Three Solutions to the Problem of Illegal Immigration

More than a decade ago I stood in the office of the head of the geology department at the University of Texas at Dallas wondering how I was going to pay my tuition. I was a newly arrived international student with little money and had come with the expectation of working and going to school. Oh boy was I wrong! During orientation we had been told that we could only work on campus and will have to be in school for a year before we can apply to work off campus, if we ran into economic hardship. For example, if your sponsor dies or some catastrophic event impacted the source of your funding. One year was too far for me and even if I got a job on campus the pay was close to minimum wage and that would not have made a dent in my tuition. The temptation to drop out of school and start working illegally became very strong, but I resisted. We are living at time when according to some estimates between 12 to 20 million people may be in the United States of America illegally. We may go about our day to day activities as if nothing is happening or we can learn more about the plight of illegal immigrants and do something about it. This problem is a ticking bomb that can explode at any time and the shrapnel will leave carnage on its way and nobody will be spared. Saying the problem of illegal immigration is too completed is not an excuse for inaction. I am proposing the following three solutions to address the issue of illegal immigrants.

1) Do nothing. This is the most appealing option and the country has gone down this road for more than two decades. The assumption is that if you ignore the problem it will go away. Unfortunately the can is being kicked down the road for future generations to deal with. This particular solution in the short run is the easiest, but the ramifications are quite far reaching. Take for example, there are millions of would be tax payers that are living in the shadows of the society. They are having kids and unfortunately they cannot participate in raising these children like other families are doing. The fear of deportation keeps them away from PTA meetings and other social gatherings. If there children are struggling in school it will be difficult to intervene promptly. This implies that some of these children may drop out of school and their full potential will not be reached. They may end up depending on the government to take care of them. We as a country cannot afford to kick this can down to the next generation. It is in our best interest to ensure that everybody living here has equal access to resources that will help them maximize their potential. When everybody is functioning at full capacity, the entire nation will benefit. 2) Depot all the illegal immigrants. I hear this one a lot. People make it sound as easy as eating a piece of cake. Just round up all these millions of people some of which have lived here for more than twenty years and send them back to where they came originally. Deportation may sound straight forward and neat, but you have to take into consideration that some of these illegal immigrants have kids who are American citizens and will need their parents to raise them. Some have suggested that entire families be deported to keep the families together. These Families that have kids who are American citizens will raise the kids out of the country. When the kids become adults they can move back to the United States without their parents. This is not a good idea; you do not solve a problem by creating another. It is not the fault of the kids that their parents came to the United States illegally. These children are citizens and have the right to be raise in the country as well. 3) Declare an amnesty. A unilateral declaration of amnesty without securing the bothers, overhauling the immigration system and punishing the law breakers is an insult to those who are here legally. All the millions of illegal immigrants have broken federal immigration laws and letting them go for free is a travesty of justice. If we can incarcerate people for possessing a few grams of marijuana, it is an indication that we take our laws seriously. Nobody is above the law and nobody should break the law with impunity and get rewarded for doing so. America is strong because nobody is above the law; this is not the case in many parts of the world. A strong message has to be sent to would be immigrants that laws in America have be respected at all times and by all. When people break laws there is a penalty, either you pay a fine or serve jail time. In the case of the illegal immigrants it is not feasible to jail more than 12 million people, for the prison system is already overcrowded. The only option is to ask all the illegals to pay a fine, which will then place them on a path to citizenship. Through the process they too will learn to stand in line and take their turn.

I wrote this article to encourage you to join the conversation about the plight of illegal immigrants and the impact it is having and will continue to have on this nation. Call your congressman or woman and the senators representing your state. Email them, fax them, write do anything you can to ensure that they take up this issue and resolve it. The cost of not doing anything is going to be great. For the sake of the next generation let your voice be heard in this matter.

