Still Walking!

I hope you’re reading all of my post because often the last post will feed into the next. That’s what’s happening today, so if you didn’t read Friday’s post this one may leave you wondering.

When I decided to come back to Africa after visiting my Mom I knew in the present and physical what I was facing but my spirit was too loud to ignore its call. I had been hearing and reading over and over again about the sermon about Peter stepping out of the boat and walking on water and it clung to me. I knew it was something in that I was supposed to be understanding from this message and was seeking the answer. For years I used to say I wanted to have enough faith that I could walk on water and one day when I was making the decision to return to Gambia it hit: step out of the boat, walk by faith. It didn’t matter that I only had eight hundred dollars to my name, that my annual rent of two thousand dollars was due back in Gambia,  children that I was paying school fees for, an organization that needed funding, lonely days ahead and no idea of what was coming next. All I knew was that I couldn’t turn back. It was time to walk on water!

Arriving back in Gambia felt different this time, no return ticket, no vacation giddies, but I was moving with a purpose. I wasn’t quite sure of what that purpose was exactly, but I knew I was on the road to finding out. My daughter had asked me a question some months before, a question that I had asked myself. “What’s a NGO (non governmental organization)?” I told her that I didn’t know, but had a feeling hat I was getting ready to find out and that I did.  I had already registered It’s Nice To Be Nice (INTBN) International in Gambia http://www.intbn.org , and had a couple of projects under my belt, but I needed to learn more so I got busy educating myself. It wasn’t all work and no play at that time. I had a boyfriend from Senegal that was a friend, confidant and would later become a provider. He was a very astute businessman and almost 25 years my junior. It didn’t seem so. When it was time for that annual rent to be paid and he noticed my stress and he stepped in without asking and took care of it. GOD is so good!

I knew that I had to find something to do to sustain myself so I commented to a couple of friends that I needed a job. That surprised them because most people think that because you’re from the states you’re floating on money. I had been writing a weekly column for a local newspaper here entitled, “Our History” I wrote about African American History from the Middle Passage till present times and after each historical milestone wrote about an African American Inventor. I chose this topic because while Africans may be aware of the slave trade they have very little insight into the development and evolution of African American Culture. I wanted to dispel myths and help acquaint us with each other. Each column I wrote I got paid the approximate equivalent of five dollars. That barely paid my fare to deliver the articles to the newspaper. Finally one of my acquaintances recommended me to the University of The Gambia. I started working there in December of 2006 as an administrative assistant. My salary was approximately two fifty dollars monthly, doesn’t sound like much, but it met my needs, yaaaaaayyyyyyy! I felt so good, I was in the mix, doing my thang and doing it in Africa! 

At times I get these revelations; some are loud and clear while others seem like clues along my path. I remember right after my twins were born I got one that was 3 fold, but only could hear and see the first one clearly and it would devastate me, but more that likely save my life yet set me on the course that has brought me to this day. I had a revelation in 2003 was that I would be homeless, huh, what!? I tried to pray that thing away cause I know prayer changes everything. It didn’t make any sense! I was on my good job that I’d been on for almost fifteen years, living in a highrise on Sheridan Road and driving and Acura Legend so homelessness, what! 

Step out of the Boat!

Hang on, everyone is talking bout a fiscal cliff these days, well this is a Victoria cliff hanger till Wednesday!