Barking up the wrong tree

A few weeks ago I passed by the ministry of internal affairs. There are a lot of young people lining up to get their passports. If you pay close attention, many of them subscribe to the Islamic Religion. So the most likely destination is the middle east (Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates). Others are probably headed for China and the Far East. The latter are a group of spirited business minded folk who support and supply everything from Used Car Parts to Stationary to Vehicles and all things in between. 

There is another select group that with certificates, degrees in hand have chosen to grace the foreign industry with a learned workforce albeit from the third world to handle tasks like driving, house work as well as to help secure American Installations. 

The difference between some of our adversaries (Philippines, India) in this regard is they spend a lot of time equipping their workers with some useful skills before they go off as 'Ambassadors'- and this they often end up being. 

So without discounting some of the negative reports regarding exploitation that are making the news in some of or dailies. I would like to see a stronger insistence on recruitment and vetting, yes but also on very specific skills training and preparation for work in other countries. 

We have not often scored top of the class for work ethic. So it is easy to see how some will feel frustrated when exposed to the rigors of real 8am-5pm jobs in offices but also in homes where the task master really makes sure that the work is done. 

In addition to this, one need not go too far to see similar possibilities of exploitation in good old K of LA. Take a trip into one of our arcades and watch how much work those young women who deliver food are put through. Watch as they navigate through the alley ways, past the dog like men sitting and banging boxes. Listen as they make their way through cat calls and innuendo and as plates wrapped in cling film are moved from critical hand to critical hand until someone finally accepts the offer only to promise payment weeks later (even as the count wads of brown fifty thousand shilling notes). 

So yes get us excited that you are working on changing the condition of our workers, but do what we elected you for and make sure that we are getting value for our money at the Universities which you are planning for. Also make sure that you are not bringing our young women back from pan into a local fire where they will have to deal with double the shame. 

And please help find us a permanent secretary that can find his way around with some semblance of knowledge of the English language. 

Of Crested Cranes and Construction Cranes.

A few months ago there was an event that in my view marked a major shift in our country. The principle is simple first the spiritual then the physical. 

So by the time you see something in the physical, it has already happened in the spiritual. 

So here is what happened in the physical. A crane (both a bird and a machine that is used in construction) collapsed in Saudi Arabia...but not just anywhere but in a spiritually significant place. A lot off Iives were lost. My guess is that there is or is going to be a major rift in 

Saudi/Uganda relations. I say this because our national emblem is more than just a bird it also inspires and has helped engineers crate machines that can move very large loads. 

The effect on the Ugandan system is going to affect the largest and most significant seat in the country which represents the Muslim Faith. On the global arena already, there is a renewed interest in Shia and Sunni Islam and the so called guardians of this faith. So far the Iranians (persians) have placed themselves at the heart of the Shia movement. The Saudi's on the other hand a sole keepers of some of Islam's most significant holy places. While this is sad, at least the battle is no longer taking place under the surface which can often be harder to mediate and manage. 

Uganda will become part of this at least to begin with on the intellectual front. The last few years though have brought about an escalation of the battle from intellectual to physical. For a long time there was a rift in what I refer to as the 'embassy of the Sunni Islam in Uganda' which is based in old Kampala. We have struggled in the attempt to manage some of the rifts but this will continue and pull in the Shia parts of Islam especially as Iran merges from it's long slumber (decades of sanctions). 

This is going to affect us on the local level and in our Foreign policy but it will also affect the construction industry globally. Fortunately or unfortunately most of the construction talking place or that needs to take place is intended for the third world. Others though need position themselves in Conflict prone areas in Order to take advantage of post-Conflict restoration. What we hope for though is that there will be more innovation and creativity in support of alternate types of construction that will favor fewer hight rises in places that are prone to war. 

I am to entirely certain what creature was referenced in Rushdie's confrontational book but I suspect that he too will rise and much of his thinking will resurface. 

PS

No matter how urgent the meeting is, we would prefer if you conducted state visits during waking hours. Eh our head of state can use some well earned sleep! 

C.C 

Riak Machar

Ezra and Nehemiah

Walls and Temples.

The reason why i asked you to begin a study of the book of Ezra and the book Nehemiah is because I think that walls and temples are going to be a key part in our days. Walls in this situation are references to the walls of Jerusalem which were central in the character of the nation as well as in overall security. 

The temple in this case is the temple of Jerusalem which has a central place in end time prophecy. So at least in some respect the student has to make sure that they watch very carefully the circumstances around them. 

This will help you figure out naturally what may be taking place supernaturally. 

The Seeing Student

This was one of the characteristics of good students and prophets in the old testament. 

1. The first question that God used to ask the initiates was what do you see? 

The Practical Student

In addition to this, I would also like you to think very carefully about what you read and study in Scripture if you do not have some concrete method of testing it out practically. Do not write about the builder of the wall unless you are ready to dig in an actually participate in some construction. Do not talk about the trenches unless you are ready to get into some fox holes. 

So the second question has to do with fortifying knowledge by engaging yourself practically. Becoming your message...or brand!

2. What can you do to reinforce what you are learning or doing? 

Ravi Zacharias links the prophet with his message. 

Ezekiel 4:4-17

Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it:according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days:so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days:I have appointed thee each day for a year. Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it. And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.

 Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof. And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day:from time to time shalt thou eat it. Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin:from time to time shalt thou drink. And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight. And the Lord said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them. Then said I, Ah Lord God! behold, my soul hath not been polluted:for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth. Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem:and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment: That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.

The prophet who is asked to sleep on his side to signify the days of captivity. The message would be felt in the prophets body and so became much more personal. The prophet was also asked to cook using human waste (knowing full well the implications of this on rituals and cleanliness). 

The prophet who is asked to marry a wayward women to signify the love of God over his people. 

Hosea 1:3-11

So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son. And the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah:for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. Then said God, Call his name Loammi:for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land:for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

3. Finding the link between history and modern day events and places (Persia, Babylon). 

Reading the introduction to the book of Ezra I can see why this will be a useful study. The first reason is that in the book of Daniel, there were mentions of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and finally Rome. 

The image that Daniel saw was a combination of these different metals. They all combined in a delicate balance until it culminated into a blend of iron and clay (my personal thought is to think of this as a time when men will combine humanity with more powerful metallic machines to form a super human). In the prophecy a rock that is used to crush the feet and bring about the collapse of the whole image. 

4. Finding historical characters in scripture that can be studied for relevance in the modern day (Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezra and Nehemiah).

The introduction of this book (Ezra) has references to Persia which I think bears some relevance with the present day. Maybe the battle between modern day Iraq and Iran was the beginning of a move from one civilization to another or the transition from one part of the image to another. But to think solely of physical Babylon and relate that to a region and it's overly enthusiastic leader, would be foolhardy. Some researchers point to a closer relation between not the Arabs but the Blacks as descendants of Ham who happens to be the great grandfather and founder of Ancient Babylon. But this complexities are subjects for another forum. 

5. When you are assigned people under your care, the chances are, a lot of what you go through will trickle down to them. So the dreams you have at night will also probably be related to the people that are under you. Like a father who is in charge of the security of his home, your scope of concerns have expanded now that you are overseer of a congregation. 

Reviews and readjustments

Yes the new year is upon us but that will not prevent us from presenting some of what we think the year will bring. 

. 

To simplify the process we will place all the events and ideas or themes into one letter. 

Religion 

The year that past and the year that is upon us will be marked by major shifts and focus in religious subjects and personalities. The year that past belonged to a large extent to the Catholic Church and its attractive pope. Youthful populations were forced into the foreground of ideas with discussions about the future and employment taking center stage. 

Reformation 

Within the subject of religion we expect to see some major changes which will attempt to shake the foundations of faith as we know it. This will run counter to traditional systems and will be brought to the surface by youthful leaders who unavoidably might end up. Duping those that are traditionally vulnerable to manipulation. One the whole though, there agitations will be healthy and will bring about a dusting off of ancient texts to clarify and verify unusual expressions of spiritual expression.

Revolution 

These transformative processes will take place even if they will seem unrelated. There will be links similar to those in the early sixties that will brought about independence of African states en masse. Even of the independence moves were later criticized for being incomplete, we will continue to see a new breed of leaders and movements emerge which unlike in the past will have no noticeable leadership. 

Red

In Uganda, the UPC is will get a chance to reassert itself. Even if there are not currently represented in government, they will be forced to make an imprint on the country. In the U.S the Republicans will have to make some major changes if they are to retake power. If they do, they will face an uphill battle in redefining some of the massive moves that are the rest of eight years our of power. Other reds will benefit too. Venezuela's leadership will survive some trying economic times even if this will take place under tremendous pressure. 

Russia 

The great bear sees to have awoken after a time in hibernation. She will move to protect her cubs and will express her anger at any one who stands in her way. She will continue to express herself in the economic markets making use her massive size and overwhelming power. 

Rwanda

A small nation with a vast number of lakes will make her mark on the region. We see the military and its strategic leadership expressing her power and influence and expanding her reach beyond her borders. Driven by a fear of two past she too will assert herself. Treasures will be found in her waters which will bring much wealth. To protect this wealth she will be forced to threaten war with those who oppose her. 

Refugees 

When Europe went into crisis, we began to wonder if it was possible to heal one part of the continent by drawing attention to another. Treating a wound by forcing the body to focus on something much painful. So for a moment our attention moved from Economic issues to Social ones and a flood of refugees took the attention of the world. There is a spiritual principle that seems to draw favor on those who take care of people who sincerely seek refuge. These groups of people in need will bring blessing to those who with a discerning heart can make full use of their needs. 

I am certain that there was some pleasure and healing in some part of the German psyche when sounds were heard from one set of citizens demanding to go to Germany as opposed to England!

Reawakening 

Unfortunately the optimism that drew masses to the continent of Europe has taken place at a time of Economic challenges. These two often combine to produce a measure of xenophobia. The flood of new faces as can be expected has therefore taken brunt of the hatred and ire which many far right groups have used to fuel their message. How the far right manages to communicate its genuine fears without isolating the rest of the world will remain a mystery. 

Re-think 

While massive changes have taken place the mainly lighter skinned Muslim part of Africa, covering Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, other parts below our mason-dixon line remain untouched and unaffected. We saw though the first sign of a shift into darker Africa, where Burkina Faso, Congo and even Burundi pushed against their respective governments in an attempt to prevent them from violating the sacred contents to their constitutions.