How to win at all times

Every great river always begins with a small spring and the great oceans are simply a collection of single drops of rain. Starting small and growing with time is the natural way to do things, even Christ had to be born as a baby before he redeemed us. Saying all these to buttress the point that we have to keep going one step at a time and a few years from today when you look behind you will be amazed by how much you have accomplished. Discouragement is expected, but the outcome is how we respond and react to it. Let the fear of failure be an incentive to do it anyway After all you can chose to fall forward, instead of backwards. Your learn from your mistake and get it right the next time. If you give up, that is when you truly fail. There is nothing new under the sun. The universe contains an uncountable number of stars, yet each start has it's place. You have your place, it does no matter what else is already in the market place, as long as you remain true to your self and let your uniqueness come through your work, you will be successful. Keep up with what you have set up your mind to do, one day at a time, one step at a time and you will get to your final destination. The competition is not against others, it is against yourself. How much you believe that you have what it takes to accomplish the task ahead of you is a gazillion times more important than what others have done are doing and will do. If you know you have what it takes and believe that you can do it, you are a winner.

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One secret that will set you apart at all times!

Take a moment an ponder upon some of the difficulties and challenges you have been through and think about what kept you going in the midst of hardship and calamities. Turn on your TV and listen to the news and you will have a good dose of “bad news”. There seems to be no end to unnecessary killings, wars and epidemics. Right now you maybe in a season of your life where everything is going on well and you are facing no life threatening situation. If that is the case you may have to pass this to somebody who needs it. No matter how much we try to avoid pain, disappointments and betrayal, things keep going out of control. Occasionally we have fleeting moments when we think we have had everything figured out and brought things under control, just to see things slip out of our hands, leaving us helpless and out of control. We are constantly looking for a quick fix to easy our pain and take us out of our predicament. The issue of pain, suffering and death has troubled humans for a long time. Some deal with it by trying to ignore it. Some numb their pain with chemical substances and others give up on life altogether. Job who lost all his livestook on a single day and his 2v2n children had this to say , “A person who is born of a woman is short-lived and is full of trouble.” In other words suffering, pain, afflictions are a given to all who are born of woman. This implies there is no exception. Since nobody is left out, it makes sense to figure out how to deal with life’s challenges, difficulties misfortunes, set backs etc. One of the most efficient ways to deal with suffering and pain is to understand the following 1) Life is tough. This is a simple truth that will set you apart at all times and under any circumstance. As John Cash said, Life is rough so you gotta be tough.” Life is difficult! That’s it! The sooner you accept this, the better and more equipped you will be to handle whatever is thrown at you. Remember that you started life with a cry and not a smile. Accepting that life is difficult will toughen you psychologically, mentally and emotionally. This will enable you to face whatever comes your way with courage, resolve and bravery. Let me know what you think about the suggestion that accepting that life is difficult is a secret that will set you apart at all times.

