The global war between the bearded and the clean-shaven

There is a silent war being waged in every corner of the world between the bearded Jihadists who want to prevent the spread of what they refer to as “materialist western influences” in the areas they control or intend to liberate and the clean-shaven Western leaders bent on democratizing the world. Jihadists refer to clean shaven men, regardless of their faith, as womanish, irreligious, satanic, pagans, and selfish disbelievers. On the other hand, the clean-shaven western leaders see the bearded Jihadists as fundamentalists, uncompromising tyrants and terrorists, retrogressive and oppressive, retarded, and religious addicts. When western powers arrest suspected Jihadists or terrorists, their first course of action is to shave the suspect’s beards ad infinitum before initiating any interrogations while the Jihadists force their western prisoners to grow beards, trim their moustaches, and if applicable, convert them to their faith. Today’s men are divided into the bearded, clean-shaven, bewhiskered, mustached, and balding and those with mutton-chops, side burns, facial plumage, dreadlocks, and other types of facial hair styles. In historical antiquity, unshaven men came to be regarded as ‘barbarians” which implied the “unbarbered” or appearing untidy.

The history of shaving stretches back to thousands of years when copper was first discovered by early man. Ancient Egyptians shaved their beards and heads-a fashion adopted by the Greeks and Romans and applied by their armies as a deterrent aimed at discouraging the enemy from grabbing their hair during hand-to-hand combat. Even to this day, modern armies supply the bulk of shaving razors to the men and women in uniform as dishevelment is a betrayal of the military code of ethics and good conduct. A serviceman or servicewoman who is not in the right military fatigues may be described as “improperly dressed” and could be subject to harsher penalties. Scipio Africanus Major (236-183 B.C.), the conqueror of Hannibal in 202 B.C, was highly regarded and copied in the region of Rome for establishing innovative approaches to being clean-shaven. Around 50 B.C., Julius Caesar (101-44 B.C.) used tweezers to remove body hair on a daily basis. And in the 4th century B.C., Alexander the Great encouraged the shaving of facial hair. Aztec Indians of North and Central America and some Central African tribes shaved with razors made from the volcanic glass obsidian. Between 1096 and 1270, Europe opened its eyes to the luxuries of Middle Eastern life with novel costumes, traditions, and toiletries greatly impacting the crusades.

Men have been bearded since time immemorial. Egyptian Pharaohs wore fake goatees as a sign of holiness, nobility, and kingship. One explanation for the goatees worn by the pharaohs was that pharaohs were in charge of or responsible for leading the flock (the people) to the right directions. The idea of the Pharaohs wearing fake goatees may have its roots in the male goat popular in the Egyptian landscape those days. Because the leading goat known as the “He-goat” or “Billy-goat” is as you would expect accountable for leading the rest of the goats or flock, likewise, pharaohs symbolized the “Billy-goat” role by wearing goatees for the sake of leading the flock spiritually, politically, and economically. Even the female Pharaoh, Hatshepsut, is represented wearing a false beard. Most Pharaonic statues and sarcophaguses display drawings or carvings of Pharaohs with fake beards.

In Islam, according to the Sunnah (traditions), the mustache is to be trimmed and the beard left untouched though the beard has become a symbol to be scoffed at. Muslims are divided whether it is Haraam (prohibited) to shave the beard or Mustahabb (a good act), not to shave. Besides the beards, Muslims are encouraged to shave or trim pubic hair every 40 days as an act of hygiene. Muslim Sheikhs, Hindu Gurus, Sages, some Christian priests (depending on denomination), and Hasidic Rabbis keep beards as a sign of religious devotion and leadership. In Judaism, it is strictly forbidden to shave with a razor. The use of scissors which is double-bladed is preferred. The Book of Leviticus and the Book of Ezekiel have regulations on the shaving of the beard for priests. In some Jewish sects, there is a prohibition on the shaving of the corners of the head with particular emphasis on the tarnishing of the corners of the beard for the priests. A practice known as tonsure, which is the cutting of hair from the scalp of clerics, devotees or holy people as an act of reproof of worldly sparkle and admiration, is common among Buddhist monks and novices, some Hindu temples, mystics and Christian churches.

The patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church is bearded. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has full-blown beard. The founder of the Sikhism, Guru Nanak, was bearded and is revered by millions of followers. Sikh men are prohibited from shaving their beards. The head of the Egyptian Coptic Church, Bishop Shenouda III, the 117th, Pope and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, is bearded. Some former Communist leaders like Karl Max, Vladimir I. Lenin, Ho Chi Minh, Fidel Castro, and Che Guevara, were all bearded. So was the Iranian revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Khomeini. Popular African leaders who were bearded include the former President of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, and Ethiopia’s former Emperor, Haile Selassie.

Of the 44 Presidents of the United States, the current President-elect included, only five were fully bearded. They were Abraham Lincoln (though he was clean-shaven one time), Rutherford Hayes, General Ulysses Grant, James Garfield, and Benjamin Harrison. Statistically, 90 % or 94 million of American men over the age of 15 will shave 275 times per year or 20,000 times between the ages of 15 and 75.

With the advancement of razor technology, it is easier to trim and shave today than never before. The discovery of modern razors marshaled the era of the Wilkinson razor founded in London in 1772, and Gillette, founded in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A, by King C. Gillette in 1901. Besides, the fabrication of these obsolete razors into modern hand-held electric and battery operated machines that rotate thousands of times a minute and the marvelous demonstration of some razors that sense and avoid cutting into skin, have, in the course of history, become a source of jubilation for women and men shavers and trimmers alike.

Paradoxically, materialism and the fervent inclination towards the clean-shaven cheeks philosophy has altered the profile of the beard and reduced it to a symbol of fear and ridicule. Nonetheless, since the 9/11 incident of 2001 that shook the United States and the simultaneous bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, security at major world airports have been tightened with much scrutiny and heightened focal points shifting to bearded men exhibiting suspicious activities and unintelligible languages. On the other hand, the Bali bombings of Indonesia, the recent 2008 Mumbai bombings in India and other subsequent terrorist activities in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Pakistan, have, succinctly, created so many twists and turns in global security such that so many legal amendments aimed at curbing the spread of fanaticism and other forms of narcissistic tendencies that undermine peace, security, and democracy have been formulated by nations united in the fight against terrorism.

Despite global beard phobia, mustache and beard competitions draw great crowds every two years with the last attraction held in Brighton, England, on September 1, 2007-a prime example of how facial hair is grabbing international headlines. The next event will be hosted by the South Central Alaska Beard and Moustache Board and is scheduled to be held in Anchorage, Alaska, on May 23, 2009 with the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Board being in the list of major sponsors. Perhaps, every man who participates in this event will have one thing in mind: win a fabulous prize or trophy and emerge a world champion in the Guinness Book of Records.

Despite the splendor and glamor of the forthcoming Anchorage Beard and Moustache Competition, the war between the clean-shaven democratic leader and the bearded Jihadist will continue for an infinite period until the moment when the conqueror and vanquished emerge for historical determination after a lot of innocent blood had been shed. History has its eyes on when the Jihadist conqueror will in the closing stages force the vanquished clean-shaven western leader to grow beards afresh or when the victorious clean-shaven western leader will clean-shave the subdued bearded Jihadist. This brings us to the conclusion that the war being fought between the Jihadist and the clean-shaven leader is nothing but ideological. It is a war of minds and a bitter struggle for the world’s dwindling resources.

A NATION IN SEARCH OF VISIONARY LEADERS

The international community, having spent millions of dollars on Somali refugees and national peace efforts, is unable to understand what the best solution to Somalia’s volatile situation is. Likewise, Somalis, whether in Somalia or in the Diaspora have no hint as to why their politicians have exhausted all their energies and failed to stabilize their nation that is in such a sorry state. Anyway, Somalia is not the only country to have experienced devastation of such magnitude. Furthermore, peace is always preceded by war and destruction. The world experienced two major world wars; the Vietnam and Korea wars had debilitating effects on life and property; the Cold War took its toll stealthily for fifty years; the fight against colonialism in Africa took the lives of millions; the Balkan wars of the 90s decimated populations that once lived in peace and harmony under strongman Broz Tito; the Rwanda genocide of 1994 has gone down in history books as one of the worst mass slaughter since WWII; Cubans endured fifty years of one-man rule under Fidel Castro in an Island that is only 90 miles off the coast of Florida and millions of poor people die daily due to lack of adequate food while affluent nations dump millions of tons of edible foods. Dictatorship is strife in many parts of the world; refugees remain vulnerable in Asia and Africa; human rights violations, rampant corruption, ethnocentrisms, and disparities in education remain commonplace even in the most powerful democratic nations.

So, when will Somalia settle and pick up the pieces? The answer to that lies with the so-Somali called leaders who continue to hold this tiny nation of nomads, ransom. Somalia is a poor country with abundant unexploited agricultural and mineral resources. Peace, education, the right technology and expertise are the requirements for rebuilding ramshackle Somalia. The suffering and destitution we currently see in the eyes of the dying millions can be overcome only when the hypocrites who are holding Somalia ransom either concede defeat or find the middle ground for the good of the war-wary peace loving citizens. Somalia’s cold-blooded leaders have assured security detail manned by ruthless underpaid trigger happy youth driven by vague orders and mind altering drugs. These bogus leaders have kept their children out of harms way and enrolled them in first-rate educational institutions. These children are the most fortunate of all the kids of Somalia as they live hassle-free lives in the Middle East, North America, and Asia as far as Oceania.

