Eyes of Faith
All You Need Holistic Soul. She is singing in the key of life! Pg .4
Colie Williams
Winter 2010
Living With Greater In
Linda’s Picks
Winter 2010 African Cultural Center PG. 22
PG.17
Workout Doctor PG. 38
Tools for Life PG. 27
Pioneers Voice of Wisdom PG. 36
Living with Greater Intention! 1
Larry Poncho Brown
Jazz Aficionado PG. 11
Finding Ancestors PG. 44
Profound Artistic Expressions PG. 11 Drusilla Pair
Sheila Elaine Anderson Word 4 Word Poets
On A Mission PG.33
Saving 7 Lives PG. 46
Word4Word PG. 20 Donna Roberts Darrell
Patricia Dean
Don and Ruth Harris
Divine Cuisine PG.32
Heart of Spain PG. 6 Eva Hedouville
Ysaye Barnwell
Honey in the Rock PG. 9
~Contributors On the Cover~ Linda Pate John O. Mose, Jr. Renita Shadwick
Sparking the Challenge PG. 5
Paula Harris Ronette Jacobs Michelle Norris Bishop Barbara Harris 2 ~In Good Company~
Jaynee Sasso
Dorothy Wagstaff & Others
Personal Finance PG. 24
Living with Greater Intention
plain and simple! God has planted something deep down within them and it can‘t be fettered. God has fashioned them to move from the fray, battle if they
Was the title that emanated months ago when I began
must but not wallow in the ashes of discontent, but to
to think about our second edition of Eyes of Faith
instead rise like a phoenix, hearts singed and
Magazine. I knew it was no accident because God was
surely better for the trial. Thank God for their fortitude
being busy conveying that message! When I read
and stick-to-itiveness. Yes, it‘s a blessed gift to live
scripture, listened to NPR, spoke to students, glanced
with greater intention. So my friends without a doubt
at highway billboards, stopped and listened closely to
each of the selections you peruse in this second issue of
lyrics, read St. Augustine‘s prayers, discovered an
Eyes of Faith Magazine know that the featured
uplifting website, the ―intentionality‖ for living faith
person‘s life experience is verdant with promise and
filled lives and impacting others for greater good was there.
they are vigilant about their calls in life. We salute each of them for their wonderful endeavors. Learn of their passions and take heart as you too fix your gaze with eyes of
Prayers of Saint Augustine:
faith. Go on and live life on purpose and God of life, there are days when
with greater passion. We wish you God‘s
the burdens we carry chafe our
continued blessings now and in the coming
shoulders and wear us down;
year 2011. Linda Mose Meadows, CoEditor Eyes of Faith Magazine
when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and
Eyes of Faith Magazine Winter 2010 Edition Editors and Co-Publishers: Richard D. Meadows, Jr. and Linda Mose Meadows
threatening; when our lives have no music in them and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with
Dedicated to the Loving Memory of: Bettie Slayton Haines February 4, 1944 -December 12, 2010
light, we beseech you; turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise.
For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. Nelson Mandela
(From Prayers of the Saints: An Inspired Collection of Holy Wisdom, ed. Woodeene Koenig-Bricker - San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1996)
Thank you to our team of stellar contributors! You are friends indeed!
http://www.wf-f.org/StAugustine.html So I realized it was no mistake what God had planted
Shout-outs to: In Good Company (Businesses with a Heart for Others, Larry Poncho Brown, Princess Photography, Echoing Green. Workout Doctor LaTienda Common sense Wealth, Tools For Life
in my spirit! When you think about all of the accomplished folks in your personal circles and in the world, what comes to mind about their character and calling? Is it their dogged persistence, their resolve that
Speak-up please, We welcome your feedback and suggestions, Contact us at: blessedbelievers1@yahoo.com We're on facebook, we'd love to hear from you. FFAWN, Finding Your Folks, The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life's Lessons and God's Promises
no matter what life flings their way it won‘t hinder their mission? Is it their demeanor, faith, prayer life, outstanding creativity, insight, amazing, wisdom, wit, fortitude-what exactly is it? In my estimation it may be a combination of those traits! Certainly it‘s personal,
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Magazine Cover Provided Courtesy of: Keyonne Brooks (PH Balanced Music) and Colie Williams
Roberta Flack and Sade.‖ Spirited by the influence of these legendary greats, Colie began honing a melodious style all her own. Holistic Soul. With an established vision for her sound and a new band, Colie Williams featuring Soul For A New Day, naturally complement each other with seamless precision during their performances of timeless covers and enticing originals. Though often compared to songstresses like Jill Scott and Teena Marie, Colie‘s musical style uniquely blends sounds of sultry jazz and classic R&B with therapeutic elements that speak to the mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of her listeners. This singer/songwriter creates music to lift, inspire and share her truth. Colie's performances intentionally set out to create intimate landscapes where she connects and shares her vision with the audience. Since arriving to the District, Colie continues to gain popularity by frequently appearing in famous U Street corridor venues that include, Bus Boys and Poets, The Islander, and Jo-Jo‘s. Colie‘s audiences frequently request her original material during her performances. Melodic originals such as "Angel" and "All You
Every so often a light shines into the darkness of musical
Need" embody a balance of spirit, melody and rhythms. Co-
mediocrity and from the shadows emerges a fresh new artist with
written
a gift that brings illumination and perspective to their listeners.
with producers
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Colette Williams
The Crank
(affectionately known to her friends as Colie) took the stage after
Bros., her
her junior high school teacher recognized her vocal talent. She
style fuses
encouraged Colie to attend Music & Arts High School in Harlem
Go-Go,
where she majored in vocal studies. After graduation, Colie
Latin,
continued her studies at Syracuse University where she
Classic
participated in their musical theatre program. Although an
R&B and
education major, performing piqued Williams‘ inherent love for
Jazz to
music and provided her with a restorative experience that she
create a
would be unable to deny.
breath of fresh air to
Miss Williams Goes to Washington
the urban
Colie‘s devotion to music and theatre led her to Washington,
adult
D.C. There she began touring and performing with various professional theatre productions, most notably, the Kennedy
contemporary music scene. As Williams reaches back to call
Center for the Performing Arts. After concluding her theatre
upon the classic styles of Ella, Sarah and Billy to inspire her
work, Colie turned her focus to developing her own distinctive
music, her message reaches forward towards today‘s
sound. ―I‘ve always felt a strong connection to legends like Ella
audiences. http://www.myspace.com/coliewilliamsfeaturingo
Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway,
sfand
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comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.” “And may God bless you with enough foolishness... To believe that you can make a difference in the world, So that you can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor. Amen.” Bishop Barbara Harris
I would commend to the church this Franciscan benediction that I have come to love, because I think it is kind of marching orders for the church in the 21st century: "May God bless you with discomfort... At easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.” “May God bless you with anger... at the injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.” “May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war So that you may reach out your hand to
Available at Amazon.com
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La Tienda 1325 Jamestown Rd Williamsburg, VA 23185
Don & Ruth Harris
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Don Harris has been writing very popular reflections on Spain since 1997. He fell in love with the Spanish culture over forty years ago, when he stepped ashore in Spain as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy. For a time he and his wife Ruth raised their young family among the sherry bodegas of El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz). As they enjoyed life with their sons in a Spanish neighborhood, they grew to appreciate the intimate dimension of Spanish life, where children are cherished and family ties are central. After retiring from the Chaplain Corps as a captain, Don founded LaTienda.com with his wife and sons. They all visit Spain regularly. The company is now one of the finest providers of Spanish food in the U.S., supporting artisanal and small family firms. In 2009, Don received the Admiral Pedro Menéndez Friend of Spain Award from the Society of Spain for his outstanding leadership and dedication on behalf of Spain and Spanish culture.
Whether you are from Spain, related to someone born in Spain or just love the country and her food, you will find these essays a delight. Don Harris has a gift for telling refreshing, meaningful and inspiring stories. Stories of regular people living quietly remarkable lives. Stories filled with emotional depth and understanding, brimming with the rich sights, sounds and smells of life.
In this fast-paced era of high tech and long "to-do" lists, there is much we can learn from the Spanish approach to life. This insightful collection of essays will help you:
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Immerse yourself in the grace and warmth of Spain and her people
Be inspired by stories of resilience, dignity and generosity
Learn about families who continue food-making traditions that go back generations
Beautifully designed, the 272-page book includes over 100 color photographs. “My wife Ruth and I met a group of remarkable women in Córdoba. Our hearts were warmed by being in the company of people for whom adversity became an opportunity to do something better. Through their vision and hard work, they helped their working sisters preserve a precious tradition, and made available to all of us the artistry of their cooking.
continue the tradition of breaking bread together with their families. In addition to helping their neighbors, their company creates some of the finest artisan food in Spain...” “Viva Lola! The Sauce that Saved a Town ” The Heart of Spain
How did this occur? A sugar beet factory closed after forty years of operation, and the traditional fabric of life became badly frayed. Because fathers were jobless and mothers had to work outside the home, there was no one to go to market every day and prepare the traditional mid-day meal that had anchored their gathered families for generations. One of the mothers, Lola, recognized the depth of the crisis, and mobilized some of the other mothers to take action to protect their families' way of life. They pooled their family recipes. Lola contributed her recipe for sofrito sauce, and others prepared their favorite traditional products. Rising before dawn so that work in their commercial kitchen would be completed before their children came home from school, Lola and the other mothers made fresh, homemade organic food for their sisters. Their products enabled working mothers to more easily
Visit The Heart of Spain At: www.heartofspainbook.com
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This month the group of six women will join their vocal prowess with the strength of dance at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the classic spiritual dance piece Revelations.
The Root Interview: Sweet Honey in the Rock's Ysaye Barnwell
This marks the second collaboration between the two legendary arts organizations. In 2008 Sweet Honey was featured in an original piece, Go in Grace, to commemorate Ailey's 50th-anniversary national dance tour. Sweet Honey composed and performed the music for the piece, which was directed and choreographed by Ailey protégé Hope Boykin. The group released the music independently on its label, She-Rocks 5, Inc.