20 Reasons Joseph could have given if he committed adultery with Potiphar’s wife

We all know about the story of Joseph recorded in the following passage …7It came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me." 8But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. 9"There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” 10 As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her. Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside 12 She caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside..…Genesis 39:7-12 We live in a day and age when it is not easy to hear people justify anything under the pretext of, it is complicated, it is a grey issue, it is difficult. When people are hard pressed, they fight back with you do not understand, you have never been in my situation, you do not know what you are talking about. Unfortunately they do not mention God and what God’s word is saying concerning the situation. We have come up with a gazillion reasons to justify disobeying God. Joseph will be justified if he committed adultery with Potiphar’s wife because of the following reasons; 1) Joseph was far away from home, sold by his brothers why did God allow this bad thing to happen to him? 2) Joseph had no support of the local church. He was all alone in the house of Potiphar and there were no other people there that were worshiping God. 3) He was living in a culture that was occupied in worshiping idols and it would have been Ok for him to sleep with his mater’s wife. 4) There was no regular Bible study for Joseph to be reminded of what God’s law required of him. 5) He was lonely and home sick and the companionship of his maters wife would have been a good distraction. 6) His master was gone most of the time and his wife was lonely and need somebody to be with her. 7) She was he mistress and had power over him, for Joseph was a slave and had no rights whatsoever. 8) Joseph would be justified for it is his mistress that came up with the proposal. She is the one that insisted. Joseph would have said, give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. My mistress has given me an instruction and I am just obeying orders. I am a slave and all I have to do is to obey. 9) Joseph was in charge of everything and adding his mistress to the list of responsibilities would have been just a call to duty. 10) To be the captain of the Guard his master Potiphar had to give up his manhood. In order words, he could not perform sexually. Therefore his wife had legitimate sexual needs that had to be met. 11) Out of compassion and pity for his starved mistress Joseph could have met her needs. What is wrong in meeting a genuine need? 12) There was nobody in the house the day his mistress grabbed him. This implies nobody will know about it. 13) Joseph was minding his own business and this woman kept asking in day in day out for him to go to be with him. He did not dress in a compromising way, he did not tempt the woman, but she kept bogging him. He could not leave the house because he was a slave. 14) Joseph was young, handsome and had sexual emotions that needed to be satisfied, for he had no wife at that time. 15) Sleeping with his mistress would have empowered him the more and it will feel good as well. 16) Who know he might have gained is freedom, because now that he is meeting his mistress needs she can talk with his master to release him. 17) Joseph had no mentors or role models to help him out. 18) God will forgive him after he sins for God understands. 19) The temptation was too much for this young man. 20) Others were doing the same thing. We give many reasons why we do the things we do. We convince ourselves and those around us why it is OK to disobey God. For example, I needed that Job so badly that I have to lie on my resume; I had to sleep with that man or woman. Joseph had every reason under the sun to disobey God, but he chose to obey God. He knew sleeping with his master’s wife was a SIN before God and it not a good thing to disobey God. Read the word, read the word, read the word and do not force the word to fit your situation. Most of the time we want the word to say what we want to hear this will get us into trouble. May God help us to obey him!

The fastest easiest and surest way to have a bountiful harvest without sowing

Is it possible to harvest without sowing? This question came in my mind this afternoon as I harvested fresh veggies from the garden. I was pondering on the law of sowing and reaping and how it impacts every area of our lives, and how many times people try to circumvent this law, because they do not want to go through the process. In other words they want a bountiful harvest without sowing. The process of sowing seeds, nurturing, and caring for the plants and waiting for a harvest is too long, too complicated and too demanding. The lure of making it quick and rising to sudden riches and fame is extremely attractive and appealing to many. The desire to get promoted and get to the top of the corporate ladder with speed has the propensity to cause many to neglect the law of reaping and sowing. Tight budgets and the desire to cut cost pushes some people to cut corners and the results are not always desirable.

There is a push for a silver bullet that will get rid of the process involved in achieving a long lasting relationship with a spouse, raising successful kids, owning and maintaining a successful business. This is because the process is not appealing, for it involves hard work, dedication, determination, perseverance and waiting. For example the veggies I am harvesting this afternoon were nursed in August and the young plants transplanted in September. For the past two months, I watered and removed the weeds and ensured that bugs did not get the veggies before me. This means that after a long day, I had to go to the garden in the evening and check on the plants, no matter who I felt. Now is harvest time and I can joyfully reap what I sowed.

The joy of harvesting is more than the pain, inconveniences and hard worked required to sow. What then is the fastest easiest and surest way to have a bountiful harvest without sowing?

Hmmm! Harvesting from other people’s plots is equal to stealing if I am not mistaken. Stealing is fast, quick and immediate, but the consequences when caught are undesirable. You may say, I will always go free; many are doing it and have never gotten into any trouble whatsoever. You are partially correct. But Paul the Apostle said, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows”. It is possible to reap without sowing, but in the process you are sowing bad seed that will eventually yield bad fruit. For example fraud scandals like what happened in Enron are a sobering reminder that the law of reaping and sowing is well and a live and should not be broken no matter what.

Therefore each day is an opportunity, to sow good seeds, in your business, job, relationships, kids, neighbors, colleagues and all you come across. This will require patience, perseverance, long sufferance, peace, joy and hope. As such the fastest easiest and surest way to have a bountiful harvest without sowing is an illusion and should not be pursued by anybody that wants sustainable and long lasting success.