Somalia lacks effective and visionary leaders with the credentials of a director, facilitator, producer, mentor, and even broker. These are the roles required of modern leaders. The men who hold the reins of power in Somalia are first and foremost semi-literate colonels trained in the former Soviet Union and member states of the former Warsaw Pact. Thus, their communistic receptiveness coupled with fascistic mentalities are out rightly irrelevant or inapplicable to a nation that experienced only nine years of democracy and civil administration. It is a requirement for a leader to have strong will and total commitment to piece together a fractured nation like Somalia. Tribal worship, failure to abide by the constitution, and total disregard for law and order are the major causes of the political instability destabilizing Africa’s only homogeneous race. The President failed to broker peace during his tenure of office; he failed to unite his bloated parliament; he failed to facilitate the day to day running of the highest office of the land; above all he has not produced any tangible results nor partaken in serious deliberations aimed at pacifying the crippled state. Instead, he has become famous for hiring and firing Prime Ministers at will without parliamentary consultations or without following the formalities established by law.

The office of the Prime Minister has been rendered worthless and reduced to a one-time-use personal dispensation of the President. Though Abdullahi Yusuf is not the first President to thrust his nose into the office of the Prime Minister, past interim Presidents also applied similar tactics and other overly draconian modalities. Surprising as it may seem, as I write this article, Somalia has two Prime Ministers. As dark clouds shroud Somalia’s political landscape, out of the ordinary compelling issues in need of immediate interventions continue to erode the nation’s social fabric. There is a humanitarian disaster lurking in the internally displaced camps and refugee centers in neighboring countries; piracy along Somalia’s coastlines has left the world in utter shock; the heavily armed Al-Shabaab faction is emerging unrestrained; assassinations, premeditated murders, and rape of young girls and women is a thorn in the eye and seemingly hard to contain without a functioning central government.

Putting an end to Somalia’s protracted civil war lies not in the hands of the current Transitional Federal Government but is one that calls for the concerted efforts of the United Nations, the incoming President of the United States, the Arab Union, IGAD member states, the African Union, and donor nations. Leaving Somalia’s problems to Somalis is like leaving vultures wrestle over the decaying and disgusting flesh of a dead animal. In reality, Somalia is a failed state begging to be salvaged through compromise and reconciliation by those vested with authority. Applying unreserved judiciousness will help avert another decade of killings, maiming, rape, piracy, plunder, and highway robbery.

POLITICAL COLLISION IN SOMALIA

A bleak picture is emerging from the Somali political spectrum again. This time, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, President of the Somali Transitional Federal Government, hereafter referred to as the TFG, sacked his Prime Minister, Mr. Nur Hassan Hussein, because, as the President contends, Nuur Cadde, as the Prime Minister is popularly known, failed to reconcile Somalia's warring factions. But the truth of the matter is, the whole scenario, as can be seen from Somalia's past divisions, rests on the idea of tribal hegemony and power medley. Thus, The TFG that was formed in Kenya about four years ago, is on the verge of collapse.

Sardonically, Instead of correcting the wrongs that bedeviled the nation since 1991, the President, has instead stumbled into murky waters and lost popular consensus. On the other hand, he has appointed a new Prime Minister named Gacmadheere who is said to be close to him in friendship and has been mentioned in the exclusive coverage Warlords Next Door by Britain's Channel 4 TV as having taken part in the slaughter of many innocent Somalis.

Disturbed by the political events in Somalia, neighboring Kenya's Foreign Minister, Moses Wetangula, has been quoted as saying that Mr. Yusuf and his family have been banished from Kenyan soil and that his assets will be frozen. Likewise, Ethiopia, the main power behind Mr. Yusuf's enthronement, has voiced deep concern at the sudden turn of events.

On the other hand, Somalia's otiose parliament in Baidoa is debating a vote of no confidence aimed at alienating Mr. Yusuf. Whether this vote holds or not will not make any difference since the nation is already in tatters. For now, Somalia has two Prime Ministers, something never before seen in modern history.

To add insult to injury, Mohamed Dheere, former warlord and recently ousted illiterate mayor of Mogadishu, is beating the drums of war in Baidoa and bitterly contesting to be considered for the powerful Prime Ministerial post. Both Mohamed Dheere and Nuur Cadde hail from the Abgaal tribe that heavily populate the City of Mogadishu.

While bitterness and animosity engulfs Somalia's malfunctioning government, Al-Shabab, an amalgamation of youth fighters struggling to oust the government and their backers (Ethiopian forces and Amisom peacekeeping troops) continue to spread their sphere of influence in the country. The level of violence will escalate as Al-Shabaab will seize the opportunity to capture more grounds.

The unexpected political jostling that gripped Somalia for the past few days has left the administration in Addis Ababa, Bujumbura, and Kampala in utter bewilderment. Obviously, the much anticipated Ethiopian troop withdrawal from Somalia, as I see it, will be halted for now until the dust settles.

Likewise, the humanitarian situation in Mogadishu will tremendously deteriorate as the spiral of violence will accelerate to dangerous proportions. Piracy along the Somali coasts will proliferate despite the presence of powerful Navies sanctioned by the international community. It will be the survival of the fittest.

President Yusuf's endeavors to effect regime change on the office of the Prime Minister may not materialize for now. He succeeded at ousting former Prime Minister Professor Ali Mohamed Gedi sometimes back but the same tricks may not work for him in succession because all concerned groups have seen the ineffective administrative styles he embodies.

Ironically, the octogenarian President is the longest liver transplant patient; he is the longest surviving guerrilla fighter; he has stumbled many times in the past politically; and he may not have enough energy to keep him moving anymore in Somalia's murky arena of deceit and debauchery. As usual, deceit happens only once among Somalis and not twice. This is one trick he has failed to master.

The agreement reached in Djibouti between the Courts remnants headed by Sheikh Shariff Sheikh Ahmed and the TFG is the major cause of the schisms happening in Somalia right now. Because both Nuur Cadde and Sheikh Shariff hail from the Hawiye clan and that Abdullahi Yusuf is from the Darod clan, Yusuf found the agreement as a stumbling block to his dictatorial rule. On the other hand, he found himself wedged between two hard rocks. Rather than see himself as a lame duck in a government manipulated by two antagonists, he chose to spill the beans before the agreement took effect. The expansion of parliament to 550 members did not augur well with Yusuf as the Hawiye would be majority in the House which means he would be ousted by a simple unanimous parliamentary vote of no confidence.

WHAT DO WE COMMUNICATE WHEN WE VOTE?

Recently, Americans of all ages, gender, and race converged around polling stations across the nation to exercise their inalienable voting rights in order to elect a President of their choice. Finally, as the votes trickled in, Barack Obama was announced winner of the popular and electoral votes by a wide margin if not by a landslide victory.

In this historic event, the nation demonstrated its willingness to communicate to the rest of the world its desire to cause change as the current administration failed to meet its expectations. The economic quagmire that gripped the nation with the collapse of top financial giants Fannie Mae, Freddie Marc, AIG, and the whimpering of greedy Wall Street CEOs over the state of the economy, Americans felt it was their responsibility to bring back the nation’s lost glory even it meant electing a man of color. Thus, they chose Barack Obama, a man who was born of a black Kenyan father and a white Kansan mother. The tough communication methods espoused by Americans sent shockwaves across the globe. As reported by polling stations and media giants, voter turnout has never been so immense since America’s proclamation in 1776.

Barack Obama used articulate speech, intellectual loquacity; he applied sophisticated electioneering methods never experienced before like the application of internet communication, e-mails, telephonic conversations, excessive use of the dollar to advertise his ideologies through videos, television, billboards, and instant messaging.

When we vote, we are communicating to our children, families, leaders, and the world that it is in our interests to exercise our voting rights. Having patience in the voting line is also another way of communication. Some cities voted to execute light rail systems which they expect will resuscitate their dwindling economies if all go well with the planning.

The use of strong language is an excellent way of capturing the hearts and minds of electors. Fliers epitomize meaningless or meaningful information. Having a gloomy picture of someone you oppose on a flier or advertisement sends a negative message about your opponent.

Now that Americans have spoken by putting the man of their choice on the helm, it is up to the President-elect and his team to steer the country to its true course. They can achieve their objectives and execute their promises by communicating effectively to their electorates.

THE BEST CHARACTERISTICS OF A MODERN ORGANIZATION

The characteristics of a modern organization are multi-faceted and multi-tasked. Having strong and clearly expressed values for any organization opens a path for magnetism and excellence. It is the duty of every leader to respect individual values, partake job satisfaction, and ensure collective involvement. Having challenging selection, training, and rewards for employees ushers in and helps shape team players. Turning individuals into team players so that everyone plays a unique role keeps momentum in every aspect for every agenda and finally bears fruits meant to accomplish desired goals. Making sure all individuals efforts are identified so that no one becomes a victim of social loafing, having a common purpose, setting specific goals, and having team efficacy breaks the ground for a successful and innovative undertaking that will be the envy of many organizations in competition.