The composer and longtime member of the famed a cappella group talks about collaborating with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, taking on controversial material and why black music is in a fragile state today.
By: Monée Fields-White | Posted: December 7, 2010 at 6:22 PM
Dr. Ysaye M. Barnwell, who joined Sweet Honey in 1979 and has composed many of the group's songs, talked with The Root about the collaboration with Ailey (scheduled to be performed on Dec. 31), music's impact on critical national issues, and the state of black art and music.
http://www.theroot.com/views/root-interviewsweet-honey-rock-s-ysaye-barnwell
The Root: Revelations is a classic dance piece that bears testimony to the faith and tenacity of African Americans. How is this piece most reflected in Sweet Honey's music?
Ysaye Barnwell: We really are tied very closely to African-American traditional music. We try to preserve the vocal heritage of African Americans, and we try to extend it. We go beyond the church, and we go beyond the civil rights movement.
Courtesy of ymbarnwell.com
It's clear to me that this is a piece that expresses the struggle, the suffering and the triumph over all of it at the end. That's what we have done as a people. Each of us in the group has been through our own struggles, and we feel like we have come out pretty well.
For almost 40 years, the Grammy Award-winning a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock has captured in song the struggles, tenacity and triumph of black America. They have also not been afraid to rattle thoughts on key issues -ranging from diversity to racial intolerance -- that continue to divide the nation. Take their recent single, "Are We a Nation?" released this summer, which tackles the national debate on the controversial SB1070 immigration law that was enacted in Arizona.
On every level, we identify with this music very deeply. To be singing it as the dancers are dancing it, for me, will take it that much more in-depth. You will have another layer of emotions that get expressed through the dance.
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Larry Poncho Brown “Jazz Dimension� Coming Spring 2011: It's All About Love! Featuring our beloved friend and world renowned Artist Larry Poncho Brown. Look forward to being acquainted with this generous soul! His artistic work captures the essence of our spirituality and reverence of the divine in our lives. www.larryponchobrown.com
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will also see both the playful and serious sides of the music masters in sections on love, passion, relationships, and sex; aging and death; nature and healing; humor and witticisms; religion and spirituality; and much more. Special sections pay particular attention to the words of Ron Carter, T.S. Monk, the Beatles, and Benny Golson. Any musician or music lover will savor this collection of provocative, mischievous, and profound words from music personalities of the past and present.
In the course of a day if I find myself shaking my head, laughing uncontrollably, crying, sighing, “cussin” and asking the question “Why Lord!” then I know it’s been a good day. If you read Sheila’s The Quotable Musician From Bach To Tupac, you will think of stuff your momma said, your aunties said and of course what your old funky uncle said. Also built into her repertoire is the sensitivity and kindness of the sages of Rappers, Blues and Classical musicians. This is truly a thinking person’s book. Stuff you want to quote in a sermon. Did I mention that? It should be part of every preaching person’s library. Get your snuggle, slippers, hot cocoa or a glass of smooth $2 Buck Chuck Cabernet Sauvignon and a good friend, and enjoy! Richard D. Meadows, Jr.
About the Author Sheila E. Anderson is an on-air personality and host of Weekend Jazz After Hours on Jazz 88.3 FM, WBGO, Newark (the most popular jazz radio station in the nation), and she is the host and producer of the award-winning TV program The Art of Jazz, which airs weekly on Time Warner Cable's Manhattan Neighborhood Network. As the programming consultant at The Newark Museum, she produces the Jazz in the Garden series, now in its 45th year, that draws hundreds of audience members each week from June and July. Her work in the public sector also includes work producing for Jazzmobile, Inc. A columnist for Hot House Magazine she lives in New York City. Learn more at:
In The Quotable Musician: From Bach to Tupac, music artists through the ages speak out in this illuminating collection of quotations. Both the famous and the obscure from every genre of music--including classical, rock, Latin, country, blues, and hip-hop–are celebrated in more than one thousand quotations sure to intrigue and delight. Quotes offer individual takes on the music world, other musicians, singing and ―the song,‖ performing and rehearsing, success, fame, fortune, failure, and rejection. Readers
www.aalbc.com/authors/sheila_anderson.htm
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memories of class and culture, race and ignorance and finally the exculpatory explanation of why we do so well as African Americans in the face of trial. She should be commended for her extraordinary explanation of the pain and joys of the past, and how it impacts not only her family but a whole race of Americans. Richard D. Meadows, Jr.
LITERARY WONDERS!
Excerpt My parents were postal workers who took pride in simple things. Their home. Their garden. The sunny optimism they passed on to their children. I thought I knew my parents so well. I was wrong. I set out to write a book exploring America‘s hidden conversation about race but changed course when I started listening intently to the hidden conversations in my own family. I was shocked to learn that my father was shot in the leg by white police officers in Birmingham, Alabama shortly after returning from his military service in World War II. While the wound was superficial, the experience was not and the story remained submerged for decades. He didn‘t even tell my mother. But my Mother also had a secret. She never spoke about the years her mother worked as an itinerant Aunt Jemima, traveling to small towns conducting pancake mix demonstrations, dressed in a hoop skirt and apron with a bandanna on her head.
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard… the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. I Corinthians 2:9
Powerful and moving. Michele explores the inner raw emotions of a child who slowly uncovers the mysteries of life and family. The print on the page becomes lost in the visions she shares with you, bringing to life the real life drama of Grace. The pages are replaced by
My parents kept these stories to themselves because they wanted their children to soar. They didn‘t want to weigh down our pockets with tales of woe. Instead, they armed us with ambition instead of anxiety. I always knew I was shaped by my parents‘ expectations and the advice they doled out. What I did not realize until recently is that I was also shaped by the weight of their silence. I now understand that I was molded in myriad ways by those things they never talked about but that nonetheless dictated how they lived their lives. Silence, I learned, had its rewards…..and its costs. I hope The Grace of Silence encourages people to think about their own complex family legacies and to consider a core question: How well do we really know the people who raised us? My father was one of those people who are most comfort able at the fringes, away from the action center stage. He did not need or crave attention. Instead, he
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was driven by the need to reassure others that everything was going to be all right. Belvin Norris Jr. was a fixer. An eternal optimist to the core. You could see it in his smile. As a grown man he still grinned like a schoolboy, and you could not help but grin along with him. His vibe was contagious. Kindness is usually seen as altru istic. But it can also be an act of desperation, satisfying a deep-seated need to avoid the mind‘s darker places. Benevolence, for some, is a survival tactic.
Beach apartment to borrow a coffee filter one Saturday morning. She couldn‘t stop staring at the wingback armchair in which my father sat reading the Los Angeles Times. ―You know, Michele,‖ she said, ―that looks like the chair I threw out for bulk trash pickup a few weeks ago.‖
Daddy…Even in his last hours my father practiced benevolence, always looking out for everybody else. Moments after the doctor delivered devastating news about his health, my father, still smiling, pointed to an infected cut on my left hand. It was his way of prodding the emergency room physician to turn his attention to me. The victim opting to be the benefactor. Dad took ill in June 1988, while visiting his brother Simpson in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The minute he called me I knew some thing awful had happened. His voice was graveled, his words rubbery. He couldn‘t put a sentence together, and the failed effort only added to his frustration. He had lost control of his speech, but he managed to hold on to his sunny disposition. Although his words were incomprehensible, I sensed a false cheer, with each attempt at speech ending on an elevated note—the kind of verbal leap parents of very young children use to mask irritation or fear. I was working as a newspaper reporter in Chicago at the time. Dad had stopped by to visit me on his way to Uncle Simpson‘s house. We had spent a few days going to baseball games and trying to get my kitchen in order. He was relieved to see that I‘d finally learned to enjoy spending time at the stove. I showed off for him with jambalaya and pineapple upside-down cake. It worked. He set small talk aside, went back for seconds, and still had room for a huge piece of cake. When he was finished he dabbed his mouth and said, ―Maybe now you‘ll find someone who will put up with you.‖
My neighbor left with her borrowed coffee filter and a piece of my dignity. Lucky for me, my father had a sense of humor and a strong commitment to thrift. He always believed that the prettiest car on the road was the one that was paid in full, and in his book the most attractive chair in my cramped living room that day was the one that had arrived without a price tag. We had a good laugh, and when he left, he snuck an envelope into my jewelry box with ―sofa fund‖ written on the outside. My father preached that he would always help me as long as I helped myself by working hard and spending smart. I was better at the former than the latter. When he visited me in Chicago in June 1988, he saw that I had earned high marks on both fronts. He appeared healthy during that visit. A week later, when I got the call from Indiana, it seemed I was talking to a man I didn‘t know. As soon as I put the phone down, I started packing a bag. I had to get to Fort Wayne fast. By the time I arrived, Dad had already checked into the hospital. The doc tors there didn‘t know exactly what was wrong, but they knew that something was very wrong and that most likely it had to do with his brain or his central nervous system. The doctors spoke
To another person, this might have sounded like a dig, but I knew what he meant. I could use my kitchen skills to cook at home and save money and to help ―close the deal‖ when I found the right man. I was twenty-six and living on my own in Chicago. No husband. No roommate. Just me in a second-story duplex apartment with high ceilings, a large kitchen, and actual furniture. For years my father had visited me at various apartments where the most comfortable chair had been either a wooden crate or something recovered from the curb on trash day. He never let me forget an embarrassing episode when I was living in southern California. A neighbor stopped by my Man hattan
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among themselves about anaplastic astrocytomas and radiation therapy. It was a code that could mean only one thing: cancer.
to Minnesota, where he could be treated closer to home. We wanted to get Dad on the first flight to the Twin Cities, but his gait was unsteady and he seemed increasingly disoriented. He clutched my arm as we walked through the airport; he kept shooting me tight little smiles: reassurance. I wasn‘t buying it. By now his speech was so slurred that only I could understand him, and so labored that he wasn‘t able even to whisper. It took him so much effort and focus to spit out a sound that it was slightly explosive when it arrived, like a sputtering engine in a hushed area. At the airport we sat across from two stout middle-aged blond women with wet-set curls and matching pink satin jackets. They must have been on their way to a convention or a sorority gathering; they were electric with excitement and frosted up like highcalorie confections, constantly rifling through their pocketbooks for mirrored compacts, then checking their makeup or blotting their lipstick. I remember them so well because they were sitting next to a large Amish or Mennonite family.
