " Lets get out of here. How much is a room?" I t could have been ten thousand, no matter to me; I was holding a hundred thousand bank roll. My cell went off it was O, " Where are you? I'll be glad when Saturday arrives." I excused my self from Sunshine, " I'm at the club with a friend. What's up? We still on for Saturday?" " What club you at? I can come and be with you now.", she blurted out. I had to put my foot down on her, she was playing me too close; breaking my rules, " It is just me and the fellows, I'll call you in the morning OK?". I knew she had to say yes, check, I knew what she was thinking. Some of the energy left her voice, " OK. We can go to the Assorted for dinner, what time do you want me to pick you up?" I said, " Seven will be fine, don't be late; I look forward to seeing you again brown sugar." Sunshine was taking it all in, " That must have been your woman." " I best let you know this now; this ain't no game, be close, don't play close. Let's get that room." The way I said that bought a smile to her face; she wanted a take charge man. We got the luxury suite for eight, I told the counter person to make sure the waiter had a wine bottle opener. I patted her all the way to the room, she stopped and hugged me like we were missing each other; a mature young woman. I would need my power, she was on fire. I tossed her on the bed, rushed her, my hands were every where; she said stop, " Let's take our time." I was just testing her; a master does everything slow, with no effort. We were watching a movie when the food and wine showed up; I flashed my bank roll, gave the waiter a five hundred tip. I opened the wine for our first toast, " Destiny is a cup of water. Life is a sip of the cup." I was cinching her, " You know the right things to say and do. I like you." I said, " I want to be your friend." We sat down and ate slow , enjoying the moment, the wine was superb. I wonder why she didn't answer my question, about being her friend, " I am your friend right? I am going to tap that fine ass right?' She couldn't contain herself, with laughter she said, " Yes. Yes. I want you tonight!" I chuckled, " You taking a old man too fast; I am going to have turn you in to the authorities. You something else. tonight it is."

Nigerian Queens 1

Nigerian Queens

1


It was hot in November; it was cold in America. I felt good being suited down everyday no matter how hot it was during the day. I had been cooped up in Germany for a month, after I got over a very nasty sinus infection I was getting back to my old self. I had never seen so many beautiful black people every day in my life; it was like heaven. I was glad that English was the official language because their different languages would have made communication a nightmare. I was sharp and ready for anything, plus the women were so friendly. I met my partner Joe and he gave me a run down on how to work this paradise; this was going to be fun. He told me that being a mogul was worst way to start; they gave money for everything. I had been to church but it was uncomfortable trying to catch women in that setting. The disease rate was so high that what looked good might not be good for you. I bided my time and kept busy on my work; the days flew by as meeting after meeting consumed my time each day. The Ministry was the place to be as the beautiful seemed to work there; I couldn’t wait to go their to confer with the Minister of State who would eventually become a trusted friend to me. I got an invitation to have drinks with a acquaintance that I had befriended in London; he said, “I’ll show you the town. You don’t know the rules. This is my town. “The club was layed back and I was being introduced to so many people that he knew, men and women; he had it going on. We partied hard, the Nigerians don’t play with their drinking; I had drank with the best of them, I was hard pressed to keep up. We were leaving, a Little Kim double, she had scoped me out all night, showed up within spitting distance, I said, “ I want to be your friend. Put your number in my cell, I going to tap that ass.” The smile, then the OK, she gave me her number, I was happy as a rat in a cheese factory. It happened so smooth no one even caught on to my play for this fine young woman. I didn’t call her for three days; she called me. “What you doing? You could have called me. I want to see you again.” I played like I was having meetings and we could get together that weekend, “I been hella busy. We got to do something this weekend, I’ll call you then OK?” She purred back, “We on. I know this nice place that we can have dinner and drinks. You my friend.” I thought about the guy she was all over at the club; he acted like he was her man. I was in a high level position and really didn’t need any trouble, “What if you run into your man and you with me. I don’t play. Keep it real my attitude.” She hesitated for a moment before saying, “He blew it. I found out he got some one else. We want be bothered. OK?” I was willing to find out anyway so I said, “So it is on. See you then, I play to win. Can you dig it?” The way I talked caught Nigerians off guard because they really hadn’t heard a real brother articulate and says what he means. “We can have fun; I’ll show you the town while you are here; how long are you going to be here?” “I got a contract for six months, then six months or until the project is finished. We got time on our side now; don’t try to play me.” “ I don’t play; you will see.”