However, it is of paramount importance to have adequate resources for everyone engaged in the collective endeavors meant to assuage any conceivable ambiguities. Having rigid leadership structure, climate of trust, and performance evaluation and reward systems in place opens a line of competition for employees struggling to achieve highlights and struggling to break the log jam. Team members must be able to demonstrate tremendous energy and drive with extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and emotional stability becoming the median. Quality assurance, innovation, commitment, goal achievement, clarity of measurement, being results oriented, problem solving, displaying influence, nurturing assured security, and tenacity are some of the required tools needed to advance an organization that is in the forefront for merit and reputation. “Team members must agree on who is to do what and ensure that all members contribute equally in sharing the work load. In addition, the team needs to determine how schedules will be set, what skills need to be developed, how the group will resolve conflicts, and how the group will make and modify decisions. Agreeing on the specifics of work and how they fit together to integrate individual skills requires team leadership and structure.” [i ]

On the other hand, team work should be for the greater good. Creating positive environment for everyone, having collective performance, and creating problem-solving teams enhances an atmosphere of understanding and timely information. The management style of a modern organization must be compatible with contemporary norms and ethics and the overall strategy should highlight and be in comparable temperament with modern technological innovations acceptable in modern settings. Espousing a clear environment, having sophisticated cultural dimensions, laying down rigid structural foundations that will not collapse easily, setting up a systematic mission, having intense customer focus, and above all celebrating accomplishments should be the common binding thread for any modern organization.

The best practice for a culture of integrity according to the governance system is to discuss difficult ethical questions and also have compliance that will audit and enforce discipline in any organization yearning for righteousness, achievement, and customer satisfaction. Clarifying values, modeling values, communicating values, creating systems to embody values, continuous monitoring of behaviors, and renewing values regularly help elevate governance. There’re eleven factors if effectively applied will ensure the smooth running of any given organization without the least stumbling blocks. These eleven factors include: [ii]
1. Statement of values
2. Code of conduct
3. Example of senior executives
4. Training and repeated communication of values and standards
5. Systems which embody the values
6. Continuous evaluation of behaviors
7. Effective hotline system
8. Mechanism for resolving toughest cases
9. Compliance enforcement system
10. Periodic renewal process for values and standards
11. Governance system for ethics and values

One inspiring author on the area under discussion regarding the best characteristics of an organization is Mohamed Zairi whose writings furnish some insights on the best practices to apply to create an atmosphere of success and customer satisfaction as can be noted in the following quotation from one of his books available online. “For a market to be market oriented, every individual in the organization-manager or employee-must participate in satisfying customers. Also, there must be an environment where everybody is working closely with each other with a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. Top management can develop this kind of participation, provide proper environment and excite all members of the organization with the corporate vision and the objectives that need to be achieved. Market orientation is facilitated by the amount of emphasis placed by the top management on market orientation. Top management can dedicate a vast amount of its time to creating and then sustaining a customer focus throughout all layers and functions of an organization.” [iii]
In conclusion, a modern organization is one embodying human respect, customer satisfaction, reaping together the fruits of success, respecting the territories of others, making decisions for the benefit of all, striving day and night without distortions, and mapping out new strategies not only for the present but for posterity.

Robins P. Stevens, Timothy A. Judge. Organizational Behavior: Upper Saddle River, 07458.
www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/business/ethical_culture.ppt
http://books.google.com/books?id=wHdIifrbQ18C&pg=PA60&lpg=PA60&dq

MONOCULTURALISM VERSUS NONDISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES IN MODERN LEADERSHIP

Understanding the importance of individual/personal, professional, organizational, and societal levels of multicultural competence carry heavy weight in modern management/leadership styles. Comprehending cultural competence in multifaceted dimensions helps alleviate ethnocentric monoculturalism, ingrained biases and prejudices, hate and fear of others at the individual/personal level. No one is born to fear and hate others but that it is learned. Overcoming personal belief systems, behaviors, and emotions for both trainers and trainees could be a personal journey to overcoming cultural incompetence and a major challenge for leaders.

Understanding how our own biases and actions perpetuate and constitute injustice helps every concerned leader bear greater responsibility in order to administer powerful change. Honesty and openness for each other, overcoming fears, fostering concern for all groups of society and being acquainted with the effects of prejudice and discrimination and how it affects others opens equal access and opportunities for all people. Initially, individuals will have to familiarize with and learn from different perspectives and not exclusively rely on the media or what the neighbors say.

Secondly, immersing in the culture to be learned generates a balanced analysis of what is expected to be reaped. Thirdly, supplementing realistic intellectual capacity with practical certainty of individuals from that culture is a way of identifying with that culture and can be applied as a supplementary encouragement.
On the professional level, management and leadership styles have been shown to over and over again experience the impacts of cultural values, beliefs, traits, and decision techniques. Different cultures view leadership from dissimilar perspectives. In American cultural way of thinking, leadership is portrayed as forceful and independent whereas in Japan, good leadership is based on the theory of harmony and fairness. In France, a manager is expected to answer a subordinate’s query accurately. American managers and leaders are regarded as problem solvers who take time to provide answers to the subordinate’s concerns after thorough examination and head scratching. In modern Japanese culture, respondents described a leader as one who displays fairness, is flexible, has good listening skills, is outgoing, and is responsible while American respondents described a leader as one who is intelligent, honest, understanding, determined, and possesses effective verbal skills.

Leaders who value multiculturalism have organizational structure meant to treat all employees, suppliers, and customers equally. For leaders to be competent, the organizations they serve must have the responsibility to create strategies, policies, procedures, and implementations acceptable to their employees. Though organizations have contrasting procedures in the way they deal with cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, and gender issues, overcoming conflicts and misunderstandings in the workplace should be a prerequisite for any organization willing to do away with institutionalized monoculturalism.

Monocultural organizations are those organizations that operate on Eurocentric and ethnocentric ideologies. A prime example is the former apartheid regime of South Africa whose mode of operations was built on racial divide and racial superiority. Based on outright exclusionism, either explicitly or implicitly, the former Boer regime of former apartheid South Africa marginalized people of color and other minority groups. This means, people were divided into racial categories. With Whites on top of the privileged ladder, Indians and Coloreds enjoyed the center stage while Blacks remained at the bottom. Besides the Whites, all other races were persona non grata in exclusively reserved white neighborhoods, white shopping centers, and white schools. Blacks lived in the Ghettos with no jobs, no sewage, no viable infrastructure, and no decent schools. In other words, South Africa of the yesteryears was a discriminatory organization where the color of the epidermis and the sex of a person determined where one belonged in the government registry of races and sexes.

On the other hand, the strong believe in the melting pot and equal opportunity for all should be a driving factor for cultural equality. Culture should have the least impact on management. Historically, courageous men and women spent time and effort to fight American discriminative policies of the 60s. Mention is to be made of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Nobel laureate who lost his precious life while fighting human injustices. Despite civil and human rights activists dying for the cause of equality and justice, disparities in employment, education, employment, and social facilities do exist in modern America.

On the contrary, nondiscriminatory organizations are more culturally significant and sympathetic. However, foot-dragging remains an impediment to the advancement of affirmative actions; equal employment opportunities are taking a grudging stand, prejudice and biases do exist, and policy implementations remain inconsistent and elusive.

Assumingly, the United Nations is the biggest nondiscriminatory organization the world has seen. Looking back at its past line-up of hierarchical leadership history, we find that the top echelons were drawn from multifarious nationalities. Formerly the League of Nations, the United Nations, came to fore after the end of World War II. Its first Secretary General was Trygve Lie of Norway (1946-1952) followed by Dag Hammarskjöld of Sweden (1953-1961), U Thant of Burma (1961-1971), Kurt Waldheim of Austria (1972-1981), Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru (1982-1991), Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt (1992-1996), Kofi Anan of Ghana (1997-2006), and currently Ban Ki-Moon of South Korea (2007-). Because the world is regarded as a one big society, the position of the Secretary-General of the United Nations is based on equal distribution between the various continents. So far, Western Europe and others had three secretary generals; Latin American and Caribbean Group had one; Asian Group had two; while the African Group had two secretary generals.

The greatest challenges facing the United States today includes the issue of race, the existence of unfair disparities between racial/ethnic minorities and Euro-American groups that are invisible and deeply ingrained, and the absence of open dialogue regarding racial inequalities, and bigotry and racism. Despite the efforts of former President Bill Clinton in his issuance of Executive Order No. 13050 and his creation of the Race Advisory Board to examine race and racism, a lot needs to be done in the fields of racial reconciliation.

The issue of race in the U.S. is so ingrained in the minds of the American social fabric and that the society itself is ill-equipped to tackle it alone. The glorification of racism has been used as an unbending instrument by monoculturally ethnocentric fanatics whose strong cultural superiority is based on past biased historical legacies. The presence of the Ku Klux Klan and others of like mind must be cause for alarm for America’s racially and culturally divided nation.