Even in the most terrifying moments at a sterile hospital, there is some comfort in knowing that a world you recognize is just outside and beyond the parking garage. You can fixate on a familiar image as a doctor shaves years off your life with each sentence. He can talk all he wants about therapies and operations, but you‘re thinking of the parking lot where you taught your daughter to drive, or the gas station that uses red reflective press-on letters to spell out a different Bible verse each week, like ―The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.‖ While the doctor yammers on, you‘re thinking of the grizzled gas station attendant who climbs the ladder to change the sign, and wondering what pearl of wisdom he might offer in light of the news you just got.
The men had long beards and wore suspenders. The women had long braids and long dresses, and their heads were covered by little white hats that looked like fancy French fry baskets. They seemed uncomfortable with the constant chatter of the satin dolls. They, too, noticed the women‘s prying eyes and ―get a load of this‖ gestures, though the taciturn demeanor of the Amish rendered them perhaps slightly less interesting specimens than Dad and me.
In Fort Wayne, in a large hospital in an unfamiliar city, we were confronting an unknown illness that had swiftly robbed my father of his ability to carry out the most basic functions. We were looking at complicated surgery and, at best, a long and complex recovery, so the doctors suggested that we quickly move Dad back
When my dad tried to lean toward me to ask a question, his words sputtered forth like bricks tumbling from a shelf. The satin dolls found it hard to mind their own business. They stared and pointed every time Dad attempted to speak. They didn‘t try to hide their
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The jut of his chin showed indignation, but the sag of his shoulders and the crease in his brow conveyed something different. Something hovering between anger and shame. There was also, however, a hint of grace. I see that now that I have come to understand my father better, as a man who was always in tight control of his emotions. I believe now that he was trying not just to salvage his dignity but also to absolve the two women from dishonor. A less controlled, more impulsive man might have responded by giving those
disparagement, one of them harrumphing loud enough for anyone to hear, ―Goodness sakes, it‘s not even noon yet!‖ After spending a lifetime trying to be a model minority— one of the few black men in his neighborhood, at his workplace, or on his daughters‘ school committees—my father now sat facing the condemnation of the two blond scolds. They had apparently concluded that he was an early morning lush instead of a gray-haired man fighting a losing battle with a devastating disease. Here is the conundrum of racism. You know it‘s there, but you can‘t prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, how it colors a particular situation. Those pink satin ladies were strangers to me, so I have no idea if they would have been as quick to judge a gray-haired white man with impaired speech. However, I do know this: the fact that they were white women added mightily to my father‘s humiliation. I knew my father felt the sting of their judgment. I knew it because he kept pushing up his cardigan sleeve and futzing with his wrist, as if he‘d left home with out his Timex. But it was not the wrist on which he wore his windup watch. It was the wrist where the plastic bracelet had been affixed at the hospital. His awkward gestures were a silent plea to the satin dolls to notice the hospital bracelet. My heart breaks every time I think of the look on his face that day.
women the finger to shut them up. My father drew strength from reaching past anger. The aphorism ―Kill them with kindness‖ might have been penned with a man like Belvin Norris Jr. in mind. By fiddling with his wrist he was saying, ―If only they knew,‖ rather than ―Shame on you.‖
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Dad boarded the plane early because the flight crew knew he would need extra time to settle into his seat and because they wanted to check his medical release from the hospital. He was flying alone that morning. I planned to drive his Oldsmobile back to Minneapolis and meet him there the next morning, a decision I have spent a lifetime regretting. Before walking down the jetway, he motioned for the nurse and the flight crew to wait a second. He leaned toward me as if he wanted to tell me something, but he couldn‘t get words out. He kept looking over his shoulder, aware of the flight crew watching and waiting, and perhaps wondering whether the satin dolls were also taking it all in. He kissed me on the cheek, a loving but clumsy gesture. His balance was off, so it was almost as if we were bumping heads. I didn‘t mind, and I certainly didn‘t care who was watching as we locked in a long embrace. My eyes were closed, fighting back tears, so I barely noticed when the flight attendant crept into our circle of grief to gently remind us that they had to stay on schedule. The attendant lightly cupped my father‘s elbow and led him away. It is disturbing to see your parent treated like a schoolchild, yet amusing to watch a man grin like a lucky teenager when a pretty woman takes his arm.
I wonder what my father had wanted to tell me, but couldn‘t, right before he‘d boarded the plane. More of his classic lunch-box wisdom? ―Learn all you can‖ or ―Save your money‖ or ―Don‘t eat too much late at night‖? More than twenty years later, as still I mourn, I wonder if he was trying to impart some eternal verity before his final flight home to Minneapolis. This would be the last time I saw him alert. Within a day Dad slipped into a coma. Within a week a fast-growing brain tumor took his life. Excerpted from The Grace of Silence by Michele Norris Copyright © 2010 by Michele Norris. Excerpted by permission of Pantheon, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher
As I walked away, the satin dolls gazed at me. They must have overheard the chat about Dad‘s medical release because now they wore pouty, ingratiating smiles. Lipstick contrition. I walked past them and smiled back. It hurts to recall my response; I, like my father, had reached beyond anger to offer conciliation instead. I had every right to throw my father‘s humiliation in their faces. Spitting at them was, of course, out of bounds, but at the very least I should have served up a scowl. I should have made them squirm. I should have been the black girl that certain white women are conditioned to fear most. I didn‘t do any of that. I am my father‘s daughter, and such caustic gestures weren‘t in my DNA. I was raised by a model minority to be a model minority, and to achieve that status, certain impulses had to be suppressed. Years later, I understand both the reason and its consequence.
Norris’s Grandmother sold Pancake Flour part of their family history.
I was almost out of the waiting area when I felt someone touch my shoulder. I turned, thinking it might be one of the women, intent on apologizing, but there was no nail polish on the hand touching my arm. The hand was large and calloused, marked by raised splotches resembling coffee stains. A bearded man held my forearm; he called me ―ma‘am,‖ though it sounded like ―Mom.‖ ―I‘ll watch over your pa,‖ he said before darting back to join his family.
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According to The Heritage Foundation (THF), the nation‘s most broadly- supported (but mainly conservative) public policy research institute, the absence of fathers in the home and the lack of their ability to work has a major effect of the poverty in America. In low income communities depending upon welfare payments, marriages have been destroyed. The welfare reform of 1996 has significantly reduced the number of families receiving welfare payments and lowered child poverty. Today this reform is in jeopardy, and 70 other federal programs tested are in need of similar reform. Lynn, sitting in Mary‘s arms, entertains herself by banging her pacifier on the picnic table, while Jackie stares unimpressed with her big beautiful hazel brown eyes, smiling whenever she catches her mother or Ms. Frazier looking at her.“I wouldn’t’ say that we had a mother/ daughter relationship; nobody else did wrong but me “she recalls.” I ran away when I was sixteen and lived with my sister in Hampton. “Noticing the questioning look in Ms. Frazier’s eyes, she adds, ”Yeah, she was my adopted sister, and I’ve been with her ever since. Her husband and I don’t get along; he believes he can say anything to me and I’m not to say anything back.” She nods sharply as if to affirm the truth of this. The atmosphere hushes as if to give room for no distractions while she continues to talk.
Linda’s Picks Who is Linda Pate
She is known for supporting authors and hosting events that will bring communities together that include, book signings, poetry readings and her famous Chocolate Dip and Sip annual event for Valentine's Day. Visit our newly released online bookstore. She is a book review columnist for Urban Views Weekly and she currently reports book sales to Essence Magazine and the NY Times. She is proud of her store and the opportunities it has afforded her in bringing the community closer together through books.
Mary continues with her story: ―I met this guy - I guess I wanted to hear someone say ‗I love you,‘ and he did it all of the time.‖ Her face drops while her mind wanders back to the past. ―I became pregnant,‖ she continues,‖ and he did not have a job.‖ She never mentions his name, only describing her significant other as ―him.‖ ―I knew that I had to get help from somewhere, so I went to social services, so I did. Yeah‘‖ she adds sarcastically, ―I did not 17
know what to ask for, and the lady just told me you could get TANF (Temporary Assistant for Needy Families) food stamps, so I applied for all of it.‖
Ms. Frazier interrupts Mary to explain, ―I understand that this might have caused you stress, but if every box is not checked, we can not assist you, and it could hold up your paper work. We are not being nosy; we need this information to determine what services you qualify for. This information is required, and while I do agree there are a lot of boxes to check, we did not create the form; we just use it to process people.‖ Ms. Frazier then asks Mary,‖ what are some of your struggles?‖
As CRF tells us, many complained well into the last part of the last century that the welfare system is not doing enough to help the people get off of welfare and back to work. The welfare system continued to grow, even during the 1980‖s and 90‘s. Many feared what would happen if the federal government should continue administering the welfare system.
