BLUEPRINT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA 

Despite the fact that Africa is the richest continent in terms of natural and mineral resources it is still the poorest continent in the world. This continent that helped develop the civilized world, (i.e. the west with emphasis to Europe) with its mineral and natural resources, yet its citizens still live on the begging side of life. The African continent in its vast majority still depends on foreign aid for its survival. Year in and year out African countries still go to the developed nations to ask for donations so that they can go by, yet such donations do not come for free to the African people because eventually somebody has to pay back the money owed to such countries.

In this case the future generations are the ones that are left with the hefty responsibility of paying back the money owed. But what is so disgusting about this is not in fact the issue of repaying the debt to the lending nations, the issue is if at least the money borrowed was properly used to develop such countries, we could actually say that the money was well used. But that is still far from the truth because many African countries still do not have anything to show for the money that has been borrowed to them. Most countries in Africa still leg behind in infrastructural development, education and health.

The people in Africa still languish in poverty, and  die through diseases that can easily be prevented and still show levels of illiteracy that are unacceptable in the 21^st century, yet this is the reality at hand. The question therefore, is what actually happens to the money that is borrowed to African countries every year. Where does that money go to? Who is making use of the money if it is not benefiting the population on the ground which is the one suffering?

THE SAD REALITY

The truth is that despite the billions of US Dollars donated in the form of loans to the African continent have not benefited its people. Yet the money is borrowed in the name of the people. If you go to most African countries today what one sees is repugnant to the eye. From bad road infrastructure to high levels of poverty and begging in the African population. This is a sad reality for the African people because I think that they do not deserve such injustice from those who they have trusted to rule and to govern over the affairs of their nations.

CORRUPTION AT ITS BEST

One must acknowledge that the great culprit of this disgrace is the African government that rules in most of these countries. Such leaders which I believe are not worthy to be called leaders at all, due to the high levels of financial banditry that they have committed by usurping the funds that were supposed to develop these countries and the people. I believe that whenever a child dies of preventable diseases and poverty in Africa, somebody must be held responsible for that. And in this case the so called African leaders are to blame because the money that was supposed to be used in getting the right medication and alleviating and combating poverty has gone into their pockets.

Despite the fact that most of the so called leaders have failed to develop their countries, you still see them driving imported luxury vehicles on the very roads that they failed to repair, they are shameless people that are not worthy to be called leaders of the African people. The least that one can say about them is that they are bastard children and a disgrace to the African continent. Such people should be put in prison where they belong; they are criminals and should be treated as such, crime should never be tolerated neither go unpunished.

The level of corruption in many African countries has reached epidemic proportions in that it is not just in isolated cases, but it is systemic. There are systems in place that are favorable for high profile people to commit corruption. And due to such systems that are in place, corruption does not only linger in the top but has come down to the low echelons of society. There are cases that in some countries you experience corruption from the moment you arrive at the airport, to the car you rent, to the traffic officers that stop you on the road for no apparent reason except for the fact that they are thieves disguised in police uniforms. This even goes further to the health institutions, whereby if you do not pay an x amount of money, your child may be left to die.

You can begin to see that only individuals with severed consciences can let this happen to their own people.

THE COMPLICITY OF THE WEST

Despite the overwhelming evidence that there is so much corruption from the part of government leaders, the western nations still do business with these criminals. By still giving them money that they know it is not going to serve the purpose for which it was borrowed, that is simply be a partner in crime. As if that was not enough they still open their banks and allow these so called leaders to deposit large amounts in their personal names of money without questioning them. One begins to question how serious are the western countries in seeing the development of African nations that they so vehemently preach.

The levels of hypocrisy from the Western nations are unprecedented in that they do not practice what they preach. They are the number one enablers of such deviant behavior; one begins to wonder whether they are the ones encouraging such leaders to do so. I know that this thought is a bit far fetched but my imagination runs wild when I begin to think of such issues. In the few years that I have been in this planet I have seen that humans are capable of doing virtually anything. Whatever they can possibly conceive nothing can stop them from achieving it, that is a reality. If you don’t believe me just look around, even the blind can see.