UNDERSTANDING ISLAM

Islam which means ‘peace’ or ‘submission’ to the will of Allah, is the fastest growing religion in the world-second after Christianity in population, with more than 1.2 billion adherents worldwide and an estimated 5 million residing in the U.S. and growing. A monotheistic religion that has its roots in the Middle East especially in the City of Mecca in Saudi Arabia where it initially originated, majority of followers are concentrated in the Middle East, Africa, in Central Asia, Africa, and in Indonesia with a population of about 200 million with a further 120 million found in India. Islam can be traced back to the religions of Adam and Abraham and is prophesied as a continuation of Judaism and Christianity with Moses and Jesus enjoying higher statuses.

Muslims, adherents of Islam, abide by the Quran and the Sunna-traditions of Prophet Muhammad-both written in the Arabic script. Thus, Islam is a supranational religion-meaning a religion that transcends borders through missionary activities and religious propagation. Islam has been described as “the misunderstood religion” by the West despite being closest in proximity. It is nearer to the West ideologically and geographically. Previously, the West referred to Islam as “Mohammedanism”-a connotation that caused a chorus of disapproval among Muslims who believe that Muhammad was a mouthpiece of Allah, a warner, and a teacher who was sent to deliver a message from the Almighty Allah who is the Creator, Cherisher, and Sustainer of the Heavens and the Earth.

Muslims worship Allah who has no gender, no partner, no associate or helper in His affairs, and who is established on the “Throne of Authority” known as “Arsh” and reclines on a “Kursi” or seat. Islamic belief is centered on the principle of believe in Allah, the angels, the revealed books, the prophets, and the existence of the Day of Judgment.

Muslims believe Adam was the first prophet and the first man created by Allah. He was then followed by a succession of prophets including Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Noah, David, Solomon, Jonah, Zachariah, Moses, Jesus, and many others without making any distinction between them with Muhammad being the last of the prophets or “the Seal of the Prophets.” Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was born in Mecca in 570 C.E. in the “Year of the Elephant” at a time when Arabia was embroiled in antagonism, brigandage, male chauvinism, idol worship, nihilism, gambling and addiction to alcohol. In this period of time known as “Ayamul Jahiliya” in Arabic which translates to “the Era of Ignorance”, there was the absence of law and order and girls were buried alive. It fell in an era when the Kaaba housed 360 idols (one for every day of the lunar year) worshiped by the tribes of Arabia; it was a period of turmoil and paganism and fire worshiping was widespread in the surrounding sphere of influences ruled by ruthless emperors and dangerous feudal warlords.

This year was named the “Year of the Elephant” because, the Viceroy of the Abyssinian Negus in Yemen, Abraha Al- Ashram, incensed by the presence of the Kaaba and its veneration by the Arabian tribes, embarked on a sacrilegious war assisted by thirteen elephants. Earlier, Abraha constructed a colossal temple in Yemen to serve as a substitute of the Kaaba after its total obliteration by his army. Abraha left his power base in Yemen heavily armed with the intention of bringing the forces of Arabia under his supreme command. Consequently, Abraha’s ill-fated show aggression ended in a debacle as divine punishment befell the warring army when a flock of birds known as “Ababeel” rained flaming brimstones that totally annihilated them with the exception of an elephant known as “Mahmud” who disobeyed the command of demolishing the Kaaba. Abraha and his army perished in the surroundings of the Kaaba without fulfilling their distorted designs and outlandish prophesy.

Muhammad was a posthumous child as he never saw his father. While in the care of Halima, an Arab woman who cared for him in his early years, a strange incident happened when an angel split his chest open, removed his heart, washed it in Zamzam (water well near the Kaaba) water and then replaced it. This incident signified the purification of his heart and the removal of all evil. After this incident, Muhammad was returned to his mother, Amina, who then died when he was six and his grandfather, when he was eight. After all these childhood agonies, Muhammad was nurtured by his powerful protector, erudite, and brave uncle Abu Talib. At the age of twenty five, Muhammad married Khadija, a woman with extraordinary business aptitude, veracity, and nobility and who was forty years old at that time. At that time, caravans of merchants traversed the Arabian Peninsula to as far as Syria creating heavy routes between the major cities and the well fortified domains of the Persian and Byzantine Empires, bringing in assortment of goods that proliferated the Arabian markets with food, clothing, and other necessities that boosted tribal demagoguery and hegemony over the less fortunate in the land of the Arabs swollen with pride.

With rampant incredulity in the social fabric of that time, the termination of religious belief due to general human disobedience, and dissatisfaction with the spiritual guidance that existed and the dissipation of adherence to morality, there was need for heavenly intervention. A glimmer of hope started enveloping over Arabia when Muhammad, who was regarded as “The Highly Praised”, “The True”, “The Upright”, and “The Trustworthy One”, progressed into meditation and solitude in a well known cave within Mount Hira in the vicinity of Mecca. Therefore, on the first Night of Power (Leilatul Qadr), when Muhammad had attained age forty, Archangel Gabriel instructed him to: “Proclaim!” and he responded by saying:” I am not a proclaimer.” Thereupon the Angel pressed him harder and harder every time the prophet failed to proclaim until the third time when he was instructed to:
“Proclaim in the name of the Lord who created!
Created man from a clot of blood.
Proclaim: Your Lord is the most Generous,
Who teaches by the pen;
Teaches man what he knew not.” (Qur’an 96:1-3)

It was Khadija, his lovely wife, who turned out to be the first to embrace Muhammad’s teachings as she turned all his burdens into light. Thus, began a chain of revelations that led to the completion of the Qur’an in a period spanning twenty three years in an atmosphere of ridicule, pinpricks of laughter, petty insults and hoots of mockery. Muhammad preached equality of races before the Lord, led an administration that was a blend of justice and mercy, and created a superb statecraft that united a five heterogeneous society, in the City of Medina-three of which were Jews, into a solid and organized confederacy. In 622, Muhammad, preceded by an entourage of migrants, settled in Yathrib, also known as Medinat-al-Nabi (City of the Prophet) later changing name simply to Medina, “the city.” However, as was established by the Lord, Muhammad departed the world in A.D.632 (10 A.H. after the Hijra) with almost all of Arabia under his command.

The ensuing years saw the expansion of Islam under the rightly-guided Caliphs: Abu-Bakr, Omar, Othman, and Ali. Driven by religious passion and absolute heroism in the battleground, the Islamic Caliphate finally reached Palestine, Armenia, Persia, Syria, Iraq, North Africa, and Spain finally crossing into the Pyrenees in France. The Battle of Tours under Charles Martel in 1733 halted the penetration of Muslim forces to their desired destinations otherwise the entire West would have been under Islamic rule today.

The Five Pillars of Islam
For one to be part of the Islamic community it is a requirement upon the sane and the able-bodied, male and female, to declare with honesty and assurance, the ‘creed’ or ‘shahada’ (profession of faith)- which is the fundamental obligation before one can be called a Muslim. “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger” is the first testimony of faith.

The second pillar of Islam is ‘Salat’ or Prayer which requires a continuous observation of the five daily obligatory prayers that fall under the basic requirements. These daily prayers are to be strictly observed at certain timings of the day in congregations inside of a mosque or in solitude at home or at work during the hours of dawn, at noon, in mid-afternoon, at sundown and at night. Regardless of where one is located in the world, these prayers are compulsory until death. All Muslims turn their faces toward the Kaaba in Mecca whether performing obligatory or supererogatory prayers. Also, the faces of the dead must be directed toward Mecca at burial. It has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that prayers inculcate compassion and honesty, guard mental and body health, increase cleanliness and hygienic adherence, and deter evil inclinations.

The third pillar of Islam is alms giving also known as Zakat and it is a form of social interdependence where the wealthy give a share of their wealth to the needy so as to eliminate poverty, destitution, and other factors that may be an obstacle to the welfare of the Muslim community and the world at large. A financially able Muslim is required to give away 2.5% of his/her wealth in charity every year in the month of Zakat. Also, Muslims are encouraged to contribute or donate to mosques, charity organizations, to the wayfarers, the orphans, and to the insolvent on a continuous basis. There are several verses in the Quran that exhort Muslims to donate as this act carries a great reward before Allah. Thus, ‘Zakat’ equally applies to the ruler of the state and the income generating able-bodied laborer regardless of age, gender, national origin, or race.

The fourth pillar of Islam is to fast (Sawm) thirty days in the month of Ramadan. This is the month the Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad by Allah. In this month, Muslims abstain from food, drinks, smoking, vulgar language, and sexual intercourse with partners during daytime. It begins at dawn and runs up to sunset when Muslims break their fast with dates, water, and other available edible foods.
The fifth pillar of Islam calls for financially able Muslims to perform the once-in-a-lifetime ‘Hajj’ or pilgrimage to Mecca. This act is a continuation of the tradition of Prophet Abraham. Muslims from all walks of life converge on to Mecca and then onto Medina in Saudi Arabia to give thanks to the creator and Sustainer of the universe and also to show gratitude and acknowledge His Oneness. The Hajj is considered the largest social gathering according to universal consensus.
Compassion and Social Justice.