Mary looks up to the sky, hoping this will hold back the tears.‖ My struggle is that I want to be off of public assistance. It‘s embarrassing to me to go to the store with food stamps. I don‘t make enough money to provide for daycare and food and all that. I don‘t have enough money right now.‖
Jackie begins to point and babble in an effort to get attention. She‘s successful; Mary stops talking to see what her daughter is trying to show her. Jackie points to the bunny rabbit quietly sitting beneath the trees. Mary turns Jackie around to get a better look and says ―look at the brown and white bunny, say hello Mr. Bunny.‖
After a long sigh, she says, ―I feel if I had a college degree, it would be much better. I could get a better job and stuff like that.‖ Lynn is starting to get fidgety and restless. Mary repositions her in her lap, stroking her back to relax her, while clearing her throat so she can continue to talk.
She then gathers her thoughts and begins talking about the form that she had to complete at the social services office.‖ The form was very long,‖ she says, and they wanted to know everything. Yeah,‖ she giggles ―I had to check the boxes. I thought they were being very nosy. I told the lady I did not have any food, so they expedited my paperwork, but I had to return in four days with everything filled out. They asked me a lot more questions when I returned, and that‘s just about it. When I returned, I got my food stamp card and TANF. I was 18 when I started getting services; I‘m now 20.‖
While she gathers her thoughts for the next bout of conversation, the birds chirp in the background. She explains, as much to herself as Ms. Frazier, ―Making too much money could cause me to lose my food stamps. I currently get $279.00 a month. It used to be $500.00, and when I started working, they cut it to 18
$279.00. Yeah, $279.00.‖ This appears to cause her to go into a deep thought. ―They keep cutting it and cutting it until they get you off of public assistance. If you don‘t keep your appointments, they cut your assistance until you get them all of the paper work that they need.‖ She begins rubbing her thigh vigorously. ―This has happened to me a couple of times. I also get WIC (Women Infant and Child) food assistance. I think this helps out a lot. Formula costs $13 and some change; I can‘t afford that. If I run out of checks, I don‘t get any more until the next month.‖ Ms. Frazier repositions her body as Mary takes a breath.
ran away from home and began walking the streets begging for money. ―I would like to have someone to teach me from the agency how to shop and budget. I just go and get, and that‘s it. My main struggle is not having enough. Yeah! It‘s somewhat hard raising two kids by myself. It‘s real hard. Because if one gets sick, the other one gets sick, and they start crying, and I get frustrated, and it‘s a lot. When they calm down and act better, I feel better. I need to take a breather. I just walk off sometimes and leave them in the other room when I‘m at my breaking point. Everything stresses me out; I have to pay this and that, and their crying stresses me. I just need to relax. ―
―I get WIC every couple of months. They give me what they tell me are enough checks until my next appointment. They think it will last me until then, but it doesn‘t.‖ She begins shaking her head in disgust.
To be cont‘d
―When I go shopping, I buy a lot of junk food. No one has ever shown me how to budget and write a food list. I just grab and go, grab and go.‖ Her lips begin to twist as she ponders this. ―I think I need a gallon of milk, so I put it in my cart; well, milk goes with cookies, so I grab some cookies to go with the milk. So that‘s what I do. If I learned how to budget stuff out, I think I would be okay. I think I would still have stamps at the end of the month. I run out of stamps the middle of every month. I honestly believe the reasons I run out so early are that I don‘t get enough and I don‘t have anyone to teach me how to shop.‖ CRF goes on to tell us that ―Desperate times begin; It was spring, 1933, 20 percent of the nation‘s children showed evidence of poor nutrition, housing and medical care.‖ School budgets were cut which caused schools to close. The budget cuts made it impossible for the schools to continue to afford to pay teachers. Due to the poor economic condition of their families approximately 200,000 boys 19
Wo rd 4 Wo rd Po ets
Air dense with words of consolation, my mother never raised her voice, or eyes from ironing handkerchiefs, work pants, her worn cotton house dresses. Folding my fondest wish, she put it out of sight. How else to explain what love can do with words? Or the language a mother speaks to her children as she conjures soup from a bone, watches the silent, steady whiteness of snow
Mike Correa, Ann F. Shalaski and Hollis E. Pruitt www.word4wordpoets.org
filter through bare branches. Christmas, days away. 2008 Ann Shalaski
Word4Word Poets is a gathering of poets and writers from Virginia. Our purpose is to promote and celebrate the art of written and spoken language by painting landscapes with words and sharing the art form word4word. We are a free and non-exclusive public enterprise. We encourage our members and general audiences to actively support local arts and language events in schools and other public venues. The hosts for Word4Word Poets' local open mic events are Ann Shalaski,
The Wish My mother‘s words could sail like silk. She‘d raise a finger to her lips, speak more eloquently than a prayer,lifting light from darkness. One Christmas, I asked for an easy-bake oven. Mikes’ Dad
I was six. We were poor. I didn‘t know it then. Details didn‘t seem to matter.
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Mike Correa Translation
Papi
Not much but I understand that we are guests in this skin,
No se mucho pero entiendo
the yoke of flesh, this period of time,
que somos huéspedes en esta piel,
we are children of hybrid culture,
este yugo carnal, este lapso temporal,
black stone and earth brown.
que somos hijos de cultura hibrida, de piedra negra y tierra marrón.
Not much but I understand you have not gone away because I hear
No se mucho pero entiendo
the singing of four, guiro and drum,
que no te has ido lejos porque oigo
Bantam and sharpening your machete
el canto del cuatro, guiro, y el tambor,
under the shadow of the balcony.
el gallo y tu afilando el machete bajo la sombra del balcón.
Vives in the flavor of the field, simmered in stew, vegetables
Vives en el aroma del campo,
soft with cod, black coffee
a fuego lento en asopao, verduras
and newly Colao. See you in the dozens
blandas con bacalao, un café solo
faces that are your rich heritage.
y recién colao. Te veo en las docenas de caras que son tu legado rico.
Live in the smiles of grandchildren, in dreams, standing on a sphere
Vives en la sonrisa de biznietos,
sprung from the earth, carved
en los sueños, parado en una esfera,
by Rodin. Jibaro farmer, you
brotado de la tierra, esculpido
thinker and think of you.
por Rodin. Jibaro agricultor, eres pensador y pienso en ti.
When the weight of the world comes to be intolerable, I see you smile
Cuando el peso del mundo llega
and pain is transformed sprouts
a ser intolerable, te veo sonreír
blue wings and fly off,
y el dolor se transforma, brota
flying, flying.
alas azules y se despega volando, volando, volando.
2009 Mike Correa
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Paulette Harris Artistic Director
OUR HISTORY Since 1958, the African-American Cultural Center, Inc. has enabled spirits to soar and offered sanctuary, validation and celebration for the duality of being African and American. The African American Cultural Center was founded by Malcolm Erni, an evangelist with Caribbean roots who had a devout faith in the virtue of his ancestry. Born and raised in Buffalo NY, Erni dreamed of a cultural and spiritual sanctuary where young people would learn that, ―God is a God of all races and ethnic group. The first meetings of the African Cultural Center – incorporated in the mid-60s as the African-American Cultural Center- were held on Friday and Saturday nights in a funeral home. Soon after, the group moved to the basement of a church near Glenwood Avenue, where drummer Oba-Ya began the first AACC drumming lessons. Infuriated, the clergy expelled Erni and his group in 1963. In 1964 the Center found a new home at 382 Wohlers Avenue, and opened ―The African Door,‖ which was a coffeehouse that served herbal tea and provided a stage and audience for artistic director Ameer Al-Haqq. New York choreographer Oliver Jones, a student of Baba Olatunji, and choreographers Helena Walker and Benji Owala joined the staff during this era, and native Buffalonian Carl Tillman began teaching creative writing. James Pappas – then a student at the University at Buffalo, later a founder of the Langston Hughes Center for the Visual and Performing Arts and now a professor in the UB College of Arts and Sciences - offered instruction in the fundamentals of design and form. Erni also put into place a choral workshop. Between 1966 and 1967 the Center moved to a Jefferson
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Avenue loft above a dentist‘s office where the African drumming often competed with the drilling. At this home, model Helen Williams and renowned choreographer and folklorist Pearl Primus joined the AACC family, providing spiritual and cultural direction on a new level. Primus integrated Yoruba songs, dance, and principles into the Center‘s curriculum, and became a major influence in establishing of the Center‘s permanent home at 350 Masten Avenue.
The AACC first occupied the Masten Avenue location, which was a former welding business, as a tenant, maintaining its programs on a monthly United Fund stipend. With an eye toward the long term viability of the institution, Erni and the board mounted a capital campaign to raise funds to purchase the property and achieve a degree of financial independence. Now under the guidance of Agnes M. Bain, the African American Cultural Center continues to evolve in response to the changing landscape of real time and the future. It serves clientele ages six through senior throughout the city of Buffalo, and remains a sentinel to Malcolm Erni‘s founding vision. With a careful eye on meeting the contemporary needs of its users and patrons, its mission remains steadfast to the guiding principles and ancient rhythms of the ancestry it promotes and preserves. From the multi-disciplinary AACC Cultural Enrichment / Educational Directives for After School Program and Jumpin‘ Jambalaya Summer Program, to the soul-stirring AACC Dance and Drum Performance Company (its cornerstone component), inspirational Paul Robeson Theatre and entertaining Pine Grill Jazz Reunion, the Center stands firmly committed to promoting a positive sense of self among the community it was founded to serve. Its programs and services are still structured to motivate personal growth, stimulate untapped potential and facilitate a better understanding of cultural diversity among all people. The African American Cultural consists of five core components: the AACC Dance and Drum Performance Company, Paul Robeson Theatre at the African American Cultural Center, Pine Grill Jazz Reunion, Jumpin’ Jambalaya Summer Program, and the AACC Cultural Enrichment/Educational Directives After School Program.
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Welcome to the COMMONSENSE WAY TO
Congressional budgets and the complexities
WEALTH community. Our goal is toEMPOWER you to
of the bailout.
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Offering real world advice, she‘s been through every
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challenge that today she helps others overcome.
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As a young woman in New Jersey, Jaynee was striding the fast
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investor.