When live throws rocks at you make a foundation

You must have heard that "bad things" happened to good people. This is part of the truth. The whole truth is that your response to whatever happens to you is the ultimate determinant of the outcome you get. You are not a victim, even if you have been told so and you feel so. You have the power to choose the right response. Do it and walk in the new opportunity that is always hiding behind the seemingly "bad situation." This is not a denial of the existence of evil, but a bold move to rob evil of its power and control over your life. If a seed had the ability to speak, it will scream when it is deprived of the comfort, warmth and security in the house, when it is being taken out of the house for planting. When the seed is being taken out of the house, if it could, it will be kicking and screaming for nobody wants to die. The seed will be justified if it complained about the terrible conditions that are associated with being buried in the dark under heavy soil for a couple of days and left to rot and die. But the seed knows better not to cream and kick. It knows that the comfort and warmth on the self is extremely limiting. It is safe and comfortable, but it is preventing the tree in the seed from coming out.

The seed understands that getting out of its comfort zone, is the only way for its full potential to be realized. Yes! It is dark, uncomfortable and extremely dangerous outside, but these are the condition for innovation and breakthrough. The seed understands that there are two sides to every coin and both sides make the coin complete. Life and death make a whole. The seed MUST die to live. It must give up its present life for a bigger and better life. It is in the dark and lonely place that this transformation takes place. As Jesus of Nazareth said, “I can guarantee this truth: A single grain of wheat doesn't produce anything unless it is planted in the ground and dies. If it dies, it will produce a lot of grain. This partially explains why life sometimes throws “stones, lemons, bricks, sticks and other things at us. These life changing events come suddenly and without warning and unexpectedly. These circumstances are meant to “kill” us, make us uncomfortable, stretch us, and push the seed in us to grow. The only difference between you and those who make it is that they make a choice to use whatever is thrown at them as building blocks. They make a foundation out of the stones and rocks. The bricks are used to build the walls of the house and the sticks for the roof. The lemons are used to make lemonade to quench their taste as the labor under these difficult circumstances. Those who get anything done are those who have also learned to use the trails and difficulties that come their way. Start making lemonade with the lemons that are being thrown at you. This is done by As I have already said, this is not a denial of the existence of evil, but a bold move to rob evil of its power and control over your life.

The upside of excuses

This evening as I was doing the dishes, I started thinking of all the excuses for not writing this post. Top on the list was lack of time and tiredness. This was followed by nobody is going to read what I will write, for nobody knows me. Another “good” one was, it is a waste of time there are more qualified and famous people out there already doing an excellent job of motivating and encouraging people. Therefore there is no point in wasting people’s time. You will be surprised by how long the list will get if I continue, but I am writing because I decided to say NO to all these excuses. What about you? What are some of the excuses you give for not getting the job done? What are some of the excuses you give for not leveraging your full potential? What are some of the excuses you give for not pursuing that new business idea or that invention? What is preventing you from lunching that new product line? What is preventing you from travelling to another country? Excuses, excuses, excuses, Everybody gives them The rich, the poor; The young and old, Everybody has excuses. The only upside of excuses is that they keep you where you, but prevent you from being where you desire to be. They rob you of all that might be and keep you bound in fear and defeat. Each time you start giving excuses, know an opportunity for growth is at the corner. Life is tough and growing is even tougher. The only difference between you and those who grow is that they have learned to say NO to their excuses, no matter how good they are. Let excuses spur you to do something counter to them. I said no to my excuses and wrote these few words this evening and I am glad I did. Focusing on your excuses will rob you of all the infinite outcomes that might result if you do something. Remember there is always going to be somebody out there that will out smart you, but that does not mean that you have not out smart others. Keep doing and stop giving excuses for there is no GOOD excuse, no matter how well sounding it may be. Excuses are missed opportunities, stop giving, and instead let them be a catalyst for growth. If this helped you, I will like to know about some of the excuses that you have and how this has impacted your life. Thank you for sharing.

You can help stop the Ebola stigma and panic

This morning on my way to work, I turned on the radio and heard that a second nurse who took care of the patient with the first case of Ebola in the United states of America has come down with Ebola. During lunch at work as we eat, Ebola was one of the main subjects that came up in our discussion. Somebody asked why air travel around the globe cannot be banned until this situation is brought under control. Others talked of the lack of trust in the government’s ability to properly inform the public. There is a potential for panic! You can help by getting informed and staying informed with the updates. Engage other people and initiate the conversation about Ebola. If they have fears calm their fears with facts. We know Ebola is a deadly disease, but with the right protective gear it can be prevented. Those that have it are not outcast, or committed a crime and should not be blamed or stigmatized.