Besides the five pillars of Islam, Muslims have other obligations to Allah and to humankind. Compassion and social justice is outlined in a system of laws known as ‘Shariah’ which requires the wealthy to donate generously to the poor so that no stomach sleeps hungry.

Jihad
The most misunderstood concept about Islam is the term ‘Jihad’ which has caused great uproar in the world. It generally means a rigorous fight against all sorts of discrimination. The first and foremost requirement of a Muslim is to wage war against one’s own prejudice, transgression, and constraint before looking at the social evils that bedevil others. Listening to the kind words of those endowed with knowledge as they rehearse and interpret the authentic verses of the Holy Quran will best alleviate the wrong misconceptions about Islamic monotheism.

EID MUBARAK-HAPPY EID

UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIANITY

Christianity is the largest religion in the world having an approximate population of over 2 billion followers largely concentrated in North and South America, Europe, parts of Asia especially in the Russian Federation, in Australia, and in many localities of Africa. Christianity is classified as an Abrahamic religion just like Islam and Judaism. Beginning as a Jewish sect in the Eastern Mediterranean, it quickly grew in size and influence by the 4th century due to the influence of the Roman Empire. The Roman Catholic Church or the Catholic Church is the largest church in Christianity, has one-sixth of the world’s population, and represents over half of all Christians. Comprising 2782 dioceses that include Latin rites and Eastern rites, the Catholic Church is currently headed by Pope Benedict XVI who is the highest authority in matters of faith, church governance, and morality.

The headquarters of the Catholic Church is in the Vatican within the City of Rome in Italy. Measuring approximately 44 hectares (110 acres) and with an estimated population of 800, the State of the Vatican City is a landlocked sovereign city-state consisting of a walled enclave that came into existence only in 1929. The Pope is ex-officio and head of state and head of government. The Pope, who is technically an absolute monarch, has legislative, executive, and judicial power over the Vatican. In Italian, the State of the Vatican City is known as Stato Della Città Del Vaticano. The Vatican City is clearly distinct from the Roman Catholic Church known as the Holy See. The administrative apparatus of the Holy See is called the Roman Curia consisting of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. Since the Holy See dates back to early Christianity, it should not be confused with the Vatican City which came into existence in 1929.

The second largest Christian communion is the Eastern Orthodox Church after Roman Catholic. Most of the adherents of this church are concentrated in Greece, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Macedonia (part of former Yugoslavia), Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Russia. Some adherents may also be found in Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon. There are some traces in Africa, Australia, North America, Asia, and South America. Orthodox Christians believe in a God who is both three and triune.

On the other hand, the Church of England is the officially established Christian Church of England which is considered to be Catholic and also Reformed. It is reformed because it was influenced by the doctrinal principles of the Protestant reformation of the 16th century. Queen Elizabeth II of England holds the constitutional title of “Supreme Governor of the Church of England.” The oldest see was founded in England by St. Augustine of Canterbury in the year 597 and the current Archbishop is Rowan Williams who is 104th in a line that stretches back to 104 years.

Christianity is an offshoot of Judaism since the earliest Christians were Jews or Jewish Proselytes. Jesus Christ of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem to the Virgin Mary-a Jewish resident of Nazareth in Galilee. Conceiving by the agency of the Holy Spirit while she was already betrothed to Joseph of the House of David, Mary’s most common titles include “The Blessed Virgin Mary” (also abbreviated to BVM), “Our Lady”, “Mother of God”, and “Queen of Heaven.” In the Third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus to address the teachings of Nestorius in 431 BC, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Anglican Church, and all Eastern Catholic Churches refer to Mary as “Theotokos”, literally meaning “Godbearer” and more common in Latin as ‘Mater Dei”. Because Jesus was regarded as ‘King of Kings” and because of His lineage of King David, Mary was known as “Queen Mother” in early Christianity.

The birth of Jesus Christ is known as the Nativity of Jesus or simply the Nativity and is an account of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospels and in the apocryphal accounts. The re-enactment of the Nativity often seen in Christmas celebrations signifies Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. Jesus Christ is revered by most Christian churches as the Son of God and the reincarnation of God. Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one spirit of God thought acting in concert with and sharing an essential nature with God the Father and God the Son (Jesus Christ).

In Trinitarian theology, the Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as the ‘Third Person” of the Triune God with the Father being the First Person and the Son the Second Person. Early Christianity is defined as the period between the crucifixion of Jesus (c. 30) and The First Council of Nicaea (325). The genealogical accounts of Jesus Christ are documented in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke though substantially different with contemporary scholars viewing them as theological constructs. Jesus Christ has been recorded as having miraculous healing powers such as cleansing of the leper, healing of a paralytic, curing of Simon’s mother-in-law; he was brought many possessed by the devil and some suffering from various diseases, and was credited with going to the synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee. (Mark)

The First Council of Nicaea was held in Nicaea in Bithynia in present-day Turkey under the command of Constantine the Great. With the exception of Britain, approximately 250 to 318 Bishops attended including Alexander of Alexandria and Eustathius of Antioch while Macarius of Jerusalem and Sylvester 1, Bishop of Rome, sent legates. Other participants included church historian Eusebius of Caesarea while Athanasius of Alexandria who was best known for his battles against Arianism, attended as a Deacon.

Jesus had twelve Apostles namely: Peter, James son of Zebedee, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, and Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus (identified with Jude), Simon the zealot, and Judas Iscariot. These disciples were chosen, trained, and named by Jesus of Nazareth so they could spread the “good news” and establish the Christian church by evangelism.

Of the twelve apostles, one among them called Judas Iscariot, keeper of the “money bag”, who is mentioned in the synoptic gospels, the Gospel of John, and the Acts of the Apostles, became the betrayer by conniving with the Romans who were out looking for a way to have Jesus Christ arrested. The author of the Gospel of Luke records that Saint Matthias was chosen by the remaining eleven Apostles to replace Judas Iscariot after his betrayal of Jesus. (Acts 1:18-26). According to Acts 1, it was Peter who proposed an assembly numbering one hundred and twenty to have Saint Matthias replace the traitor Judas Iscariot in the Apostolate.

According to the Church of England’s Book of Liturgy, the feast of Saint Matthias is celebrated on 24 February; in the newer common worship, he is celebrated on May 14 although he may be celebrated on May 24; in the Episcopal Church the feast is on My 14; the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates his feast on 9th August. In the Roman calendar, it was transferred in 1969 to May 14 so as to celebrate it in Eastertide during the Solemnity of the Ascension. Besides, Christianity is famous for the celebration of Christmas day, Easter, Thanks Giving, Good Friday, Palm Sunday, Valentine’s Day, Passover, Saint Patrick’s Day, Lent, and the Feast of the Tabernacles. Though many, the above are holidays are the most observed in the Christian world.

There are four canonical gospels of the New Testament: the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel of Luke, and the Gospel of John. According to Christianity, Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross during the reign of the Roman emperor Pontius Pilate; he died and thereafter was resurrected on the third day after the crucifixion and according to John, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene in the tomb where she saw two angels who asked her why she was crying. (Matthew 28: 1-10). It was Joseph of Arimathea who asked Pontius Pilate for the body of Jesus Christ afterward wrapping the body in a linen cloth and placing it in a tomb. The Christian doctrine of ascension holds that Jesus Christ ascended the heavens in the presence of his eleven apostles as mentioned in the Gospel of Mark (16:14-19). To many Christians, Jesus Christ will return to earth in what is known as the “second coming” for the full establishment of the kingdom of God on earth.

Beliefs concerning future and end times are espoused in Christian eschatology although it is a relatively recent development. It concerns the end of the world, Last Judgment, resurrection of the dead, hell and heaven, renewal of creation, the fulfillment of Messianic Prophecy, the beginning of the Messianic Age, and among others the consummation of all of God’s purposes.

As the end of the year 2008 approaches, Christians all over the world will commemorate a special day dedicated to honoring the birth of Jesus Christ which falls on December 25 for the majority of Christians. From the Anno Domini system of dating, the day is marked with celebrations including gift-giving, church celebrations, and the display of the Christmas tree, mistletoe, nativity scenes, Holly, and lights.

UNDERSTANDING JUDAISM

Judaism, the religion of the Jewish people, is monotheistic and has its practices embodied in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), further explored and explained in the Talmud and other Hebrew sacred texts. Judaism began with the covenant between God and Abram (ca. 2000 B.C.E), the father and ancestor of the Jewish people whose name changed to Abraham later on. The central religious belief of Judaism is that there is only one God and that the earliest followers were called Hebrews later to be referred to as Jews. The Torah (the law) comprises the writings and the prophets. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are the main five books sacred to Judaism. The Book of Genesis details how God created the heavens and the earth in six days from a formless void covered by darkness.

From the first verse to the sixth, Genesis documents the creation of the heavens and the earth in chronological order as outlined below:
“In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” (Genesis).

The 20th verse of Genesis documents the creation of creatures. It begins as such:
And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the sea, and let birds multiply on the earth. And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.”