―I HAD THE SUBURBAN DREAM LIFESTYLE,‖ she remembers. ―My kids were in private schools, I had a
Jaynee Sasso: Financial Planning for Life, Not Just Milestones
Mercedes parked in the driveway and a beautiful home.‖ But privately, the family was struggling. In her real estate career, she was a foreclosure specialist. Unexpectedly, she almost lost her home.
A Fresh Start In the midst of the turmoil, a few things were clear: Jaynee wanted more time with her family and to continue building her dream of a successful financial coaching business. And she knew that would require sacrifice. So the family reevaluated their definition of ―ESSENTIAL.‖ ―We made a decision to walk away from our typical suburban life in an effort to experience a life of wealth and abundance. We did a lot of cutting back,‖ she admits.
We‘ve all seen high profile financial advisors delivering tough talk: Wagging fingers on television, radio and glossy
She eliminated things most of us take for granted, like TV.
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―People asked why I would turn off satellite [service] when it was only $50.
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I said, how can I justify having that bill when I am struggling
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My son was in tears.‖
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It was painful to see her son cry. But Jaynee transformed her
Heighten Your Quality of Life
outlook: ―It was teaching him that these were some of the
Years after her start in real estate, Jaynee‘s motivation
sacrifices that are required of you in order to reach your
remains helping others be happier, not just with their bank
goals,‖ she says.
statement, but with their lives.
In 2002, she conceptualized a distinctive kind of financial strategy: Faithful Assistants, which helps families and
―You can‘t really enjoy life and live it to its fullest when
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says. ―I know what it‘s like to start from scratch. Now I‘m
personal circumstances. Faithful Assistants is different than
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lifestyle that I can‘t afford. My goal is to teach people to enjoy the same freedom that I feel.‖
Faithful Assistants Where You Are ―The financial industry typically only talks about milestones,‖
Wealth is about money, of course. But as you‘re reaching for
Jaynee says, ―like sending your kids to college, buying your
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house, your car.
experience the riches
It doesn‘t tell you how to live your life so that you are in a
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position to do those things successfully. But there‘s a lot of ―So often we‘re thinking about one event, such as being a
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it was from the day before. Financial success is a lifestyle.‖
product or service that they don‘t understand the dynamics behind what‘s really happening in a person‘s life,‖ Jaynee says.
We can still dream about winning the lottery. But true
―Because [most people] haven‘t mastered how to manage
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don‘t learn how to manage their emotions and control their urges of living a luxurious life, then they won‘t ever be able to implement the strategies [for milestones].‖ Jaynee doesn‘t shun the traditional financial industry she‘s part of. Instead, she examines each situation and arms clients with the skills and mindset for a lifetime of financial success.
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Her success as a photographer is solely due to the blessings and favor of God. Dorothy turned what was her husband‘s hobby into a very profitable business. While attending Refuge Temple church, Bishop Robert L. Sanders recognized Dorothy‘s God given ability and appointed her as his ―personal photographer‖ It was at Refuge Temple where she perfected her photography gift. Dorothy is now the owner of Princess Photography in Buffalo, New York. The name Princess Photography was born when she read the scripture ―But ye are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood‖. Dorothy concluded that “Since my Father God is the King and I am his daughter, I must be a Princess.” Thus, Princess Photography. Dorothy‘s prayer is that all of God‘s children will realize the royalty within them and begin to walk and live in their God given abilities. Dorothy is a member of Bethel A.M.E. Church. She is the mother of one son, Matthew A. Wagstaff and the proud grandmother of one beautiful and talented granddaughter, Madison Nicole Wagstaff.
In Good Company: Did your mother ever tell you that you must be careful with that company that you keep? Well, I am confident that she’d be pleased with these individuals. They are turning heads, enriching lives through their endeavors. Consider networking with these reputable, dedicated community minded people:
Through the Lens Photographer- Princess PhotographyDorothy Wagstaff was born in Memphis, Tennessee on April 11, 1953. Dorothy came to Buffalo on a Greyhound bus at the age of two with her teenaged aunt and uncle after her paternal grandparents relocated to Buffalo from Memphis. Dorothy attended Buffalo Public Schools and graduated from Lafayette High School in 1971 with a Business diploma. Dorothy was a cheerleader at Lafayette. This explains why she is such a loud and unashamed cheerleader for Jesus. Dorothy has always been blessed to find good employment because of the great secretarial skills she gained at Lafayette High. Dorothy has been employed as a secretary at Kodak in Rochester, New York, Westinghouse as well as at local banks and hospitals in Buffalo and the surrounding areas. Dorothy was employed as a Legal Secretary for over twenty-five (25) years at various law firms such as Hargrave & McKelvey, Neighborhood Legal Services and the
UAW Legal Services. One day Dorothy‘s husband, Joel Williams put a camera in her hand. Once she realized she had a natural ability to take good pictures AND make money doing it, the rest is history. Dorothy has never taken a formal photography class. 26
numerous workshops and seminars in North Carolina and Virginia. The years have flown by, but the mission has remained the same which is to provide quality interactive workshops and seminars to youth and young adults on varying topics which assists them in making their dreams come true either through education, workforce, military, or through other areas. Over the years, workshop topics have ranged from written and oral communication, business etiquette, conflict resolution, team building, college preparation, workforce readiness to employability skills, budgeting, self-esteem, diversity, and more. Tools for Life seeks to provide the essential tools to empower youth and young adults to be sound contributors to their colleges, workforce, and/or communities. The main mission of this company has been to provide knowledge and resources to help young people achieve their dreams. Tools for Life has provided workshops for more than a thousand youth and young adults. The workshops provided are educational, informative, interactive, engaging, reflective, and current. Clients have the freedom of choosing the topics so that each workshop or seminar is catered to their specific population needs. Some of the workshops presented are noted below:
Celebrating Five Years of Service to Youth and Young Adults In February 2005, Tools for Life presented its first workshop to a group of youth and young adults through Cumberland County Workforce at Fayetteville Technical Community College in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Since that time, we have presented
PRESENTATIONS  What are you Waiting On? Educational Workshop. Cumberland County Workforce Development Center. Fayetteville, North Carolina. July 2010.  The Time is Now or Never. Educational Workshop. Cumberland County Workforce Development Center. Fayetteville, North Carolina. July 2010.
Tools For Life Founder & CEO Ronette Jacobs
27
Do I Have the Right Tools to End Up Where I Want to Be? Educational Workshop. Cumberland County Workforce Development Center. Fayetteville, North Carolina. February 2010. Using Critical Thinking Skills to Enhance Argumentative Writing. Paul D. Camp Community College. October 2009. How to Write an A+ Paper in College. Paul D. Camp Community College. September 2009. Taking Control of My Future by Choosing the Right Path for Me. Cumberland County Workforce Development Center. Fayetteville, North Carolina. February 2009. Making a Lasting Impression. Cumberland County Workforce Development Center. Fayetteville, North Carolina. May 2008. Tolerance and Diversity. The 2008 North Carolina Youth Summit. ―Generation DDestined for Greatness.‖ Greensboro, North Carolina. April 2008. So, You Want to be a Millionaire. Cumberland County Workforce Development Center. Fayetteville, North Carolina. January 2008. TOOLS for LIFE. Cumberland County Workforce Development Center Fayetteville, North Carolina. May 2007. Creating a Ladder for Success. New Testament Church of God. Fayetteville, North Carolina. February 2007. Putting Your Best Foot Forward. Cumberland County Workforce Development Center, Fayetteville, North Carolina. September 2006. Needs vs. Wants – Understanding the Difference. Cumberland County Workforce Development Center.
Fayetteville, North Carolina. October 2005. Walking in Humility. Zion Bethel United Church of Christ. Norfolk, Virginia. March 2003. Effective Public Speaking. GEMS – God‘s Exclusive Maid Servants. Calvary Revival Church, Norfolk, Virginia. November 2002.
Tools for Life is available to provide workshops for both nonprofit and for-profit businesses. Our goal is to help participations see that through applying the skills that we shared that they can work hard and make their life goals attainable. For more information or to schedule a workshop, contact Ronette Jacobs at tools4life3@aol.com or 757.237.1100. Tools for Life is happy about helping others find the right tools for their lives, which will bring forth enrichment!!! Contact us today!! Tell us you heard about Tools for Life from Eyes of Faith magazine, and you will receive a ten percent discount off your first workshop. As a people, we can never move forward until we reach back and help those whom are coming up behind us. Tools for Life provides the essentials to help youth and young adult see that impossibilities can be realities with perseverance, hard work, and knowledge.
Ronette Jacobs is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia. Ronette received her B. A. in English from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA and her M.A. in Teaching English from Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA. She has spent the last sixteen years educating children and adults in various modalities in the public education sector and now higher education in both Virginia and 28
North Carolina. Currently, she serves as the English lead at Paul D. Camp Community College where she has been an English Instructor for the past three years. Having worked at the middle and high school level, and now the collegiate level, she has been able to implement strategies to help students grow not only intellectually but as a whole person. Mentoring and tutoring are some of things she does in the community to help children while she also volunteers with Tidewater Literacy to help adults learn to read. She has facilitated several presentations, conducted workshops, and seminars for youth and adults on various life topics in both the Christian and secular settings. Several of her workshops have been for youth and young adult participants through Cumberland County Workforce Development Center, Fayetteville,
North Carolina. Through Tools for Life, the company birthed through her, she hopes to reach as many people around the country to assist them in selecting and implementing the right tools for their lives which will help them to be successful in life. Her life‘s focus is to help others see beyond the horizon to reach their dreams and to fulfill their divine purpose.