While the issue of corruption has riched monumental levels in Africa, one has to acknowledge that this is not just an African problem. It is as a result of the deformity of the internal structures of humans. Humans no matter from which part of the world, which race they belong to or even the level of education that they may have acquired, they are always prone to commit the most outrageous levels of atrocities. It is something that is inherent in every human being that lives on this planet, with the Pope included.

  

THE ISSUE OF GOVERNANCE

After all has been said one has to acknowledge the fact that the issue of governance is paramount to the development of nations. The level of development that we have seen in so many parts of the world today is due to the quality of governance exercised in those nations. Unlike such levels of development that we have witnessed in the west, the same cannot be said of many African countries, with the exception of a few of course. That raises the issue of whether Africa is capable of leading itself without external interference or not.

 The reason why so many countries are still poor despite the abundance of mineral and natural resources is bad governance. Thus, the matter of governance needs to be relooked at in Africa. Despite the fact that so many countries have embraced democracy, its real values are still yet to be seen. This brings me to pose the question of whether democracy is right for Africa or not. Well, this is a debate that I would like to bring another time.

On this matter there should be mechanisms put in place to bring the African leaders into accountability. By that I do not mean in any way that we should involve the west in solving such problems, but that should be an initiative of the African civil society in becoming the watch dog. This could be a platform to bring all the deviant leaders into account on how public funds are utilized and how such leaders contribute to the development of their nations.

One may want to argue that Africa has the AU to help solve African problems, however, I would disagree with that assertion. We all know that the AU has proven several times to be incapable to intervene and to solve the problems of the African people. Not to mention of their inability to bring certain deviant African leaders into account. Such is the case with leaders like Robert Mugabe from Zimbabwe and many others. When it comes to deal with the conflicts that are a constant threat to the continent the AU has just been nonexistent. In my opinion the AU is a toothless dog incapable of even barking.

·         A new model of governance

Despite the fact that most countries in the world have embraced democracy, and the visible effects of this political approach in the developed nations, I do think that Africa needs to find a different way of governance for its people. Even though many African countries have embraced democracy, its fruits are yet to be seen. One may dispute by arguing that the African democracy is still in its infant stage, thus more time should be given for us to eventually see its fruits, and after all it took America many years to master this very political principle.

My argument in as far as Africa is concerned is why can’t Africans come with a form of governance that will be appropriate to the African reality. That does not necessarily mean that we should reject all the democratic principles, no! That is not what I am advocating. But I am sure that we can borrow some democratic concepts and principles that are workable and bring something peculiar about the way Africans are accustomed to be governed, in order to craft a style of governance that is unique to the African people. The goal however, is not uniqueness, but the quest for something workable within the framework of the peculiarity of the African people.

One needs to accept the fact that the democratic model has not been working in Africa, and if it is not working why continue to apply such model. It is time that we begin to ask serious questions about the viability of this model in the African continent. Only a handful of countries in Africa can actually claim to successfully adhere to democratic principles and values. Even in such cases, the democratic principles are not practiced and applied in its entirety.

The concept of democracy should be applied and practiced having in consideration the cultural and societal values of each individual location.

THE SOLUTION

I believe that the problems of the African continent should be solved by the sons and daughters of the land. Africa has got enough human capital to bring solutions to its own problems, thus making it clear that the destiny of Africa is in the hands of Africans and not in the hands of the international community, however well intentioned they may be. It is time that Africans begin to take the responsibility for their own destiny without looking outside for help.

By this I am suggesting that the answer for the African problem lies within the continent, therefore, we should start looking at what we have , what we can do and how we can tackle the enormous challenges that we are faced with in the continent. Having said that however, I do not mean that we do not need outside input, the issue here is we should not solely depend on them for the fulfillment of our destiny. For Africa to break the cycle of dependence from the west she has to come up with her own viable solutions to her own peculiar problems.

Even though the problems faced in Africa are not exclusively unique to the African continent, I do believe that we can solve them in our own way because each part of the world is different and a carbon copy of the answers from any other part may not necessarily work well. However, we should encourage partnership with other parts of the world to learn a few lessons from them on how they have managed to tackle their own challenges. The matter of partnership should shift from that of begging for money and donations from the west to one of gathering mental and human resources and capital to solve the issues in Africa.