The book of Genesis shades light on the creation of man. The first man, Adam, was created from dust by his Lord and made to dwell in the Garden of Eden in the East which contained every tree that was pleasant to eat. In the Garden of Eden there was a river flowing out of it to water the garden thereafter dividing into four other rivers namely: Pishon which flowed around the whole of Havilah with bdellium and onyx stone found there; the second river, called Gihon, is the one that flows around the whole land of Cush; Tigris is the name of the third river while Euphrates is the fourth river. From there on, according to Genesis, God created a woman out of Adam’s rib later to become his partner.

Eve conceived and bore “a man” whom they named Cain who was to become tiller of the ground. Next she bore his brother Abel who became keeper of the sheep. Schisms about offerings to the Lord led Cain to kill his brother Abel. Adam fathered a son named Seth when he was eight hundred years old. Besides Seth, Adam had other sons and daughters. In all, Adam lived nine hundred thirty years. While one hundred five years old, Seth became the father of Enosh. Seth died at nine hundred twelve years. Enosh was the father of Kenan; Kenan was the father of Mahalalel; Mahalalel was the father of Jared; Jared was the father of Enoch; Enoch was the father of Methuselah; Methuselah was the father of Lamech; Lamech was the father of Noah. Those days, people lived long lives as can be seen from the years inhabited on earth by Adam and his direct descendants.

Abraham is widely regarded as the patriarch of monotheism and Judaism. From the Aramaic words “Aba Rama”, the name Abraham stands for “High Father” while in Hebrew “Av” means “Father” while “Raham” in Arabic implies to mean “Nations or Multitude.” Abraham’s father was Terah while his grandfather was called Nahor. Abraham’s brothers were named Nahor and Haran. Abraham was born in the Chaldean city of Ur in Mesopotamia. At birth he was named Abram by his father Terah. According to Genesis, Abraham was brought by God from Mesopotamia to the land known as Canaan. Abraham was born during the Sumero-Akkadian Empire of Ur-Nammu, the founder of the Third Dynasty of Ur. Ur-Nammu took the title "King of Sumer and Akkad"; his mightiest work was the erection of the great ziggurat at Ur which was known as "the hill of heaven" or the "mountain of God" by the people of old.

Abraham gave up the ways of his people, the Hebrews, and sought the mercy of his Lord, for the Lord God revealed himself unto Abraham with the promise ‘I will be your guide” therefore “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land I will show you.” The Lord God told Abraham that he would make him a great nation. God told Abraham that he would bless him and that he would also bless those who blessed him (Abraham) while cursing those who cursed Abraham.

Abraham and his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot left Haran for a land called Canaan. At this time there was a great famine so Abraham went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien. Fearing that the Egyptians would kill him because his wife Sarai was exceptionally beautiful in appearance, Abraham instructed Sarai to maintain that she was his sister and not his wife. Seeing the gorgeousness of Sarai, the Egyptians reported to the Pharaoh who ruled over Egypt about the good looks of Sarai and the cantankerous Pharaoh took Sarai unto him. Then the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with plagues because of taking Sarai forcefully against her wishes and those of Abraham. The Pharaoh returned Sarai to her husband, Abraham, where, accompanied by Lot they left for Negeb and then to Bethel where they pitched tent. Scuffles over grazing land between the herders of the livestock of Abraham and Lot led them to separate where Lot settled in the Jordan plain and Abraham in the land of Canaan. So Abraham settled by the Oaks of Mamre, which were at Hebron where he built the Lord an altar. After living ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai gave Abraham an Egyptian slave girl called Hagar who resided in their house. Hagar conceived a son they named Ishmael and Sarai looked at her servant in contempt. Thereafter, the Lord gave Sarai a son whom they named Isaac. Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight years old. Isaac appears in Genesis 70 times and 33 times elsewhere.

Jacob (also called Israel) was the son of Isaac with Rebekah, the twin brother of Esau, and grandson of Abraham. According to Genesis, Joseph or Yosef, a major figure in the Hebrew Bible, was the 11th son of Jacob and Rachel’s first. Joseph was thrown into a well by his brothers and was retrieved by an Ishmaelite caravan who sold him in Egypt to Potiphar who was an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, and an Egyptian. Joseph became a victim of false accusations when his master’s wife asked him for sexual favors. Despite his innocence, Joseph was sent to jail where he became interpreter of dreams. He was placed as an overseer of the provisions. Later on Joseph was reunited with his brothers and also with his father and mother.

In Judaism, ritual purity or ablution, as emphasized in the Mitzvah, is an important ritual practice and an integral part of the holy observance of the Jewish people that sets it apart from other polytheistic religions. This practice, though most commonly observed in Orthodox Judaism, is not normally acted upon in Reform Judaism while in Conservative Judaism; the practices are normative with certain exemptions and lenience. Besides the rituals, the Jewish traditions of celebrating special religious holidays have been in the records for millenniums. Customarily, all Jewish holidays begin at sunset and end at sundown. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, it is also the Day of Judgment and also when the creation of the world was completed. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement; Sukkot is the Festival of Tabernacles; Hanukkah, preserved in the books of the first and second Maccabees, marks the defeat of the Seleucid Empire; while Passover commemorates the freeing of Israelis as slaves from the hands of the Egyptians.

Today, there is a nation in the Middle East called Israel which proclaimed independence on the 14th of May, 1948. David Ben-Gurion became the first Prime Minister of Israel. The parliament of Israel is called the Knesset. The last Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert, took over the highest office in Israel after Ariel Sharon suffered severe hemorrhagic stroke in 2006. Israel has fought several wars mainly over land in the Middle East spanning roughly one century of political tensions. Conflicts over territorial ambitions kicked off after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire.

SHACKLED BY DISTORTED MENTAL IMAGERY

Nowadays, a look at how some of the Somali youth living in the western hemisphere prepare for their future upon graduating from High School is cause for alarm. By developing distorted mental imagery, these youth who hail from disadvantaged backgrounds and broken families, find it difficult to heed the advises given by their school counselors because of preconceived established ideas ingrained in their minds that are hard to alter. Ironically, with falling school performances reported among school-going Somali children in Europe and North America, choosing the wrong careers after the gates of the school are kept under lock and key creates unease for any mindful educator and parent who wishes to see all kids remain in school until they are capable of handling their affairs. Even with plenty of financial aid and other grants available and reserved for those willing to partake in the furtherance of their education, the prospects of remaining in school diminishes for reasons best known to them.

Because of their obsessions to immediate jobs and some cash to propel them in to the murky waters of the underworld, these kids end up taking up menial jobs and often find themselves shoved in to contemptible and unprofessional fields like cab driving, janitorial, doormen, cooks, and the manufacturing industry considered to be the lowest paying in terms of job classifications. However, because of overabundance of narcotics and other mind altering drugs readily available in the streets, tardiness and ill-fated temptations usher them in to the corridors of social rejection and disobedience that ultimately lead them to rub shoulders with the law.

Thus, the youth who was touted to be a shinning star unto himself, his family, and his nation, becomes a subject of condemnation when an unpardonable and strange act leads him to the gallows of a dreaded prison. Though many divinely fortunate convicts who serve their sentences cautiously emerge out of the gates of dungeons with rosaries in hand as signs of repentance, the hard core ones who remain behind could find themselves rewarded with extended jail terms due to other horrible felonies committed while behind bars. Such sarcastic miscalculations in life may be attributed to poor parental and societal upbringing, lack of role models and mentors, resettling with careless and unfamiliar faces and families, failure to grasp the exhortations of the elderly, and taking the wrong path in life.

Also, the effects of the horrendous civil wars that separated family and friends, child abuse and neglect, familial indiscipline, parental drug addiction and illiteracy, abject poverty, and hordes of imperfections content in the social fabric they live in become the driving levers for their self-immolation or self-destruction. In addition, the social depravity of the host environment and the guest youth’s competition for space and recognition coupled with the desire to assimilate opens a path for unintended social interactions and exposure to malignant, apathetic, and alien cultures that easily consume the diminutive empathy exported from country of origin.

Furthermore, the harboring of a sense of inferiority by the novel guest and the ardent desire to participate in the affairs of the newly exposed locale tremendously alters, defaces or may even erase whatever little was left of his brain chemistry. The once exotic youth finds himself immersed in an unfathomable bottomless pit commandeered by criminals of the most awful category. Societal fragmentation in the Diaspora, lack of extra-curricular activities, exposure to pornography, cinematographic obscenities, and lack of parental involvement in Parent Teacher Associations, are the deriding factors behind the collapse of the once youthful Somali Empire.

The stubborn outgrowth of filaments of animosity and the division of society along clan lines has never been so profound in Somali society before. While it is true that poor governance, foreign interference in Somali affairs, and lack of reconciliation between warring factions added to Somali calamity, what we should note with dismay is how the Diaspora’s disregard for unity and coherence culminated in the break up of many who cherished trust, love, and unanimity in matters exclusive to the Somali people and nation.

The handouts and welfare benefits provided by the host nations to Somali societies and individual families are the main arteries that finance malevolent designs and the major propulsion engine of hatred in the Diaspora and in beleaguered Somalia. Wired via electronic remittances to Somali antagonistic forces on a monthly basis, these monies could be used to rejuvenate the education of Somali youth in the Diaspora and also those in impoverished Somalia.

