Wilbur visits Jane and Erick

As you may know from Char's messages, I have been staying with Jane Koning while she fights cancer.  She has had cards and letters and even phone calls from various members of the group which are much appreciated.  Just this week we even had a visitor.  Wilbur Mellema was in the Seattle area to visit family.  He dropped by for an hour and we all had a good time reminiscing about our time in Sierra Leone and catching up on our lives since. 

From: Jane Koning and Erick Lorenz

We have been doing our best to keep the reunion going.

Last September we accepted an invitation to Ursula's summer home in Watch Hill, RI. We met some of her family and had a great time hitting the beach and exploring the area. Here Ursula and Jane are seen enjoying the sunset on the waterfront.

Then in January we flew to Maui where Jane's family has a condo.  Since we had to change planes in Honolulu, we contacted Marv who agreed to meet us at the airport during our layover.  We spent a pleasant hour outside the baggage claim eating manapuas and catching up on old times.

A Visit with Stephen

In the latest SL2 social news, Jane Koning and I visited Stephen Burgess in April. We drove from Davis to Chico where Stephen met us at the local farmers market.  After a nice lunch we went back to his place. Stephen was in the process of moving from his old condo to the one next door.  Stephen has made a lot of progress since we saw him last year when he was still in the rehab facility. He was able to get to town on his own, via bus, where he met us at the market. I talked to Ursula today and she said that he told her he no longer needs a cane. At the end of the visit we took some pictures.  Since there was no one around to hold the camera, we couldn't all get into one picture, so the one I am sending you is a Photoshopped composite. 

                              -  Erick Lorenz

Erick, Stephen, and Jane

Panorama of Rufus's Home Church

     The beautiful panoramic photo below is of the sanctuary at Rufus's home church, Metropolitan AME, during Black History Month, 2012.  Rufus wrote that he was blessed to have dressed this and two other sanctuaries last month with the stunning cloths displayed.  Remember that you can see a larger version of a photo on the blog just by clicking on it.  Try it; it's gorgeous, and the larger size helps you take in some of the detail.
                      - Tony

Visit Ghana with Rufus as a Guide!

Greetings all!

Pray all is well. I wish to share with you our 2012 GHANA TOUR. If you know of anyone interested, please share the news. In addition, I invite you to read and see a photo gallery of our participation in the excavation of the tomb of KARAKHAMUN in Luxor, Egypt last summer (2011)  at: www.jahkente.org.

Peace/Hotep 

Rufus

P.S.

Still thinking of the great time we had at the Reunion. Peace and Love to all.

Life's Travails ~ Ursula and Marvin

Friends,

You probably received, as I did, an e-mail purporting to be from Ursula, describing being attacked in Madrid, losing her money, bank cards, purse, and cell phone, and asking you to send money via Western Union.  This is a scam.  Ursula’s e-mail account was hacked by cybercriminals, who also blocked her access to her contact list, thus preventing her from warning the people on her contact list that it was a fraud.  Ursula is fine--just somewhat frantic.  She has a new e-mail address, which I’ll distribute to our Peace Corps group via e-mail.

I’ve had two other friends in the last couple of years who were hacked with a nearly identical message.  It was painful and embarrassing for them, and awfully inconvenient to lose their contact lists. 

You probably also received Marvin’s messages about a valve in his heart failing, its replacement with an artificial valve, his rapid recovery, and his palpable joy as he has been reminded what a blessing life is.  I’ll enter them below just to make them “part of the record.”  It’s wonderful to still have you with us, Marvin.

- Tony

* * * 

   

DEAR FRIENDS, FAMILY AND BOTH:

One and a half weeks ago (Nov. 18), I arrived home to Hawaii from a trip to Las Vegas with my brother Norman.  It was a good trip and I was feeling healthy. I was happy. LIFE WAS GOOD.

I decide to go to bed early that evening.  But then, two hours later –   wow!!!!.  I can’t breathe; I got fluid in the lungs; I am passing out; there are  fire trucks, ambulances, all the neighbors are outside, emergency ward; hospital!!!!  The next time I am aware of what is going on I am in a Intensive Care Room – I have no idea what hospital.  I am sooo thirsty; I have tubes all over the place; no one is smiling; I can’t move; I can’t do anything – this is not a happy place!!!!    I learned that one of my heart valves (the mitral valves) had exploded (excuse my use of medical terms)  and needed to be replaced with an artificial valve -  I did not have a heart attack.  I had been in very serious condition.

The doctors, nurses, and all the medical practitioners were good and they had all done a great job.  However, I do get mad at all the technicians that had to come into the room every hour to draw my bodily fluids and to see if I am breathing.  But  I definitely do have a new respect for them. Previously, by biggest pride in life was that I had never stayed in hospital except to get circumcised in 1953. 

I have never felt so helpless or so dependent in my life. By my side,  during the entire episode was my Masako – she decided everything, did everything, communicated to those who needed to know, she was everything.  Without appearing to be overly dramatic (hell, it is dramatic), I have never felt so luved in my entire life.  And then two days later, my daughter Marcie and son Mark are here from Salt Lake and Denver to help look after me.  Other than when we were ”making the numbers at the crap table” with my kids, I have never felt so close with them.  On Thanksgiving day, I got to watch “the undefeated” Green Bay Packers play Detroit – “it was bonding to the max.”  And the support and the luv from the family and friends were awesome (please keep it all coming).