Instead of Africa going to the West to ask for money why not go there and get expert training in the areas that we need for the development of Africa. I strongly believe that if Africa could invest in partnership with the more developed nations in the world, by sending its own people to go and be equipped in strategic areas that we deem essential for the development of the continent, the problems could be solved. I am not suggesting however that the challenges of the African continent will cease to exist by following that approach. But surely it could help in mitigating the effects of poverty and lack of development.

A new approach

It is a well known fact that the African continent has got more than enough resources, human, natural and mineral to tackle the challenges that infest the continent. What should be done is that African countries should begin to partner together towards the accomplishment of a common goal. By bringing all the resources that the continent has human, natural and mineral resources and beginning to partner in a strategic manner, Africa could solve its own challenges. I do not believe that the issue here is the lack of capability to deal with its own problems, which I am sure is not the case. Perhaps there are so many selfish agendas on the part of those that are supposed to bring the desired solutions to the continent.

African countries should begin to partner we each other for the common development of Africa instead of looking solely on their internal issues, which could be solved with a more targeted and strategic approach from the part of all the stakeholders. We all have a stake in the continent and have something to contribute for the improvement of this great continent. African leaders should begin to come together and find ways in which the issues at hand can be tackled.

I am advocating for a more collective approach towards solving and dealing with the predicament in which the continent is in. The challenges that the continent is faced with are mostly the same, thus there is at list common ground and place to start from. By bringing together the nations that are so resourceful in terms of natural and mineral riches, they should find ways to partner in order to deal with issues such as poverty and lack of development. In the same way they should have a target approach towards dealing with corruption and financial banditry. The same approach should be used to deal with issues of peace and security in the continent.

It is by taking a more concerted approach that I believe that the African people will eventually begin to make strides towards the development of the continent.

   TEN DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF VISIONARY PEOPLE-Part 2

     6.They are passionate 

Most people are not passionate about life, and that actually shows in the way they behave. They are not passionate about their jobs, they are not passionate about their marriages, they are not passionate about their careers, that’s it they lack the fuel that propels the engine to put the vehicle into motion. Without passion you will spend large part of your life complaining about everything, including Barack Obama. Have you noticed that he has become the scapegoat of so many Americans? They either blame him or the phantom called Bill Laden for their misery. Passion is what is going to keep you going when everything seems to be falling apart. One of the ways to define passion is by asking what is it that you can do with excitement without being rewarded. As I write this article is past midnight already, my wife and child are already sleeping yet I am here working. Do you know why? Because I am passionate about it, I do not need any encouragement to write and certainly I do not have to be rewarded for it because I am passionate about it, I love what I do. Got it, that is passion. You must have it if you are going to fulfill your vision.

    7.They are diligent

Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might, this is the advice of King Solomon from ancient days in the Bible. He also asks “have you seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings and not before mean men”. This is a hallmark of visionaries, they work tirelessly for the fulfillment of their vision. Diligence is one the qualities and habits that people with a vision have, they are motivated to work tirelessly for the fulfillment of their vision. Nothing deters them from continuing to work. If you want to see the fulfillment of your vision then you must love to work, you must diligently apply your time and efforts to meticulously make sure that that which you want to see coming to pass will happen.

The truth is most people are lazy, they would rather sit in the couches of their homes and watch TV for eight to ten hours or even for the all day. And then they end up spending their entire lives complaining that nothing is going their way, which is true nothing will come your way while you sit on the comfort of your house doing nothing. You reap what you sow, if you are lazy you will reap the fruits of laziness, which is nothing accomplished in your entire life, and you cannot blame anybody for that. You must develop the habit of working, after all nobody ever died from working. The best it can do for you is to improve your health and your mental productivity.

Laziness does not get anything done and accomplished in this life, if you do not apply your time and efforts to see that that vision that you have, comes to pass you will end up on the begging side of life. People with a vision are motivated to work because their vision propels them to do so, they know that they have a vision to fulfill and to bring to pass, hence, they do not spend their lives idling around and wishing that happy days will come. But they are constantly working to see the fulfillment of that vision. This is something that you cannot outsource, you must do it yourself, and it is your destiny we are talking about. So get back to work!  

