Happy Thanksgiving

This entry is overdue; my apologies.  I have been having problems with the formatting of entries to pages, and have spent too many hours trying to get that straightened out.  New material this time includes a letter of condolence that Bill Prosch received from a former student upon the death of Bill’s brother.  Bill asked that it be posted; you can see it immediately below.  There is also a new chapter (Chapter 11) for Jerry Mills’ novel-in-progress, My Heart Is Like a Cabbage; another entry for the Ten Minutes page, and a link (see under the “Links” section part way down the right hand side of the blog page) to the photos Erick took at the Ten Minutes session itself.  

Erick noted, “I have posted a selection of pictures that I took at the meeting on flickr.  I selected the "best" (sharpest) image that I had of each member and then included a few others that I liked for their expression or context.  I didn't caption these pictures.  It's more private that way and anyway we know who we are.  I think someone is missing from the set but I can't remember who. :-)”

I wish all of you a Thanksgiving of safe travel, loving friends and family, and abundant food and other blessings.

- Tony

Mr. Prosch,

I learnt of your brother’s passing away through my brother’s (Hamid Charm’s) message to you and your family.  May I also take this opportunity to register my heartfelt condolences to the family, and more especially to you, for the big loss.  Only a heart that loves feels the painful sorrow of parting.  May God grant him a safe passage to Paradise.

It’s many years now, but I still remember you, Mr. Bill Prosch, my English Language and Literature teacher (Forms One and Two) at Kolenten Secondary School.  I thank you so much for having contributed towards what I am today.

Your brother’s departure to the hereafter is God’s wish and cannot be altered nor challenged, and so let us all take it in good faith.  He is doing His will.

Haroun Charm

Kolenten Secondary School (Jnr)

Kambia

232-76-866429

Twenty more minutes of reflection...

“Ten Minute” reflections on...well, on what the Peace Corps experience has meant in our life, what our life has meant, what life in general is about...continue to come in at a slow pace.  Char’s idea was really an invitation to speak from the heart, and the responses have been rich and deeply personal.  I hope others--whether they attended the reunion or not--will take the time to add their contributions.  Two more have come in since the last posting--from Bob Rawson and Bob Gross--and have been added to the “Ten Minutes” page.  I realized, belatedly, that, unlike Jerry’s novel, there was no reason to add new entries at the bottom of the page.  In fact, it would make them much easier to access if they were at the top.  So I moved the last four entries to the top, with the most recent first, in reverse chronological order.  [You can see all of the entries by clicking on “Ten Minutes....,” the last item under “Pages” on the right hand side of the blog page.]

    Jim Murphy continues to faithfully keep me posted on news from Sierra Leone.  Thanks, Jim.  Here is the latest:

AFP - 8 November 2011

Freetown

Sierra Leone

First iron ore shipment in 30 years

The London-based African Minerals Limited (AML), which is mining iron ore in Sierra Leone, on Tuesday began loading the country's first iron ore export for 30 years, the shipment bound for China.

The loading of the 40,000 tons of ore, which will be completed by the end of the month, is destined for the Shandong Iron and Steel Group in eastern China, the company said in a statement.

AML Executive Chairman Frank Timis pronounced himself "delighted that our Phase 1 Tonkolili Project with major expansion still to follow has reached this important milestone which will see the company emerge as a world-class iron ore exporter.

"The shipment represents the first iron ore to be mined and exported from Sierra Leone for almost 30 years and will undoubtedly have a significant positive impact on the people of Sierra Leone and the country's economy," he enthused.

He added that with planned near-term expansion to 20 million tons per annum "we will shortly become the largest fully integrated exporter of iron ore in west Africa."

Sierra Leone's President Ernest Koroma described the imminent iron ore export as "a significant milestone."

"The strong relationship built with African Minerals is testament to the long term partnership the government of Sierra Leone is committed to building with responsible natural resource companies," Koroma added.

                                                     

                                                                          - Tony