In a continued spirit of shared brotherhood with the newest recognized nation on the planet, I thought deeply about what efforts might I be able to contribute. My spirit is so moved by the events stemming from January of this year, up to and through the grand inauguration. My brain is teeming with ideas, some good, other quite ambitious. I've said it before, but this truly is a once in a lifetime moment. It really does unfold much like the first time my own child, my first born, stretched out her arms to me. All of the anxious build up, especially all the hours spent talking the night before of new hopes and aspirations, was quickly silenced the moment she reached up to me. The moment the new flag was proudly hoisted high over the throngs of jubilant faces on Saturday.
But then, just as quickly, months of dreaming turn to thoughts of just what can I do to reshape this world for her. I don't mean when do I go back to work or are there enough diapers at home. Simply and truthfully, how will I reshape the world, this host planet we call Mother Earth, so that her days will be long and filled with the right balance of both good and bad, such that she has a chance to grow strong roots to withstand adversity and strife. How can I build alliances with her neighbors so that they might live in harmony and love, one to the other? When will I teach her to be prosperous but still fair? To be patient? To teach back all she has learned, with uprightness?
What can I do? What will I do? The newly sovereign Republic of South Sudan needs all of our help family. Much like a newborn, she has needs that have yet to be met. Through no fault of her own of course. The freedom fighter had no or little time to ponder road construction and sanitary water systems. It took all of their energies, and rightfully so, to secure their freedom and hasten to their calling, no longer subject to a host but now a participant. We in the Diaspora must help them to capably stand on their feet.
While I urge the African Diaspora generally, I do specifically call on the Rastafari community to heed to this call. His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie the First, advocated fiercely for the cause to remove imperialism, colonialism and tyranny from African soil. With as many doctors and nurses, dentists, contractors, scientists and engineers, to name a few, that we have amongst us and with a mandate of freedom, redemption and international repatriation before us, we must act now.
Yes, of course there will be many challenges. Some may even purport to be obstacles. But when has that ever stopped Rastafari? Have not our Elders borne the brunt of the whip and all other manner of degradation? If the burden they carried, and still do oft times, is not to be in vain, then we owe it to them and the South Sudanese to fulfill our promise. It is our promise in our Divine Creator that I appeal to today.
May South Sudan proper perpetually and her people know peace, love and harmony now and forever more.
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