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FFAWN
Nov. 2010 Latest News Circle of Sisters Essence Magazine Inspiration Donation Phoenix Rising Member
Dear FFAWN FAMILY, For many, November is the month of Thanksgiving, but here at FFAWN 365 days a year, we're committed to giving back to our community. We've been working extremely hard to raise funds for the 25 young women for whom we've provided full four-year scholarships to the school of their choice. In just the last month, we participated in the WBLS Circle of Sisters 2-day expo to raise funds for our scholarships fund and we're featured in Essence Magazine for our commitment to send these young women to college. We would like to share our world with you and allow you to see what's next for FFAWN and you as part of our community. Wishing you and yours a very thankful and grateful holiday!! Sincerely,
MISSION The Mary J. Blige and Steve
Team FFAWN
Stoute Foundation for the Advancment of Women Now Inc. (FFAWN) is a non-profit
FFAWN Scholars Testimonials "I am half way through my 1st semester"
organization whose mission is to inspire women from all walks
""Now half way through the semester
of life to gain the confidence
of my first year of college I have built a
and skills they need to reach
foundation for how I have to work for
their individual potential. We
the remainder of my years to come. I
accomplish our mission to
still have to work out my studying kinks
empower and encourage women
and my time management skills but I
by shaping and supporting
am determined to succeed and be at the
programs that foster education, career development, strong selfesteem, and personal growth.
top of my class."
Allana Thompson Freshman at Agnes Scott College
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Angelica Morales Freshman at College of Mount Saint Vincent
News & Events FFAWN TV
"So far my college experience has been going very well. My classes allow for many new cultural experiences by going to plays, etc. Each class also offers reports and projects that have helped me to grow further as a person and learn more about myself and others."
WBLS Circle of Sister Pics Scholars in Essence Mag MJB "My Life" Campaign Phoenix Rising Member FFAWN Tees on Black Collection BlackWomenForBlackGirlsSummit
Newsletter Signup
Whitney Kuffour Freshman at Penn State Mont Alto "My name is Whitney Kuffour and so far my experience here at Penn State Mont Alto has been an engaging one. Starting this year I was prepared for any challenges that came my way. Penn State has taught me to set my priorities because it is so easy to slip up and get distracted. Majoring in Economics and a minor in psychology, I knew I had to be on my A-game."
***Continue to donate to FFAWN and support our mission to empower women through Education**
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On floured surface, knead dough until thoroughly mixed. Divide in half. Wrap half in plastic wrap; set aside.
Delicacies
With floured rolling pin, roll remaining half of dough slightly less than ¼ inch thick. With floured assorted 3 to 4 inch cookie cutters, cut dough into as many cookies as possible, Place cookies about 1 inch apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet.
GINGERBREAD COOKIE DOUGH
Bake cookies 12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Reroll trimmings and cut out more cookies.
½ cup sugar ½ cup margarine or butter ½ cup light molasses cut into chunks 11/2 teaspoons ground ginger l large egg, beaten 1 teaspoon allspice 31/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 2 teaspoons baking soda
When cookies are cool decorate with royal icing. Set cookies aside at least 1 hour to allow frosting to dry completely. Store in tightly in covered container.
Preheat oven to 325 F. In saucepan, heat first 6 ingredients to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat stir in baking soda (mixture will foam up in the pan). Stir in margarine or butter until melted. With fork, stir in egg, then flour.
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D o n n a R o b er t s D a r r el O n A M issio n I May Not Be a Missionary, But I Can Accomplish a Mission I am sitting here, at my computer, looking at my passport. There are stamps on its pages from Canada, England, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Ukraine. It‘s amazing to see how God works and where He sends us when we are available to His call. One of the definitions for the word ―mission‖ is ―the act or an instance of sending‖. In the case of a mission trip, one of the key questions is, who is the one doing the sending? In January of 2002 I was at work when my Sr. Pastor called me asking what my plan was for the next stage of my life. He did not know that I had decided to give six months notice of my intention to retire in June. When I explained my decision he told me that he wanted me to pray about going on a mission trip with a group from our church to Ukraine in July. I had rarely heard of Ukraine and knew very little about the country, its people or its history. But it seemed God was leading me to join the team and I began to prepare … reading, studying Russian, and learning what I could. We were told about the very difficult circumstances since the collapse of the Soviet Union (of which Ukraine had been a part for many years). The Social Service systems had fallen apart with the dissolution of the government and there were children living on the streets in record numbers. Our mission was threefold: collect more information about the situation in the area in and around the capitol of Odessa, spend time at a newly formed Christian drop-in center for street kids, and try to establish a relationship with a church that would be willing to reach out to these kids living on the streets. We also spent time at a government operated detention center for children ages 3-16. Why would a three-year-old be in a detention center? It was a disturbing thought and a worse reality! In Ukraine, if the parents are in prison or chronic alcoholics (alcohol being the drug of choice in Ukraine), unable to care for their children, there was no more foster care system and they were placed in ―child prisons‖. We spent ten days with some wonderful believers who wanted to help care for the ―least‖ of God‘s children in Ukraine. Kids we met at the drop-in center were able to come in, shower, get clean clothes and a hot meal and spend the afternoon with caring adults learning about the love of God. We visited a few churches and made an ―eternal connection‖ with an evangelical church just outside the city (in Fontanka) where they would welcome the street kids at any time. We also visited a small private orphanage caring for about twelve children in a family-type situation. While we were overwhelmed by the needs we were also thrilled at the possibilities available for the children of Ukraine and we returned home knowing God was at work in Ukraine, as He is around the globe. As a church we have continued to support both the work at the drop-in center and the church at Fontanka, near Odessa. The state run detention center we visited closed shortly after our visit due to serious outbreak of hepatitis and the children have been placed in reopened facilities run like very large foster institutions. But, on a positive note, two years after our visit Hope House was opened under the auspices of World Hope Canada. This summer our church ―sent‖ another mission team to Ukraine and I was excited to join the team to see how God has been at work since that first trip eight years ago. We had two primary tasks: first we would run 33
a Vacation Bible School type program in a small village about 90 minutes from Odessa during the day, offering support to a pastor of a small church trying to minister in a struggling community. Second, we would stay at Hope House and spend our evenings with the young women living there, encouraging them in their English skills and, more importantly, loving them unconditionally. These girls have already been illtreated (a huge under-statement) by many adults in their young lives. Two days before we arrived the House had received five new girls directly from the foster system. Can you imagine how you might feel to be forced out of a place (even a bad place) where your basic needs for shelter and food were met, not knowing where you were going? The girls we met were frightened and broken in spirit. They spoke very little and were understandably suspicious. They had never met Americans before and didn‘t quite know what to make of us. We witnessed a real miracle! Hope House is staffed by a live-in house mother who left her career as a medical doctor to work with the girls who live there, as well as a full-time housekeeper/cook. They live with as many as 16 young women ages 16-20 who have been released from state foster care with no job skills and very little education. They are prime targets for the human trafficking business that operates on a large scale in Eastern Europe. The girls live at Hope House and go to school, receive medical care, job training and for the first time in their lives they are loved by their caregivers! By the end of our time there the girls were laughing, playing games (non-verbal games like Connect Four, Uno, jig-saw puzzles) with us, painting our nails, braiding our hair, making s‘mores, eating popcorn and beginning the slow process of emotional healing, learning to trust again. We worked side-by-side with them in their one acre vegetable garden and helped them care for 100 chickens. We took them to the beach and played in the Black Sea. We had church together at home and sang together, praising God for what He is doing in their lives, as well as our own. Precious relationships were born that, God willing, will continue. Now, let me tell you about the village of Ivanovka. This is a remote village with a population of less that 1,000. The homes are very old, mostly constructed of stone at the beginning of the last century. Although poor, the people have a love of flowers and they were everywhere. Most homes had vegetable gardens and the village had a small community open-air market selling everything from tires to ice-cream. The pastor had gotten the word out that we were coming and they were ready for us. A joyful group of 85 kids was waiting for us as our van pulled up the first morning. Although the program started at 9, we arrived at 8:30 but the kids got there even before we did. And they were cheering us all the way down the street. It was unbelievable! Their enthusiasm, joy and smiling faces made all the preparations and work worth every minute and every dollar spent. We had name tags with our names written in Russian and they had learned all our names by day #2. It was a joy to be part of this experience! The ladies of the church (you know church ladies!) cooked lunch for the kids and our team everyday in their outdoor kitchen even though it was 90° outside. The ―facilities‖ were outside as well as the washing station (which was an ingenious gutter system set up as a trough with bars of soap hung from strings over the gutter on a clothes line). The food was great, the Bible stories understood (thanks to four of the older Hope House girls who acted as our translators), the recreation was FUN, and the crafts & music gave them a chance to use the talents God has given them. They learned to sing in English and we learned to sing (haltingly) in Ukrainian. It was reported to us that a few of the children rode their bikes as far as fifteen miles to be there every day. HUMBLING! 34
On the first trip I experienced first-hand the reality of the verse that says ―But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.‖ In 2002 I went to Ukraine as an American, hoping to make a difference in the lives of Ukrainian children in the name of Jesus. I came home recognizing that both I and they are citizens of heaven, children of the same loving God, knowing that one day we will be ―forever neighbors‖. This second trip only served to confirm this belief and to also remind me that if our missions in life are to successful, it is not the church that sends us … it is God who both calls and sends us and we have the choice to say ―yes‖! Yes, Lord, yes! As Isaiah said in Isaiah 6:8 ―Here am I send me!‖ Bio: Donna has been married to her husband, Doug, for 44 years and is the blessed mother of two daughters (2 wonderful sons-in-law) and five delightful grandchildren! She is, more importantly, a child of the King of Kings. She committed her life to Christ at the age of 29 and He has been her faithful Counselor, Teacher, and Rock every day, in every circumstance, since then. She has been a teacher, bi-lingual social worker, and administrator until semi-retiring to work one day a week at her Church. She has also been a volunteer in inner-city ministry for more than 30 years, currently serving at Jericho Road Ministries and Urban Christian Ministries in Buffalo, NY. She has a favorite acronym for her relationship to her Lord and any call He places on her life … She is FAT! Faithful, Available, and Teachable. What‘s next, Lord?