An article I read in the New York Times today made me extremely uncomfortable and ashamed at the treatment Sierra Leone’s national team has received in some African countries. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/14/sports/soccer/sierra-leones-soccer-team-struggles-with-stigma-over-ebola-outbreak.html The stigmatization is pushing the players to start dong the unthinking able. For example, one of the players said, “When people asked if we were from Sierra Leone, we’d deny it,” Lahoud, who plays for Philadelphia’s M.L.S. team, said in a telephone interview. “We felt it was for our protection.” I do not support this attitude, but the way we can defeat it is by taking away the stigma associated with this disease. Taking away the stigma from Ebola will “knock off the wind from its sails” and it will be eventually defeated. • It will prevent people from covering up when they fall sick. • It will encourage people to seek medical attention immediately. • People will immediately go into quarantine and avoid spreading the virus to others. We cannot afford to let fear push us to the point where we resort to stigmatization for comfort. Together we can show compassion, we can educate others, we can keep the conversation going. Ebola has become a global issue and needs all of us to put an end to it.

You can help stop the Spread of EBOLA

You may be wondering why, I am asking you to join in the effort to curb the spread of the Ebola virus. Read on, you are going to find out! Information is one of the greatest weapons to combat any treat. The more you know about something the greater your chances of dealing with it adequately. My son came back from school yesterday and told me he was being taunted that he has Ebola. This is absurd and unacceptable, but his school mates think since his parents are from Africa, that means Ebola is here. We live in Dallas and the first Ebola patient in the city died last Wednesday and one of the nurses that took care of the patient has come down with Ebola. On my way to work this Friday, I turned on the radio and somebody was saying that his annual trip to Dallas to watch the Dallas Cow Boy Football game had been cancelled, because of fear of contacting Ebola. Another man said, he was coming to from out of state for a job interview, but have not told his mother of his travel plans because she will be extremely worried. You can help stop the spread of Ebola by: 1) Learn the facts about the disease. The more you know the better and it will help stop the panic, stereotypes and fear. In addition it will make you safer and those around you, for all of you will be acting based on the right information. Ebola is not an airborne disease, you must come in contact with bodily fluids of the infected person to get infected. African has more than 1.1 billion people and so far unfortunately 4000 people have been killed by the virus. 2) Share the information with your love ones, colleague and all who care to listen. Focus on passing on the facts and not rumors. 3) Discourage people from stereotyping Africans. The fact that somebody is black or from Africa does not mean that they have Ebola. You cannot tell if somebody has Ebola by looking at the color of their skin. Only laboratory tests can determine if somebody has Ebola or not. Spread the word and together we are going to stop the spread of Ebola.

Ebola Outbreak This May Help!

The present outbreak of Ebola in West Africa is making news headlines across the globe. The fear of this virus spreading globally has been heightened by Eric Duncan who travelled from Liberia to Dallas Texas to reunite with his girlfriend. Apparently he showed no symptoms of the disease and was not sick when he boarded the plane for the United States of America. But when he arrived the U.S. he fell sick and eventually died. His was the first case of the Ebola virus diagnosed in the U.S. and also the first death recorded as well. Another Liberian boarded a plane to Nigeria and introduced the first Ebola case in Nigeria and the first death there as well. Globalization is here to stay and journeys that used to take months take a few hours now. We are getting more and more connected than ever before. Something like this recent Ebola outbreak is raising fear and concern across the globe. This fear can be overcome since one of the greatest antidotes of fear is information. That is why we who are living in a global world have to make an effort to start understanding where other people are coming from. You may already know all this facts about Africa. If you do, please pass it to others and help clam their fears. 1) Africa is a continent not a single country. It has 54 sovereign countries and the youngest of them is South Sudan which was established in 2011. In fact Africa is 11.63 million sq. miles and the United States of America in 3.794 million Sq. miles. This implies that the African continent is 3 times bigger than the entire Unites States of America. And the Ebola virus is not rapidly spreading across these waste land as some may assume.