While the number of Somali youth lagging behind bars in the western hemisphere could run in to the thousands, still there are an equal number of law abiding, sagacious, and hard working youth struggling to go beyond permanent barriers, traveling the hard road to prosperity, and effecting change by transforming the impossible in to the possible.

Act now on Somali Piracy

Last week, the commander of the Indian Navy warship Instabar reported that they had sunk a suspected Somali pirate ship that fired on them. However, that information has been disputed after it was found the ship that was sunk was not a pirate ship but a Thai fishing trawler. This incident will obviously cause strained relationship between the two Asian nations.

The coasts of the Horn of African nation of Somalia has become a hot spot for pirates who have so far hijacked over a dozen merchant ships since the beginning of this year. The international maritime trade along the Red Sea has been disrupted and flow of oil reduced since pirates started wrecking havoc on the free movement of maritime cargo. As reported by media houses, Somali pirates have secured over $150m from ransom paid by owners of hijacked vessels.

With dozens of western navies around Somali coasts including those of Russia, India, Malaysia and others, still, the Red Sea's major strategic shipping lanes remain volatile. Formerly, oil tankers and other cargo ships from the Middle East destined for Europe and North America and other parts of the world used to pass through the strategic Suez Canal because the Suez Canal alleviated the long and torturous ocean voyage around the southern tip of Africa.

The continued hijacking of ships along this route and the demand for ransom by Somalia's heavily armed and well organized maritime crime syndicate will reduce movement of ocean liners through the Suez and will tremendously set an economic obstacle for the Egyptian government and for the rest of the world in the near future.

Just last week, a Saudi Arabian supertanker carrying 2m barrels worth $100m was seized off the coast of Somalia and is now being held hostage by Somali pirates who are demanding $15m ransom. MV Sirius, as it is called, the Saudi Arabian supertanker is said to be five times the size of an aircraft carrier.

While the areas along the Somali coasts ruled by these pirates continue to expand and thrive, the rest of the world is experiencing dwindling oil supplies and shortage of other materials in high demand. A few of the correspondents that had access to pirate-held territories have reported seeing massive new infrastructures including gigantic mansions and sprawling neighborhoods, brand new luxury cars, thriving businesses, uninterrupted weddings, and convoys of newly purchased 'technicals'-anti-aircraft mounted wagons.

With the world eyes on the falling global economy, election euphoria in the U.S., and the war against terrorism, the poor Somali nation continues to deteriorate day by day. Undoubtedly, global inattention of piracy will strengthen pirate activities and perhaps create a new cold war phenomenon. Surreptitious military activities along the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea by major powers could lead to a permanent blockade of the Suez Canal.

On the other hand, the presence of the Russian Navy and her allies along the Eastern rim of the African coast and its continued expansion in the Caribbean Sea could open a power struggle in the not so distant future. The expected naval exercises between Hugo Chavez's Venezuelan forces and the visiting Russian Navy warship is already raising eyebrows that could open old wounds.

Somalia's Transitional Federal Government formed in Kenya by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is already in tatters and on the verge of collapse as the powerful Al-Shabab flexes its muscles ready to deliver the last decisive blows. Somalia's President Colonel Abdullahi Ahmed and his Prime Minister remain at loggerheads while Somali parliamentarians remain stranded in Kenya.

The African Union has failed to meet its expectations as the peacekeeping troops destined for Somalia remain elusive. The withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somali soil as stipulated by the Djibouti charter remain to be seen. The few nations that have peace keeping troops in Somalia will have no other option but embark on troop withdrawals if measures are not taken to reinforce their overstretched peace keeping missions in the city of Mogadishu.

Tribal power jostling has been the major obstacle to Somali peace and stability since the collapse of the military junta in 1991. The over dozen reconciliation conferences held by the international community have all ended in fiasco and disastrously failed to materialize.

Therefore, what is now elusive is a concerted global community effort to stabilize Somalia. It is in the interest of the international community to take drastic action to destabilize international piracy and bring the perpetrators of genocide in Somalia to book.

Gunpowder Obsessions and Africa's Monstrous Leadership Styles

You do not lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership-Dwight D. Eisenhower

If the world's economic powers could join hands to uplift the living standards of the poor African continent, humankind's origin and cradle of civilization could provide a lot in return. Ironically, distorted policies and economic strangulation on the continent by powerful half-hearted philanthropists coupled with inhuman practices endorsed by Africa's own ineffective, dictatorial, and lame-brained leaders have set the stage for recurrent rivalry and gunpowder obsessions.
Until donor nations denervate the supply lines that feed Africa's monstrous leaders, suffering and destitution will remain on the faces of millions for an indefinite period. A look at past and current African leaders shows none ever died of underfeeding or food shortage. Perhaps the youngest African leader to leave the political spectrum was Sergeant Samuel Doe of Liberia who died not because of malnutrition but because he was executed by an adversary.

Most African leaders outlast their compatriots in the West in age and in power. Men like Siyad Barre of Somalia and Haile Selassie of Ethiopia were ousted in coups at advanced ages. Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya died after ruling for 15 years. Hassan Guled Aptidon of Djibouti gave up power at an advanced age to his son Ismail Omar Gelle. Julius Nyerere of Tanzania ruled until poor health forced him to pave way for Hassan Ali Mwinyi. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, former President of Malawi left the political scene a bachelor and a senile. He dominated the politics of this landlocked African country from 1958 until his death in 1994. A graduate of Edinburgh and Glasgow universities, the learned doctor left the world without even claiming children of his own. He spent his entire life living with a girlfriend. Is this not un-African? The man who succeeded him, Bakili Muluzi, a Muslim, was no better because his term as President was marred by controversy and scandal over the sale of Malawi’s maize reserves to other countries. Africans don’t gamble with their favorite dish-corn meal!

Omar Bongo seems to be President-for-life for the nation of Gabon. The term President-for-life has been used by merciless dictators who prefer to rule until death. It came to light during the reign of Julius Caesar who made himself “Perpetual Dictator.” Then he was followed by Napoleon Bonaparte, the French leader who crowned himself “First Consul for Life” in 1802. Some rulers prefer to be called “Eternal Presidents”. A few examples of such ruthless rulers the world has seen include: Josip Broz Tito of former Yugoslavia, Cuba’s Fidel Castro, Kim Il-Sung of North Korea, François Duvalier alias “Papa Doc” of Haiti, Saparmyrat Ataýewiç Nyýazow of Turkmenistan, Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia y Velasco who became the first President of Paraguay after gaining independence from Spain, Jean-Bédel Bokassa of the Central African Republic, Habib Bourguiba of Tunisia, and Idi Amin of Uganda.

Ironically, Muammar al-Kaddafi is holding Libya hostage since 1969, Hosni Mubarak has refused to relinquish power since the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981, and most importantly, Africa's most extravagant ruler, Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire died disgracefully in Morocco having left behind billions of dollars of looted money accumulated over three decades of ruthless leadership. Joseph Kabila, the current President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), had his elementary and secondary education in Tanzania and later attended Makerere University in Uganda. A fluent speaker of Kiswahili, Zairians see him as a foreigner. He ascended the throne after his father was gunned down in 2001.

Ironically, all these men ruled their countries through forceful means. They looted foreign aid and stashed them in foreign accounts. Sani Abacha of Nigeria and Charles Taylor of Liberia left millions of dollars which could be used to feed millions of their citizens. While writers categorize leadership styles into transactional and transformational, most African leaders exercise pseudo-transformational-a peculiar leadership approach that instills fear and servitude in their followers. This type of leadership style was put into use by David Koresh, Jim Jones, Adolph Hitler, and Saddam Hussein. It implied the use of repression, emergency laws, and callous seductive applications meant to benefit the authoritarian leader.

James Warren “Jim” Jones forced 918 adherents of the Peoples Temple to drink poison made from a concoction of cyanide and other hazardous chemical products on November 18, 1978 in Jonestown, Guyana. Born May 13, 1978 in Indiana, U.S.A, the mass suicide perpetrated by Jim Jones is regarded as the largest and worst of its kind in human history.

Leadership and power are inter-related because both are part of what is called 'influence process' and both have the potential to persuade. Doctors, ministers, coaches, and teachers have the potential to influence people. How do the totalitarian leaders of Africa influence those they lead? Do killings, displacements, division, starving or bickering over petty issues have the potential to influence people who are hungry, sick and homeless in any way?

Leadership is not about false accusations of kuyeenahoo/kuteenahoo (he said; she said). An effective leader must have human and conceptual skills. Leaders must be task motivated and relationship motivated so as to reach a goal by developing close interpersonal relationship. Leader-member relations create confidence, loyalty, and attraction between the leader and the follower. A leader must also set a task structure to be followed with clearly spelled out requirements for the sake of reward and punishment outlined in what is referred to as 'position power'.

Opportunism for the purpose of personal advancement has been an impediment to African social governing. A leader must have the brain to effectively solve problems in a logical, unique, and effective style or way that go beyond given information. The performance of a leader raises productivity and also elevates level of allegiance of loyal followers. The ineffective performance of a leader has been shown to produce disastrous effects and lead to consequences that are detrimental to the overall management of any kind of organization. A leader is a role model who sets examples to be followed by those under his or her command.