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There will be crying, but it will be alright. Have you ever had to face something that you knew would be painful? A breakup, a task, a conversation, a procedure, a confrontation, a move…. After 5 years, my granddaughters and their parents were moving out of our house. My son and his wife purchased a small house in a community to the south of the city we lived in. Not a long distance away, but an unacceptable distance as far as Zakiya was concerned. “I’m not going.” She would announce mustering as much 4 year old defiance as she could. Christina was packing up the girl’s playroom. Her mother and I tried to make the transition as smooth and exciting for her as we could. We told her about having her own room, making new friends, more space for toys. We reminded her that she would have a larger playroom and be able to bring out many more dolls and books and games than she could at my house. Zakiya looked from her mother to me and back to her mother again. She stretched out her arms in a “pick me up” gesture and stepped closer to her Mom. Christina picked Zakiya up and in demulcent tones told Zakiya, “We are going to have great fun in our new home”. Zakiya brought her face to her Momma’s and cheek to cheek whispered “You know, there will be crying, but it will be alright”. With that said, she wriggled out of her mother’s arms and left us – conversation over.
Writer, Renita F. Shadwick, is Community Builder @ United Way of Buffalo, New York. This veteran actress of Paul Robeson Theatre is also an anointed licensed Children's Pastor of Elim Christian Church of Buffalo, NY. She is currently working on series of children’s books-teaching children how to walk out the word of God in sneakers. She is married to her soul mate of 25 years, Jerome Shadwick, Sr. and is the proud mother of four sons, three grandsons and four grand daughters which are the inspiration of these writings. You are invited to leave comments about Baby Love Notes-have a great day!!!
Zakiya did cry. She cried and said that she did not want to go. She cried and said that she would go if Nana and Papa would go with her. She cried and said good-bye. She cried and just left. She stopped crying…eventually.
BABY LOVE NOTES
THERE WILL BE CRYING
All of us will experience some type of change or transition during the course of our lives. Sometimes it will be hard…hard to tears. But if
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we would just go, whether we want to or not, if we would just continue on whether someone goes with us or not, if we would keep it moving, maybe we could let go of the pains and hurts and discomfort and fears and apprehensions of change, and well, overcome. Try to remember:
For we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience; hope. Romans 5:3-4 For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. – 1 John 5:4
Be fearful for nothing, little flock, for it pleases the Father to give you the Kingdom. – Luke 12:32
Be encouraged as I was encouraged watching patience have it’s perfect work* in Zakiya, because you know, there will be crying, but it will be alright!
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear, what can man do unto me – Psalm 118:6
Peace and Love, Renita *James 1:3 and 4 KJV
Jesus Said, I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33
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Health /Fitness- as we prepare for the Holiday to indulge, let’s get in the mindset of maintain our best health!
program. The assessment also is used in the initial consultation to gauge fitness potential, fitness ability and interest level in relation to developing a program than ensures long-term adherence to structured fitness training. A thorough, well constructed fitness assessment allows for varied interpretation by a wide range of fitness professionals for example cardiologists, dieticians, physiologists who use the data differently but the end result being that you become the epitome of wellness.
Fitness tips for the month:
Get ready, Get Set – Go! John O. Mose Jr.
An assessment can also be given to persons currently engaged in exercise activities rather than solely being limited to those new to exercise or a fitness regimen. Furthermore, the fitness assessment can serve as a source of modification for exercise veterans desiring to improve in areas of low performance such as flexibility or aerobic capacity. Several areas of emphasis are documented during the assessment such as height, weight, blood pressure, flexibility, and body measurements. Body fat and Body Mass Index are also formulated to offer the respondent an alternate index for wider evaluation using trends found within the general public.
Personal health awareness grows in importance as health, fitness and wellness become larger parts of our cultural identity. Physical fitness professionals use a fact finding tool called a fitness assessment to gather data that reveals personal baseline readings important for persons new to fitness programs. The assessment is a non-invasive battery of questions that includes measurements that identifies the respondent’s personal level of fitness. This data assists the trainer or other fitness professional in creating a starting point to develop a fitness
At Workout Doctors we go a step farther by utilizing a fascinating wellness tool called total body composition analysis with a device called the Tanita Scale. This device analyzes the body in distinct measureable parts such as bone weight, 38
lean muscle mass, water weight, perceived body age and the most telling of all health factors, Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).
measure that allows infinite fine tuning of the entire health and wellness program that will shorten training time and increase tangible fitness results leading to faster weight loss, a lowering of blood pressure, and a possible lowering of cholesterol just to name a few. By utilizing the full scope of diagnostic tools during the fitness assessment the issues and the complications associated with obesity are eliminated. Schedule a fitness assessment today with your personal trainer or fitness professional. I would love to become your personal trainer. Schedule a consultation and fitness assessment with me at Workout Doctors. Commit today to uncover the secrets your body holds that are limiting the timely fulfillment of your health, wellness and fitness goals, take a step in the right direction by scheduling a consultation today at (817) 336-1282 , email docmose@aol.com my website address is www.workoutdoctors.net.
The Basal Metabolic Rate holds key information that can elevate interested respondents to a superior level of fitness, wellness, and optimum health. BMR is the number of calories the body requires at rest to function
efficiently. Once determined, all guess work is removed from the wellness mix. The BMR will offer a clinical boundary to assign exact exercise intensity, exercise mode, nutritional supplementation, and diet formulation without any gray areas commonly associated with exercise and wellness programming. The availability of BMR and its usage serve as a diagnostic 39
ABUNDANT LIFE COSTS!
We observed that in the near distance was a squirrel possibly summing up the situation and planning to pounce on this unsuspecting prey. The squirrel leaped in midair towards the baby Blue Jay, but its attempt was feeble. To no avail he didn‘t conquer its anticipated spoil. In a split second a pair of elder Blue Jays pounced on the squirrel and a chase was in sued. You had to witness this to really appreciate it. A squirrel being pursued by Blue Jays, imagine that! Who was the victor then? The Blue Jays were prepared to win! They didn‘t miss a beat. Oh my friends, there was no victimization mentality there! They were having none of it!
By Linda Mose Meadows The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him. Psalm 28:7 AMP
It was definitely no mistake, my peaking out the kitchen window to enjoy a quick view of our backyard and learn the weather conditions before dashing off to work. The trees looked sturdy as ever, the sun shone brightly on the grass, and the dried leaves from last fall that are hard to gather remained vigilant. The weather appeared very inviting. I stepped away from the window to get my breakfast and gather my lunch containers and then heard my husband urging me to move quickly and witness the blue jay feeding its infant.
The youngsters were having a real survival lesson and our backyard was the launching pad. We enjoyed watching the heroic Blue jay family and immediately in my spirit I surmised that abundant life costs, it‘s not free, it‘s not easy, and it‘s daunting at best and often a struggle to get ourselves off the ground, moving up the ―tree of life‖ towards our destined call. Launching pads aren‘t for the faint at heart. Wimpy sprits aren‘t welcome, they need not apply and bully‘s better get back! I appreciated the parents of the baby bird and how they were there to teach, direct and protect, but wise enough to understand that it was time for the babies to be pushed out of their comfort zones.
Oh it really was a wonderful surprise. I observed that there was another young fury feathered bird not so far in the distance. It was apparent that more than just an early morning feeding was occurring. We realized that this was the case because once the Blue Jay was feed-as if on cue it began to flutter its wings. The youngster‘s furious flapping didn‘t get him far at all. Maybe midway up the trunk of the broad tree, if that far! Then the miniature wings seemed to broaden, but that didn‘t prevent the Blue Jay puttering out and down the tree trunk! The young‘s stamina returned and then made another attempt to fly. Determination was evident.
God designed and orchestrated our observation of that teaching moment! Thank you Jesus! Today‘s life lesson demonstrated with a simple act of our peering out the window many things about God‘s providence. What does this lesson convey to your spirit? I trust you‘ll conquer that daily it takes muscle, wit, tenacity, strength and determination to say focused and endure! Let‘s agree that God is our strength and gives us the resolve and 40
nourishment (His scripture and guidance) to keep at it. It allows us to keep attempting to get our living right.
right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you! For those enjoy surfing the internet for additional motivational and inspirational sites to encourage your application of scripture, be sure to reference: http://abundantblessing.net/script ures_strength.html andCelebrating Ordinary Days with Extraordinary Promises/ the Blessedness of Believing @http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.co m/. I trust you‘ll benefit from these Holy Ghost spirit led pursuits.
Thank goodness for the concordance which alphabetically lists the principal words like ―strength‖ to assist us in locating reinforcements, the sword; the word of God! Yes, the Holy Scriptures to make living relevant Exodus 15:2 NKJV The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will exalt Him.
Remember it is ok to follow our lead, lift the shades, open the doors, pull up the blinds and part the curtains as you marvel at the Divine at work! God will give you the strength to soar! We are witnesses that abundant life does costs, but it is so sweet!! Rely on his word; His strength is yours for the asking!
II Samuel 22:33 KJV God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. Nehemiah 6:9 NLT They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could break our resolve and stop the work. So I prayed for strength to continue the work.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Linda Mose Meadows is celebrating ordinary days with extraordinary promises! She’s Coeditor of Eyes of Faith Magazine http://eyesoffaithmagazine.blo gspot.com/2010/09/eyes-of-faithmagazine-fall-2010_09.html?spref=fb ) Inspirational Author of devotional (paperback/audio book/eBook) is entitled: The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life’s Lessons and God’s Promises , Journalist and Inspirational Columnist for Empower and Urban Views weeklyRichmond Times Dispatch. Learn more about her endeavors at :http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.c om/ and http://blessedauthorlm.wordp ress.com/
Isaiah 41:10 – 13 AMP Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice Behold, all they who are enraged and inflamed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; they who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you but shall not find them; they who war against you shall be as nothing, as nothing at all. For I the Lord your God hold your 41
and sand and sea
PRICELESS GIFTS
there's wisdom here the power of three Some finds are priceless. That awesome leather bag you discover at your favorite TJ Maxx store makes you want to break out in a dance. A red dress drastically marked down and then the 75% discount on top of that was waiting just for youoh that's divine! The beautifully decorated brown and turquoise journal and box of humorous gift cards discovered underneath the pile construction paper poking out in view for your eyes only. Or that tray of perennials at your Home Depot that you happened upon because you needed those energy efficient bulbs, and just before you make your way to the check out line, you dart over to garden wares. Your whistling, humming and dancing because of your garden discounts! The treasures we stumble upon when we least expect them are wonderful and so easy on our wallets. You haven't broken the bank and the retail therapy was just what the doctor ordered.