 8. They are proactive

The ability to take initiative and not wait to be told what to do when things have to be done is a trait common to visionary people. One must be able to be in charge of his own destiny and making sure that it comes to pass. In life you must be proactive if you are going to get anything done. Do not wait to be told, just get up and do it go ahead and take initiative you do not need any instructions in regards to the fulfillment of your vision.

9.They are mindful of their associations

The people you associate yourself with play a pivotal role in the fulfillment of your vision, however it is up to you to make sure that you surround yourself with people of like mind in order for you to move towards the completion and the fulfillment of your vision. The proverbial scripture is so true, he who walks with the wise will be wise but the companion of fools will be destroyed. You must make sure that you surround yourself with people that are going to add value to your life and are going to help you fulfill your vision, and not people who are going to discourage you and limit you.

It is true that no man is an island, thus, you have to be very selective in how you choose your friends and partners, those who have closer access to you. Make sure that you have around yourself people that love you for your uniqueness and value what you value. These are the people that are going to be with you through thick and thin if you can identify them and bring them around yourself. Remember not everybody that says loves you is telling the truth, thus you must not gullibly enter into relationships and associations with people without first scrutinize them. Thus, because of your uniqueness, people must qualify to have access to you, not everybody should know about your life and your dreams. You must make sure that you safeguard your life and your vision like a pregnant mother takes care of her yet to be born child. Your vision is like a baby that is about to be born, so make sure that you protect that baby by engaging in right relationships.

10. They are thinkers

As a man thinks so is he and there is no way around it. Most people are lazy to think and they do not see the value of consciously taking time aside to think. They would rather spend time talking than thinking, you cannot get much done in life like that. We live in a world of thinkers, your greatest asset in life is your mind, so treasure it by making the most of it in quality thinking to see the realization of that which you want to come to pass. You are the product of your thinking, what you think is what you become. Thus, your thinking must be congruent with your vision and with that which you want to become. The quality of you thoughts determines the quality of your life.

You must also engage in creative thinking, seeking for solutions and ways of doing things in a different unconventional ways. This is what is going to distinguish you from your peers, the quality of your thinking.

Finally

I believe that the above descriptions will help you to chart a course for your life by becoming a visionary. You can either become a visionary or a casualty in life, but as you make a decision to turn a new life in your life, your case will be different. 

TEN DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF VISIONARY PEOPLE

After having dealt with some of the traits that depict vision-less people in the previous article, we are going to look at what is a visionary individual and what are the characteristics of his life and behavioral patterns in contrast to those of individuals that lack a well defined vision for their lives. It is a given that vision is critical to live a life full of purpose and destiny oriented. Hence, that is why we need to know what indeed makes a visionary, what is it that which characterizes him and distinguishes him from the masses. But firstly we need to define what vision is:

Vision is the ability to see beyond your present circumstances, it is the ability to see ahead with the intent to chart a path for one to reach.


1.   Visionary people are strategists

Strategy is the ability to map out a plan to achieve your goals, without a plan we are doomed to fail that is why it is important to have a strategy in place in how the vision will become a reality. The goal of having a strategy is to seek for effective ways to bring the vision into reality. The vision is conceived in our minds but it should not stay there, that is where the actual plan and strategy comes into place. Having a strategy ensures that the vision that we have conceived does not remain a mental picture, but it can also be interpreted in visible forms. Think of a strategy as the blueprint to achieve and to bring the vision into reality.




2.   They are goal oriented

Once the strategy is in place the next step is to set goals for the fulfillment and the materialization of the blueprint. This is a trait that visionary people have in order to measure the progress and the success of one’s journey towards his desired destiny in life. Thus, visionary people are goal oriented, it is important that we also acquire the discipline to set goals that are realistic, achievable and timely. Setting short term goals as well as medium and long term helps one to measure the success of the journey and to make adjustments where they are needed.