Africa does not need arms and monstrous leaders. What the continent desperately needs is economic empowerment, political maturity, environmental responsibility, decent healthcare, and educational enrichment.

THE SPIRITS HAVE SPOKEN

The United States, the most technologically advanced nation, politically mature, and the strongest military power in the world, witnessed, on Tuesday the 4th of November, 2008, the most out of the ordinary historical tidal wave when Barack Obama, son of an immigrant black Kenyan father and a white Kansan mother was elected the 44th President. For 232 years, beginning in 1776 when it gained independence from England after a brutal war of independence, “the Land of Milk and Honey” as it is popularly called, the United States has been predominantly ruled by white presidents some of whom owned slaves brought from Africa during the slave trade.

The former Senator from Illinois garnered 364 of the electoral votes and 51% of the popular votes, while his opponent, Republican Presidential contender and Senator, John McCain of Arizona, trailed behind with 162 and 49% of the electoral and popular votes respectively. Delivering a passionate speech that echoed across the globe in his famous political power base and hometown of Chicago in the splendid Grant Park which was packed to the brim with over a 100 thousand estimated spectators, the President-elect who is known for veracity, competency and thoughtfulness, raised many broad issues including the difficult tasks ahead for his presidency.

As a result of the economic meltdown that began with the collapse of gigantic financial institutions, the new President will need a tough economic team to steer the nation to a new direction. As the election results trickled in from the 50 states, territories, and overseas absentee ballots, millions across the country remained glued to their television screens to watch the most spectacular political event in American history. Obama’s rival, Senator John McCain of Arizona, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and a political juggernaut in Washington politics, spoke to his supporters though in a low tone with less applause from his followers. However, Senator McCain heaped praiseD on Barack Obama while at the same time sending his supporters a poignant appeal to support and rally behind the initiatives of the new President-elect. Likewise, the incumbent President of the U.S., George W. Bush relayed a similar message.

On the other hand, world leaders, friends and foes alike, delivered messages of congratulations and felicitations to the man who shook the political conundrum of the world’s only superpower.

According to reports by election observers, political analysts, Washington pundits, media houses, and polls, the titling of balance of power to the side of the Democratic Party was made possible by Obama’s articulate speech delivery and powerful energy, the exceptional strategic planning of the party electioneering team, the trust and discipline demonstrated by his aides and volunteers, the meticulous fundraising skills, the scrupulous thrust of house-to-house visitations, e-mail contacts, telephonic and text messaging and the outstanding communication techniques put into force by the party’s political maestros from day one until the final finish. The swearing of the top stratum of the campaigning team to secrecy coupled with strict observation of the essential schedules culminated in a well organized mix of willing supporters who set the ball rolling day and night without any conceivable difference of opinion or divergence from point of departure.

Despite harangues from his opponent, malicious misinformation circulated by racially prejudiced publications, loquacious radio hosts regurgitating propaganda, deplorably doctored malevolent accusations by racist media houses and incredulous insinuations by powerful individual political misfits, Obama repulsed his foes with sheer force and unbending articulation using double-edged sword of philosophical expressions that transformed him into an immovable barrier and a force to reckon with. Going by the old adage “what man has done man can do”, Obama saw himself as an indispensable pioneer whose intended objectives if effectively managed will open a path for millions of citizens politically decapitated either by color, creed, religion, gender, and national origin. Thus, the election of Obama as the first African-American President of the United States heralds the evolvement of a political platform for all hyphenated racial classes who were denied a place in many secluded, alienated, and subjective arenas reserved for and commandeered by peers of the realms.

In his father’s birthplace nation of Kenya, in Indonesia, Australia, and almost in every habitable landscape of our planet earth, the name Barack Obama received incomparable celebrity status. No doubt many children who were born the night Obama was pronounced the winner, will have their birth certificates decorated with the first, middle, and last names of the most famous man of this century. Barack, Hussein or Obama-three out of the ordinary African and Arabian names that resonate with blessings, courage, knowledge, and other favorable predilections will resonate with any language, topography, and demography. If African-Americans of today carry names like Kwame, Kenyatta, Tunisia, Aaliyah, Kunta, and Kalindi, why not get rid of colonial baptismal names and switch to beautiful African names like Ndebele, Meygag, Koroma, Bakarow, Njagi, Barack, Hussein, and Obama.

In Kenya, a land familiar to the President-elect, witchdoctors, sages, and jugglers scrupulously prognosticated and then promulgated Obama’s ascendancy of the White House long before the pronouncement of the election results.

There was a night when several volcanoes that were to erupt burped and instead secretly spewed aroma that nourished the surrounding fauna and flora; that was the night when many spiritual worshipers communicated with the spirits of the dead to find out their special man in the making; thereafter, it was my turn to fry my favorite bun iyo cambuulo galley to close the chapter for the day ahead.
The day before the election, I received a phone call from a sweet talking mademoiselle who wanted to know whether I had a few hours to volunteer to the cause of democracy. My message to her was “you don’t need me as the message has been clearly spelled out and that it has been confirmed to me by my own ruuxaan that the winner of the election will be a man called Barack Obama.”

African Sangomas uncovered extraordinary microscopic messages intricately splashed across the linings of abdominal and intestinal organs of squirrels, salamander lizards, and porcupines that prophesied the reclamation of black and other minority inalienable rights that had been trampled upon for centuries in the northern hemisphere. Intercommunication between witchdoctors and the spirits of the mountains, oceans, and the crust of the earth yielded fruitful results after painstakingly offering sacrifices and performing rituals that appeased the invisible powerful spirits they so profoundly depend upon for the disclosure of relevant information that are of vital significance to their material and spiritual world.
Pro-life supporters found solace in Obama’s respect for the inviolability of human life- priestly thoughts that were in conformity with their sacerdotal beliefs. Obama received blessings, votes, and unparalleled prayers of African-American voters; a great number of Latino electors threw their weight behind him; women cast their ballots in great numbers for they had votes that were of crucial importance as that of the other opposite gender; adherents of various denominations supplicated against the racially obsessed few while keeping vigil all night long for a once-in-a-lifetime miracle to shake America’s bloated racial divide, and millions of young and elderly whites joined the election fever in support of Barack Obama’s attractive economic and health packages. Many red states switched allegiance to Barack Obama because they found John McCain’s policies were a continuation of George Bush’s failed policies.

The life of a pregnant woman in Zimbabwe

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Posted on October 31st, 2008 by Fungisai Sithole. Filed in Shortages and Inflation, Uncategorized, Women's issues.
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Because of the challenges and difficulties I am exposed to on a daily basis I wake up with pains all over my body. My body is mostly swollen and weak. My doctor tells me that my blood pressure levels have gone high. She tells me that I need to rest, but I cannot afford rest, I cannot afford to be sick. Not in this environment where I am subjected to economical, social, political and psychological frustrations. My bulging stomach has become representative of the problems I endure on a daily basis and an antithesis of the joys of womanhood and every growth of my tummy is an increase in my pain, frustrations and agony. I long for joys of motherhood but the environment I live in makes sure I can only long and dream of how it feels to be pregnant in an environment where I can afford the basics – a reality that remains an elusive quest.

Every day I wake up with worries and serious issues of concern regarding my pregnancy. I am employed but nothing seems to balance and work for me. I have to think of ways of raising money for my next appointment with my gynaecologist and for the hospital delivery charges and the doctor’s delivery fee. All these are charged in US Dollars. I have even attempted to apply to the Reserve Bank for the authority to withdraw cash in excess for the 50 000 daily limit but with no success as the whole financial system is corrupt and dysfunctional. Every day that passes brings an element of fear and anxiety as I still do not know when and how I will be able to raise the monies.

The doctor and the hospital fees are just one of the few elements I have got to worry about. Most of my clothes can’t fit anymore. I need new big clothes to accommodate my growing body and for my baby. The clothes are very expensive. I move around shops daily hoping to find something affordable but have no luck. I have money in the bank but can only withdraw fifty thousand dollars a day which only covers my one way transport costs to work. The cheapest clothes I can get are around 700 to 800 thousand dollars and I am expected to pay for them in cash. The shops do not accept cheques or transfers. The prices change on a daily basis and have no idea how I am expected to raise such figures a day. In Zimbabwe being pregnant has grown to be some form of punishment whose fine no one seems to know.

The sad part is dealing with my cravings. The environment in Zimbabwe just wipes away the joys of womanhood. Everything is a frustration for me. I can’t seem to find things I crave for and if I do the price just thwarts the excitement completely. It is an unfathomable task to afford a basic healthy diet something I need seriously in such circumstances. Sometimes my appetite just fades as eating the same vegetables and sadza everyday is a pain to me. I lead a miserable life and cannot wait for the day I will deliver and look at the new challenges.

With my mind dawdled with the challenges and frustrations of pregnancy, after work I get to a home without electricity and water. I now have to fetch water from a nearby school borehole and make fire as no one knows when the electricity will be back. I now view pregnancy as a burden and the burden is made worse by the miserable living conditions I am expected to endure every day. I dread the day my baby will be born in this environment and I shudder to think if he or she will be able to survive in this mire.