One of the "gift" books on work table:
His Children by Anita Schiller, photographer and Susan Noyes Anderson, poet
there's wisdom here the power of three the power of surf
Oh, it is really one of the sweetest feeling being able to indulge yourself when you least expect it. I have discovered a treasure trove right there at work and there are no costs and long shopping lines. I can't tell you the number of times I've walked by the table stationed next to the vending machine and rarely looked at the items on top the table. This table isn't ornately designed, skirted with a banner, nor display. It'a like the can of cookies on top the fridge and no one notices the contents. You see the can in the same location, but seldom shake the can to examine the goodies. Try it-it really works.
and sand and sea the power to kneel upon the ground the power to build on something sound the power to feel that nothing ends the power of three the power of friends
Weekly there are new books on top the table. They are "freebies!" Inconspicuously in the open! Yes, it's really an oxymoron. In plain sight there
the power of surf
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are a several books. If you paid no attention, you'd think they were text books. Not so. These are wonderful books: word puzzles, mysteries, novels, how-to-books, cookbooks, children's books and inspirational selections. Gently used and brand new books. One day I quickly glanced and then stopped, I was having a "Barnes & Noble" moment and just giggled with sheer delight. The identity of the book fairy is unknown. The books are here today and then gone. But the treasure is always replenished. It's a book lovers dream! I feel very fortunate and blessed by the donors generosity and am extremely thankful for the unexpected gifts. My personal work library has flourished-it brings me joy! In the midst of a rushed workday, I can slow down for a moment, reach for a wonderful book, learn how to create a wreathe, marvel at artwork, celebrate with a poem, or escape through the photographers' lens and just be still and breathe because of a priceless gift. From My Heart to Yours, Linda Mose Meadows, Inspirational Columnist & Author The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life's Lessons and God's Promises http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.com/ http://blessedauthorlm.wordpress.com/
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Louise Cooke (see below) and scanned through an 1870 census in the Matoca townshop of Chesterfield County, VA focusing on the occupations of residents of that county. This census was used only because that was my research focus at the time I discovered the videos by Bernie Gracy. I was researching Charles Lundy, the alleged second husband of my slave ancestor Ellen Moore of Greensville County, VA when I discovered the videos below. During my scanning, I noticed a large number of people in Charles Lundy's community with the
Bernie Gracy and Location Based Genealogy
occupation labeled "works in cotton factory." Charles' occupations, however, was listed as
A few months ago, I became interested in
Farm Laborer on this census. Further research
geography and geographic information science
validated my assumption that there a cotton
(GIS) so I enrolled in a GIS class at a local
factory in the community where Charles Lundy
community college. Later I wanted to learn more
was living in 1870. I also learned through my
about how geography and GIS could be used
research that there were several cotton factories
with genealogy so I typed in the keywords
in Chesterfield County, VA during this time.
"geography and genealogy" in YouTube. Through this search, I discovered the work of Mr. Bernie Gracy who specializes in located-
I was thrilled to learn recently that Mr. Gracy
based genealogy.
will be presenting three workshops at the 2010 Atlanta Family History Expos. I look forward to attending these workshops as well as
Location is a huge part of a genealogists' quest;
meeting him. The three workshops are:
afterall we spend numerous hours trying to locate an ancestor's whereabouts and
An Introduction to AncestralHunt.com
movements. Sometimes if we examine an
Breaking Down Brick Walls with
ancestor's surroundings and location, we may
Location Based Genealogy
discover numerous bits of new information. For
Technology and Techniques for
example, I took Mr. Gracy's advice about
Conducting Location
focusing on location from his interview with Lisa
Based Field Research
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found out that I married well. My husband, Michael, went to the transplant center at MCV and asked to be tested as a potential donor. Doctors confirmed it: we are a match! On August 1, 2006, two weeks after our 24th wedding anniversary, my husband gave me part of his liver. I now challenge every man I meet, next time you’re looking for an anniversary gift, top that! It can’t be done.
Patti Dean’s Story
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to keep Michael’s generous gift. My body was so used to working with a sick liver it didn’t know how to work with a healthy one. Complications arose quickly and I was put back on the waiting list. Now I had no working liver. I was dying. I spent the summer of 2006 in MCV trying to hold on. Our youngest daughter was going into her senior year of high school and I wanted to be there for her when she graduated. I wanted to see my oldest daughter get married and have babies. I wanted to grow old with Michael.
One of Seven Lives Saved My first experience with organ donation came on July 4, 2001, when my brother, Rocky, died several days after a car accident. Rocky wasn’t registered as an organ donor and my family had never talked about organ donation. That night we had to sit down as a family and make that decision. That is NOT the time for a family to have that talk; this is a decision that should be made ahead of time. We did donate Rocky’s organs and tissues. Now it gives my family a lot of comfort knowing that even though Rocky didn’t get to come home that night, maybe someone else’s brother did. We’re proud that Rocky left that legacy.
I don’t remember much about that summer, but I remember waking up one day, back in the ICU with a nurse leaning over me explaining that I had been blessed with the gift of life from a deceased donor. They could tell me very little about him, only that he was a 44 year old man from Virginia Beach. I’ve since written a thank you letter to his wife because I don’t know whether he was registered as a donor or
In 2006, my family experienced organ donation from the other side. I had been on the waiting list for a liver transplant for about a year when I 45
whether his family had to make that decision. I do know that the only reason I’m alive today is because one of them made the decision that saved me. I have learned one other thing about him since then… his name was also Michael.
1.
What African-Americans Need to Know about Organ Donation
African-Americans, Asian-Pacific Islanders and Hispanics are three times more likely to suffer from end-stage renal disease (lack of kidney function) than Caucasians. Native Americans are four times more likely to suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure than Caucasians. Native Americans have the highest rate of diabetes than anyone. Organ donation among minorities can lead to earlier and more successful transplants, especially for African-Americans because there is a less likely chance of rejection if the organ is from a well-matched AfricanAmerican donor. Nationally as of February 13, 2004, there are a total of 83,858 people waiting on an organ. Of that number 21,062 African-Americans, 9,661 Hispanics, 3,648 Asians and 23,609 White Americans are waiting for a kidney transplant. Kidneys are the most need organ. As of December 31,2001 in New York State alone there are 21,158 patients receiving dialysis due to end stage renal disease. As of February 13, 2004 in New York State are 9,001 patients waiting on a kidney transplant. There are more than 200,000 Americans who undergo dialysis nationally; approximately 41 percent of those patients are African-American, while AfricanAmericans comprise only about 12 percent of the general population this is of great concern. In the year 2002 the total number of patients removed from the national waiting list due to death while waiting for a transplant was 6,187 that included all ethnic groups. Some common reasons African-Americans and other minorities hesitate to participate in organ donor programs are:
Distrust of doctors and the medical community 2. Fear that organs will be taken before they are dead 3. Religious beliefs 4. Afraid proper medical attention will not be given to them if they are organ donors 5. Lack of education regarding organ donation Organ donation should be discussed with family members to make them aware of your wishes. Every 15 minutes a new name is added to the national transplant waiting list.
Facts Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease that will eventually lead to end stage renal disease for African-Americans is diabetes. Diabetes in the overall United States population is the number one cause of end stage renal disease, and high blood pressure is the second leading cause in the general population for end stage renal disease. African-Americans develop high blood pressure two to three times more often than other populations and the complications are much more severe for AfricanAmericans.
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2010 Fellows Echoing Green
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On back page of book cover is written:
Compliment Your Inspirational Library and Purchase This Devotional For Yourself or Share as a Gift!
“There are occasions when you have the opportunity to stop for a moment, read a heartfelt devotional, ponder over the words, then reflect on your own personal spiritual and emotional journey, no matter how rugged and connect with the writer’s sentiments; that all along God never abandons his own! Linda Mose Meadows has written a series of devotionals: The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life’s Lesson’s and God’s Promises which allows you to embrace and own your life’s lessons and connect to the truth of God’s promises, as your soul relishes that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.” -Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie The African Methodist Episcopal Church; Acclaimed Author
Audio Book, Tate Publishing
Buy at Tate Publishing or Devotional Sold Online and In Book Stores
The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life's Lessons and God's Promises ISBN #'s
Paperback: ISBN-13: 9781602475144 Pub. Date: November 2007
Order E-Book Here 8.99 Order Audio (CD) Book Order Book Here 14.99
Sharing Wonderful “Wow Moment": Published In The International Review Of African American Art!
Audio: ISBN-13: 9781602476479 Pub. Date: November 2007
An Outstanding Devotional! Revel in the knowledge that you are secure in God’s hands. The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life’s Lesson’s and God’s Promises by Linda Mose Meadows (Tate Publishing 2007) This outstanding devotional is expressly written with a heart that seeks after the righteousness of God with uplifting personal sentiments and prayers, referencing Holy Scripture, encouraging lyrics and deep expressions of faith. These reflections are written for your daily devotional time and to compliment your bible study.
Subscribe today and learn all about an exciting artistic community! VOL. 23: NO. 1
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Youtube.com Blessedness of Believing Series Created to Inspire By Author, Linda Mose Meadows
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