With all that good stuff happening to me, I got released from the hospital and went home  on Thursday – Thanksgiving day JUST 6 DAYS AFTER IT BEGAN!!!!

I have no pain, I am walking Each day I am getting stronger.  I do not drink.  My spirits are good.  Daughter is teaching me the new media technology for the e-book and smart phone (yes, I can do Text Messaging) – I am feeling mentally sharp.  And, yes, the GREEN BAY PACKERS ARE UNDEFEATED!!  LIFE IS GOOD.               

* * *

UPDATE  

Can you believe it but it has been two weeks now since I experience the ruptured heart valve.  Thursday and Friday, we visited the cardiac surgeon, my primary care physician and the rehab director.  They are all pleased and surprised with the progress I have made (i.e. no pain, no infection, good energy, walking every day, breathing well).  Just weak from the trauma and operation.  Bottom line is that we are on the way back.

A good way to spent your rehab in order to keep mentally sharp is to have your daughter instruct you in the ways of IPHONE4 AND KINDLE FIRE.  I am happy to report that I am now ready to receive “WORD TEXT MESSAGES” from you.  My cell phone is 808-430-5447 (land line is the same 808-235-1043)

Thank you much for all your love and support.  Please keep in touch.   

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

A Full Menu!

       A full menu for blog readers this week!  

       There are new additions to the “Ten Minutes” page, sent by Ray, Char (including Char’s poem), and Jack Johnston, so be sure to check that out.  Jack sent his with a note explaining, “I had hoped to share this experience with everyone at the reunion, but since I was unable to attend at the last minute, I’ll include it here for you to post on your post-reunion blog page.”  Jack also wrote that Emily is recovering nicely.

     If you were there and haven’t e-mailed me a copy of your remarks yet, please try to get something in before it all slips away.  Also, if you weren’t there, please feel free to send in your own “ten minutes” contribution, as Jack did.  I’m not sure how to describe them, except to say that they were reflections on what the Peace Corps experience has meant to us, in more personal terms, for the most part, than we shared in the yearbook.

       You’ll also find, on the My Heart Is Like a Cabbage page, a new chapter added--Chapter 9.  This is my own response to Jerry after a quick reading of the chapter:  “Maybe it's having been a teacher for so many years myself, with the same impulse to reach students, the same ambiguity about wanting to break down barriers while discouraging familiarity, but I could actually feel my body tensing up as I read on.  I identified with the teacher, with the student, with their different ambitions, with their hope and fear and shame.  This must be the most tightly focused chapter in the novel so far.  Nice work.”

       Judy Cline sent a note that those of us who have photos, films, stories, poems, etc.,  might considering posting them to the Peace Corps site, since the Peace Corps is also gathering these items.  The link to do so is http://collection.peacecorps.gov/

     Char already sent a book recommendation to everyone via e-mail, but I’ll post it here as well:           

in the U.S. the title is Someone Knows My Name .... by Lawrence Hill

in Canada it was The Book of Negroes

Lawrence Hill's novel is told in the voice of Aminata Diallo, who is abducted

at 11 in West Africa and sent as a slave to South Carolina. years later, she makes

her way to freedom, serves the British in the Revolutionary War and registers her

name in the historic Book of Negroes, an actual document that provides a record

of freed Loyalist slaves who requested permission to resettle in Nova Scotia, and

returns to Sierra Leone as one of 1,200 former slaves who embarked on a perilous

journey back to Africa. Hill is a master of transforming neglected corners of history

into brilliant fiction, and in Aminata Diallo has created one of the strongest female

characters in recent Canadian literature.

i encourage all to read this powerful , brilliant novel ..... which is in development for

a movie.  you'll want to name your child, your pet , your anything Aminata ... after

this most powerful character.

       And thanks to Jim Murphy, who keeps me posted on items about Sierra Leone which appear in the New York Times.  The most recent were a pair of columns by Nicholas Kristof--the first, dated Oct. 9, with the headline “In This Rape Center, the Patient Was 3,” and the second, dated Oct. 13 with a Kenema byline, is headed “One Girl’s Courage.” 

On Pilgrimage

Friends,

     Our time in DC was a wonderful reunion--much better than anything, speaking for myself, I had dared hope for.  Thursday night and the two Saturday events stand out especially in my mind.  Thanks so much to Char for her steady hand throughout, to Rufus for taking care of all the logistics in advance and then turning Saturday night into a climactic celebration at his home, and to Bob Hopkins for coming up with the idea for Thursday’s dinner and then providing the funding to make it possible.

The feeling for each other, when most of us hadn’t seen each other for nearly fifty years, was startling.  The gap in time may have had the same effect on you as it did me; I was able to see that so many people have been on pilgrimage.  The loud-mouthed, crude, boisterous Char of our training days is still loud-mouthed, crude, and boisterous--as well as gentle, compassionate, and wise.  Jane has a radiant vitality and love of life, Mary Mullin D’Amico an aura of kindness, Ursula an openness that has made her stronger rather than vulnerable, Bob Gross a quieter attentiveness to others and an ability to listen and hear, Jerry Mills the courage to reveal his love and pain, Mary DeWan a steadfast, ageless commitment to justice and making a difference, Steve a spiritual home in Buddhism, Wilbur a healthy gratitude for who he is and for a life that almost slipped away....

It seems wrong to stop there when I could go on and on, but I wonder if others had that same sense that this was a group of people in which many have, over the course of an often-difficult life, struggled toward the light.  I was humbled and honored to find myself among such friends.

All the best,

Tony

Toward the light