3.   They are focused

Focus is a very important component in achieving and fulfilling one’s vision given the fact that there are a lot of things that may want your attention. It is important that we learn to streamline what is important from what is not so that you are not distracted from doing those things that are essential in the journey towards your destination. The ability to focus on just one thing is a rare quality in our days, most of us are always faced with the temptation of doing too many things at the same time. This is not always appropriate because at the end we should be able to evaluate what we have achieved and how far have we gone. It is always good to do one thing at a time, and once that task is accomplished we can then embark on the next one. This way we will have measurable ways to track our progress in the journey. Do one thing at a time, Paul the Apostle says this one thing I do. The key is to be able to identify that one task that we need to fulfill at any given moment and do it until the end.

Unfortunately when it comes to fulfilling tasks most people start but never finish, the moment they see something more appealing they go for it. Remember you have a vision to fulfill, no matter how many people may be doing a particular task, you should not join the crowd just because it is popular. Do not follow the path of popularity follow the path of the vision that you have to fulfill, this is what is going to distinguish you from your peers, the ability to be focused.




4.   They are disciplined

This cannot be overemphasized, without discipline we cannot accomplish anything in life. The reason why people live disastrous lifestyles is due to the lack of this fundamental component in their lives. It is important to know the time to sleep and the time to work, you cannot be sleeping when you are supposed to be working. It is important to know the time to eat ant the time to restrain from eating. If you are going to succeed in the fulfillment of your vision you must religiously do the things that are required for do for the fulfillment of that vision.

It is not enough to have a vision because a vision does not fulfill itself, the bearer of the vision must be disciplined enough to see to it that it comes to pass. That includes being disciplined to work, being disciplined in studying and learn all you need to learn for the fulfillment of your vision. It also includes knowing when to go to bed and when to wake up. You cannot spend the all night in front of the television screen and expect to get anything done in life. Be disciplined, do not let your emotions and your physical inclinations govern you, you govern them, that is called discipline, capiche !




5.   They are persistent

Persistence is the ability of not giving up in the midst of adverse circumstance, trust me in the journey of life there will be times when you fill like quitting, in fact most people have done that before. The world is full of people who have given up on themselves; you don’t want to join them too. This is what is going to separate you from the crowd, you must be resolute enough to finish what you have started regardless of the difficulties of the terrain. Nobody said that is going to be easy, stop daydreaming the American Dream. The reason why most people have fallen by the way side in their pursuit of purpose is due to lack of determination to go to the end in the midst of adverse circumstances.
  
To be continued....

ANCIENT PATHS: ARE YOU A VISIONARY OR A CASUALTY The reality of l...

ANCIENT PATHS: ARE YOU A VISIONARY OR A CASUALTY
The reality of l...: "ARE YOU A VISIONARY OR A CASUALTY The reality of life shows us that most people are void of a clear picture of what their life is about. Mos..."

ARE YOU A VISIONARY OR A CASUALTY

The reality of life shows us that most people are void of a clear picture of what their life is about. Most people live without a sense of purpose and destiny in life. They have a mindset that everything happens according to luck, and this fatalistic mentality is unfortunately what grips a lot of people to a static position in their lives and never advancing. And due to such kind of mentality the majority of the people that have such kind of belief systems end up living as casualties in life and without a sense of purpose and destiny. The problem with this kind of mentality is that it makes the people live without any sense of initiative and pro-activity in life, always waiting for something better to happen without making an effort to make it happen. They do not take hold of their destinies, rather they believe that some metaphysical force is in charge of their lives and they have nothing and no control about the direction of their lives. Hence, those who carry such mentalities are susceptible to always follow the direction of the wind, or rather end up as casualties of the last storm that passed through town.

The volatility of life

The problem with that is that such people are as unstable and unpredictable as the wind, they lack consistency in what they do and in the manner they live their lives. When things are good they are good, when things are bad they are bad, when things are difficult they are the most difficult people to be around. They are schizophrenics in nature thus, making them vulnerable, unstable and weak in the midst of this volatile world in which we live. We need to understand that the circumstances on planet earth are as volatile as the wind, nothing comes to stay. Everything and anything is prone to change at any time in life including ourselves, that is why we are getting older by the day and not younger, that is the natural course of life whether we like it or not. Despite the many futile attempts from humans to reverse the process of aging, we all know that that is an exercise in futility because nature must take its due course. Obviously having said that I am definitely not advocating the fact that we should not keep ourselves healthier, that is something we all have to do. Yet having in mind that that in itself just mitigates the effects of aging but does not avert it, which is something good and right to do, I am sure you know that better than I do, keep it up. Well, back to our topic!  

