Greetings Baba!

As always, I learn from your wordsound and wise mind. The family and I are settling in well in Mama Africa - Kenya/Nairobi. Apart from learning to drive on the road, things are Ilaful, but my brothers here in Kenya drive crazy!!!!! lol

In all seriousness though - I agree wholeheartedly that reparations should be paid, however I am unsure of the practical nature of those monies being utilized to make the life of the people more bearable.

Admittedly, I have not seen much of in the short time I have been in Kenya - but it seems like more than money, there needs to be a willingness to improve the people's lives here, and in the case of Kenya, I am unsure if the government is willing to take the necessary steps to provide for the most basic of needs for it's most vulnerable people. All over Kenya, there is a drought and in Northern Kenya there are literally people starving. The government indicates that they do not have the financial resources to feed the people, however, there was a fleet of 100's of new cars that were recently imported for the use of government officials. There seems to be a disconnect with the government and it's citizens.

Seeing the conditions in areas such as Mathere, Kibera, and Kwangere, locations which are commonly referred to as "slums" makes one question the seriousness of the gov't to eradicate extreme poverty. While I recognize that the gov't is not responsible for everything in society, there seems to be an unwillingness to seriously tackle issues of poverty.

The buzzword in Africa, has and remains to be corruption, and I am hesitant to throw that word around - but it exists on an extreme level, and I would not trust the government, in the case of Kenya to adequately distribute monies paid for reparations to reach the people who are in the most need.

It is no wonder that many Africans 'cling' to Western versions of religion. Ones with a hungry belly are hesitant to analyze the reason while there are so many missionaries and or why one has to have an 'English' name to be baptized - when it is these churches that are providing the majority of social services. One does not have to spend much time analyzing the role that these churches play in indoctrinating Africans to western Ideologies - a continued role that they play in neo-colonialism; but civil society and the government does not provide homes for most orphans, street kids, people w/HIV etc, so there is no wonder why people turn to the 'church.'

There is no better time than now to organize and centralize, because InI cannot depend on any government to meet our needs. I am often criticized when I suggest that there is a need to accumulate wealth and build businesses to employ our people, so we can rise from the role of beggars - to the West, the Church, to governments. I was recently on the Coast in Kilifi and Malindi Kenya, and it was absolutely gorgeous, but there was NO work for the people...NONE. So many local Rastafarian idren that I meant and reasoned with had taught themselves fluent Italian, because those Uropeans had taken over the area - and if you wanted a job doing odd jobs, it's necessary to speak Italian - and this is in Africa - it is nothing less tha n crazy!

It would not take much for those at home and abroad to partner to build small factories, hotels, etc to engage in small/medium farming activities to employ many Africans who want to work, but don't have opportunities.

I always used to wonder when I was back in the States, why so many of the Africans I meant in Ohio, DC, Chicago, etc., were trying to get their family members to America - I always thought and still do know - that Africa is truly the land of opportunity...but in the short time I have been here, I have grown to overstand that Africa - if you don't have money is unimagineably difficult to survive - especially in urban areas or extremeley rural areas.

About 50% of the young people I have meant, their main objective is to come to the United States - and there is something extremely wrong with that picture.

Life is indeed Baba - but I know that to some degree I am both blessed and 'lucky,' because I recognize I have many opportunities that many of my idren here don't have, but I'm gonna keep moving forward for Jah's wguidance to try my best to make my family, ancestors, and Africans at ome and abroad proud

One Black Love Baba