TRAPS

Trap of being bound by concepts
The trap of being bound in non-conceptual states
The trap of being caught up in effort
The trap of grasping at appearances as true
The trap of seeking elsewhere for ultimate truth
The trap of grasping empty forms as having characteristics
The trap of the view of emptiness that loses sight of the true nature
The trap of aimlessly chattering about your realization of enlightenment/nirvanna
The trap of meditation on voidness, as futile as throwing a stone in the dark
The trap of enduring suffering because you missing the key points
The trap of searching for the hidden flaw of mind
The trap of putting the mind nowhere, it is everywhere.
Stay Alert.
Essence.......Nature.........Energy
The world is what you think it is.
Reasoning that examines ultimate reality
Wide Awake

Miracles Still Happening

The bus was jammed packed, like sardines in a can. We still had three hundred miles to go to get to Abuja. The bullets rattled against the side of the bus, we were under attack in broad daylight. The convoy leader bus was in deep trouble, people were jumping out of windows heading for the bush, women ,children, and men running for their lives. The road bandits were after them, cutting them down in a hail of AK-47 fire. The driver of the third bus spun it around, smashing into cars trying to do the same thing : go the other way. It was panic to the extreme, one of the cut off cars ramed the bus, the front of it peeled off as the driver sped down the two lane superhighway, he was flying. the people were shouting for him to slow down, they would rather surrender than die like this, in a crashed bus. He didn't hear a word, he gunned it.
The second bus was not far behind, the firsrt bus didn't make it, we stopped at the gas station. People were jumping out of the bus and running into the bush, the mopol went in and changed clothes, got armed and headed for the ambush.'We heard later that the bandits had killed and robbed almost everyone on the bus and cars caught in the melee. A miracle happened that day, the bus we were on had no injuries or deaths, the bus was riddled with bullet holes, God is still doing miracles. There is no highway patrol in Nigeria, just the bandits with automatics having their way. It is so tragic. The bandits got away.

ak-47

Nation Builders

They stepped up when the time to keep Nigeria united was the only option; no one kows the future. Nigeia will modify ciivilzation; it can't be stopped.

Next Day

NEXT DAY

Next day a revelation of what we could have been,

Warped on a point called lose or win,

Struggle in the face of who has the plan,

Doing everything to remain a woman or a man,

Without, a war beyond the possible future,

Life devoid of basics has no cure,

Having is the only game in this town,

No money, poverty is sure to take you down,

Then it’s the streets or you,

Day after day with nothing approaching new,

Languishing there in a deep well of confusion,

What you had or could have had the new illusion,

Blocked from hope, broken to the point of do or die,

Looking for the will to try,

Then you look in your children’s eyes with dreams on the fade,

Get them out of the heat but there is no shade,

So unreal to be lost in this land of plenty,

Just another speck in the sea of the hopeless many.

Rust Bucket

Ravages of War: Rust Bucket

The aftermath of mismanagement made the steel industry a ghost. The capacity to industrialize was systematically denied. A nation with billions of tons of iron ore; buying steel from abroad. The paradox of greed in its most destructive form.

Iron Mine: Fields of Dreams

Hold Your Head Up; God Loves Us All

Children of the Chairs: Future Still On

Hope's Doorway

Help is on the Way; A little, so much.

I was on a collision course with destiny but did not know it. This was a lesson in learning the smallest help can go a long way in life. I wondered were the people begging out side the church running game. They had so many serious handicaps: arms missing, legs missing, hands missing, blind, deaf, wheel chairs, walking on two hands sitting on mobile boxes, mothers with children begging in the heat. Each Sunday it seemed as though their numbers increased; I gave as much as I could. It seemed as though the epidemics had ravaged the old and young. I remember how polio had taken so many of my classmates and friends in the 1950's in America. It has been eradicated there but what happened here is a tragedy. I eventually found out that the drugs never made it to many of the crippled and maimed. The dreams of so many were blown away in a wind of suffering. The people who are providing the things that we take for granted; shelter, food, clothing, medicine, and most importantly hope, they are the God sent; hero's. There are organizations by the numbers existing just to help misfortune through another day. The fact that I was living in the home of a great benefactor and highly religious family inspired me to help more. I couldn't be a passerby; I became a helper, a giver. I was not a charity. When little Sandra was able to receive her operation to save her sight; that opened my eyes to destiny. If I didn't do anything else while in Africa: I had almost gone blind in my early years, a vision saving operation restored my sight. The families of my friends that needed my help were never denied.

I asked Gift," Are you in school?" She said, " I don't have money for my fees and books. I want to be somebody one day." The children are the future. They can not far without an education; why must they pay to learn? I made sure she got to go to school; I told her to be smart, stay smart. The mother sitting at the market entrance with the three children; They drunk and ate that day. The photo is the winners of a choir contest, Christmas, they are all disadvantaged but

the joy in their faces and bodies; you wouldn't have know if I had not told you so. I was in Benin for a jubilee for the children; Santa Clause was in the house. You could feel the emotion, the joy of life overwhelming all the children no matter their fate or condition. Where there is a will, there is a way: you never know what's coming for you. I collided with destiny so many of the days I was in Nigeria; God knows I tried. I will be back to finished what I see i can do now; a little can go a long way. What is God's will, how can I help God my mission. Peace.

Celebration

A day of hope and thanks in Benin.

Ancient ways thrive today. Art in Benin.

Photo Journal: Nigeria