It is a known fact that nobody can predict what life will bring in the future; things are prone to change at any time. That is the way things are in this planet loved by many and hated by others, which shows in the way we take care of it. The global scenario is changing drastically, from the economy to political systems and social issues such as increased levels of unemployment, poverty, the disparity between the rich and the poor, civil wars, the constant fear of terrorist attacks, and the ever eminent eruption of a nuclear holocaust. Not to talk about the fury of the climatic changes that is constantly reacting to the brutality that humans have subjected the earth in which we live. The bottom line is that the frailty of human systems is being put to the test and being exposed to what it really is. These are all pointers to the fact that humans are fragile and that life is volatile, this always shows once given a set of appropriate circumstances for that to happen. The issue here is how do we react to such circumstances once they happen to us, do we complain, moan and grumble or do we face issues had on? If we follow the former than we are casualties and not visionaries.

                                                                                                     To be continued….

BRINGING IMPACT TO THE WORLD

The world is in a chaos as we see it today, the challenges that confront the world today seem to be far beyond man’s ability to bring solutions in order to curb and to mitigate the effects of the challenges that mankind is faced with. The world as it is today is in a desperate search for answers and for solutions for the most daring problems that she is faced with. Yet such answers and solutions to the problems of mankind seem to be far from the reach of the most learned person. It is important to note that the most intelligent and learned persons that the most acclaimed institutions of knowledge have ever produced are unable to provide lasting solutions to the glaring challenges that society is faced with. The reason for such is that the root and the origin of the challenges that society is faced with are not from an intellectual or natural source, therefore, the inability to perpetually sole the issues. The greatest attempts that have been made to mitigate the effects of the challenges that we are faced with today, have proven to be futile, because they are unable to bring lasting change and permanent solutions to mankind.

THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEMS

It is vitally important that we realize that the source of the challenges presently facing society is of spiritual nature and not a natural one. Therefore, this explains why the greatest theories that the manufacturers of knowledge have ever brought do not seen to work, because one cannot solve spiritual dilemmas with a temporary fallible human solution. Spiritual challenges are to be dealt with lasting spiritual solutions. The second reason the answers presented do not work and will never work, is because they are being presented by fallen humans that are functioning in a fallen state. Therefore, the answers they present lack the ability and the power to effectively curb the effects of the problems that society is faced with. If the fountain that brings the solution is corrupt whatever comes and proceeds from it is automatically corrupt.

MANAGERIAL (COSMETIC) SOLUTIONS

It is important to note that the very solutions that men have so desperately attempted to bring cannot provide humans with the effective change that they are searching for. The best that these answers can do is to manage and to mitigate its effects but not to eradicate them. Therefore its very nature becomes a cosmetic one, it resembles the appearance of having worked until a bigger challenge comes and the former is subject to the test just to fail once again. It\is important to note that fallen human beings have no capacity to bring lasting answers and solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. The answer for such can only be found in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ indwelling in the life of the believers. It will take therefore, believers with the indwelling Spirit of God swelling in them to bring lasting solutions to the ever growing challenges of our failing humanity.

THE MISCONCEPTION

One of the greatest deceptions of all times has been to think that by offering religion to human beings that would help solve the problems, but that is far from the truth. The best religion could offer is lopsided people and more problems to the world. If you look at the state of the world today you will see that religion has one of the greatest culprits in the creation of problems in the world in which we live. From sectarianism to civil wars, some civil wars in the world have started in the name of religion. The best that religion can do is to distance men from God get closer to him.

THE ANSWER

The answer for the challenging dilemmas of the world can only be found in Christ, He is the way the truth and the life. There is no one who can better prefer solutions and answers to the world’s problems but Christ. The Bible says that in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, meaning that the very answer to the problems of the world are hidden in Him. We cannot bring solutions to the world unless we are connected to the very source that provides lasting solutions. Every solution that we may attempt to bring outside of Christ will only last for a season. Christ is the beginning and the end, only He can bring the necessary answers to the problems of humanity.

BRINGING IMPACT TO THE WORLD

The world is in a chaos as we see it today, the challenges that confront the world today seem to be far beyond man’s ability to bring solutions in order to curb and to mitigate the effects of the challenges that mankind is faced with. The world as it is today is in a desperate search for answers and for solutions for the most daring problems that she is faced with. Yet such answers and solutions to the problems of mankind seem to be far from the reach of the most learned person. It is important to note that the most intelligent and learned persons that the most acclaimed institutions of knowledge have ever produced are unable to provide lasting solutions to the glaring challenges that society is faced with. The reason for such is that the root and the origin of the challenges that society is faced with are not from an intellectual or natural source, therefore, the inability to perpetually sole the issues. The greatest attempts that have been made to mitigate the effects of the challenges that we are faced with today, have proven to be futile, because they are unable to bring lasting change and permanent solutions to mankind.

THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEMS

It is vitally important that we realize that the source of the challenges presently facing society is of spiritual nature and not a natural one. Therefore, this explains why the greatest theories that the manufacturers of knowledge have ever brought do not seen to work, because one cannot solve spiritual dilemmas with a temporary fallible human solution. Spiritual challenges are to be dealt with lasting spiritual solutions. The second reason the answers presented do not work and will never work, is because they are being presented by fallen humans that are functioning in a fallen state. Therefore, the answers they present lack the ability and the power to effectively curb the effects of the problems that society is faced with. If the fountain that brings the solution is corrupt whatever comes and proceeds from it is automatically corrupt.

MANAGERIAL (COSMETIC) SOLUTIONS

It is important to note that the very solutions that men have so desperately attempted to bring cannot provide humans with the effective change that they are searching for. The best that these answers can do is to manage and to mitigate its effects but not to eradicate them. Therefore its very nature becomes a cosmetic one, it resembles the appearance of having worked until a bigger challenge comes and the former is subject to the test just to fail once again. It\is important to note that fallen human beings have no capacity to bring lasting answers and solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. The answer for such can only be found in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ indwelling in the life of the believers. It will take therefore, believers with the indwelling Spirit of God swelling in them to bring lasting solutions to the ever growing challenges of our failing humanity.

THE MISCONCEPTION

One of the greatest deceptions of all times has been to think that by offering religion to human beings that would help solve the problems, but that is far from the truth. The best religion could offer is lopsided people and more problems to the world. If you look at the state of the world today you will see that religion has one of the greatest culprits in the creation of problems in the world in which we live. From sectarianism to civil wars, some civil wars in the world have started in the name of religion. The best that religion can do is to distance men from God get closer to him.

THE ANSWER

The answer for the challenging dilemmas of the world can only be found in Christ, He is the way the truth and the life. There is no one who can better prefer solutions and answers to the world’s problems but Christ. The Bible says that in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, meaning that the very answer to the problems of the world are hidden in Him. We cannot bring solutions to the world unless we are connected to the very source that provides lasting solutions. Every solution that we may attempt to bring outside of Christ will only last for a season. Christ is the beginning and the end, only He can bring the necessary answers to the problems of humanity.

BRINGING IMPACT TO THE WORLD

The world is in a chaos as we see it today, the challenges that confront the world today seem to be far beyond man’s ability to bring solutions in order to curb and to mitigate the effects of the challenges that mankind is faced with. The world as it is today is in a desperate search for answers and for solutions for the most daring problems that she is faced with. Yet such answers and solutions to the problems of mankind seem to be far from the reach of the most learned person. It is important to note that the most intelligent and learned persons that the most acclaimed institutions of knowledge have ever produced are unable to provide lasting solutions to the glaring challenges that society is faced with. The reason for such is that the root and the origin of the challenges that society is faced with are not from an intellectual or natural source, therefore, the inability to perpetually sole the issues. The greatest attempts that have been made to mitigate the effects of the challenges that we are faced with today, have proven to be futile, because they are unable to bring lasting change and permanent solutions to mankind.

THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEMS

It is vitally important that we realize that the source of the challenges presently facing society is of spiritual nature and not a natural one. Therefore, this explains why the greatest theories that the manufacturers of knowledge have ever brought do not seen to work, because one cannot solve spiritual dilemmas with a temporary fallible human solution. Spiritual challenges are to be dealt with lasting spiritual solutions. The second reason the answers presented do not work and will never work, is because they are being presented by fallen humans that are functioning in a fallen state. Therefore, the answers they present lack the ability and the power to effectively curb the effects of the problems that society is faced with. If the fountain that brings the solution is corrupt whatever comes and proceeds from it is automatically corrupt.

Miss Miller's sketch: History of the Deerfield Academy,

ANCIENT PATHS: A VALUE BASED LIFEThe aspect of living is one of t...

ANCIENT PATHS: A VALUE BASED LIFEThe aspect of living is one of t...: "A VALUE BASED LIFEThe aspect of living is one of the most challenging dilemmas in ones’ life. The way we live our lives is very critical to ..."

A VALUE BASED LIFE

The aspect of living is one of the most challenging dilemmas in ones’ life. The way we live our lives is very critical to the kind of people that we become in society. The society in which we live is made up of individuals of some kind, the kind of society that we live in is determined by the quality of life that is in that society, and the quality of life that is displayed is in large extent determined buy the kind of individuals that make up that very society. Therefore, the emphasis and the focus of any society should always be in improving the quality of life that the individuals of that very society exhibit. The concept of quality of life may mean different things to different people, and I understand that, but for the purpose of this excerpt I define quality of life as being that which contributes to the advancement, development, progress of any society without having to infringe in the right of others in the same society. This is a concept that is difficult to live by due the disparities that exist in many societies.

It is important to consider that there are so many things that make a society; a society is made up of a myriad of individuals with their peculiarities. By this I mean that no society is homogeneous because there are always issues that separate one individual from another and that diversity I believe is what makes us unique in our own way. And that variety and diversity of individuals in a society is very important for the building of the same society. But beyond the complexity of the issues that separate and distinguish one individual from another, there is one intrinsic aspect which is pivotal for the constructing of any society. That brings me to the concept of values that I would like to cover in this brief expose’.

The importance of values in constructing a society

Any society is built upon a foundation of values that are essential for erecting the type of society that they envision. And building a society regardless of which hemisphere of the globe that it may be located, should always be done within the milieu of what has been envisioned by that very society. The constructing of any society should never be done based on the values imposed by others. Nobody has the right to impose its own values on another; therefore, this is a premise that should be the cornerstone of the fundamental values required for the erecting of any society. A valueless society is a society is a vulnerable and weak society.

The role of the family in building values

The foundation of any society is the family structure of that very society, without which no society can survive in this world. The foundation is what gives shape and strength to the rest of the building, remove the foundation and you have no lasting structure. The family is therefore, the very fabric where values are firstly built and imprinted in the individual. Because no society is independent of the family structure, once this very dynamic component of the society is infringed and destroyed we begin to see the very deterioration of the same society. Societies in which the family structure is not respected are very vulnerable societies because the very foundation of such societies has been tempered with. The family structure is the sanctuary of any society, it is there where individuals are formed, it is there where the pillars of any society are constructed, thus playing the most important role in the building of the society. Hence, it is fundamentally important to any society to value and to reassess the role of the family. To attempt to build a society without respecting the pivotal role that the family plays in the very erecting of that society is tantamount to build a house in the sea where there is no foundation. We all know that that house will not stay there for very long time, because in no time it will be subjected to the fury of the sea waves which will come against it with no mercy at all. Therefore, it is paramount to the survival of any society to allow the family to function in her role as the mother of society as she begins to build values in the individuals that eventually become part of the same. It is impossible to dissociate the family from the society because it is the family that makes the society. Consequently, when the family begins to build values in the individuals that are part of the same society, the construction process of the same society begins. Hence, the family must take a role of building individuals with a quality of life that will eventually be reflected in the same society, thus, having a value base society.

ANCIENT PATHS: AFRICAN RESOURCES: A BLESSING OR A CURSE The exis...

ANCIENT PATHS: AFRICAN RESOURCES: A BLESSING OR A CURSE The exis...: "AFRICAN RESOURCES: A BLESSING OR A CURSE The existence of mineral and natural resources in the African continent has been the subject of mu..."