2) African is inhabited by more than 1.1 billion people and the population is projected to be over 2 billion by 2050. A tiny fraction of this population has been exposed to the Ebola virus.

3) The current Ebola outbreak has affected a few countries about 7%. This leaves 93 % of the continent Ebola free. Therefore the entire African continent has not been ravished by the Ebola virus as some fear.

Nothing is wasted, even the good, the bad and the ugly!

This morning I was reading an easy by Ramin Jahanbegloo, an Iranian-Canadian scholar who spent more than 100 days in an Iran prison after he was picked at the airport about to board a plane on his way to Brussels and the following profound statement made by him set me thinking. He said, “All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art." It is easy for us to discount those things that we consider “bad” when shaping our art. This should not be the case, since this approach robs us of good that comes out of the “bad” things that happen to us. I am not endorsing evil here nor am I saying that we go out and try to do bad things so that good will come out of it. What I am saying is that, life happens and at times things do not go the way we desire. Things get bad and at times become extremely ugly. Unfortunately bad news sells, that is why we are bombarded by bad news 24/7. We become trapped by fear and worry of the bad things that may befall us. This is an unfortunate development because we have a hard time seeing beyond the bad and the ugly. True freedom comes when you come to the understanding that the good, the bad and the ugly are all raw materials that will be used to shape and form the reality you desire. Life no longer becomes an effort geared towards avoiding pain at all cost, but you begin to embrace every aspect of your life. If the stock market crashes, it is an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and avoid making them next time. It is not time to jump off a tall building and break your skull. You may be fired from your job. What the heck? Some doors close so that others will open. I have not said, I understand all what people are going through, but I know one thing based on what Paul the Apostle said, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” It says ALL things work together for the GOOD. That is why a young man who had all the power and ability to escape the Roman cross willingly died on the cross. He was just 33 years, had not yet married and was only three and a half years on the job when His life was cut short. At the prime of His life he lost everything because of false accusations and jealousy. He was stripped of His clothes and crucified like a criminal even though the presiding judge could not find anything wrong that he had done. What did he do to deserve such a gruesome death? All did not end when He died. He rose after three days and today billions find, peace, hope, inspiration and motivation in Him. The question of suffering has plague mankind for millennial and I am not trying to brush that under the rug, but what I know is that nothing is wasted, even the good, the bad and the ugly serve a purpose.

Three reasons why sharing your story is crucial

I receive a twit this morning that prompted me to write this. Let me paraphrase the twitter feed. It said something in the line of 80% of the people you meet do not share their stories, because they are afraid other people will not understand. In other words, people will misunderstand, ridicule, shame and condemn them. These are legitimate fears that have to be taken into consideration. That said, fear is usually a symptom of something deeper. You should not let fear rob you of the benefits of sharing your stories with others that you met. The assumption here is that the timing is appropriate and the right approach is used to tell your stories to others. Consider that the benefits of telling your stories far outweigh the perceived disadvantages mentioned above. The following three reasons should spur you to share your story, or stories more often 1) No two stories are the same. We may all go through the same situation, but our uniqueness will come through when we tell our story. You are the only person best suited to tell your own story. Therefore find your voice and let your story be heard. You are part of the human family and will be amazed by how much we all share in common. 2) Everybody that you meet is going through something. There is nobody without an issue they are dealing with. Your story is a powerful reminder of the fact that life is difficult and involves ups and downs. Our stories are not limited to success alone; they should be an embodiment of all what we have been through. Somebody will be encouraged, inspired and motivated to hang in there when they hear your story, so tell it! In the picture below I am standing in front of my sixth grade classroom. The story here is that we made the most with what we had to study and today we are having this conversation. This speaks to the resilience of the human spirit and how focusing on what you have and not on what you do have will keep you going.

3) Telling your story will make you stronger and more appreciative. When you tell your stories, you will realize that other people are a part of them. The idea of a self-made individual is a myth. Even entrepreneurs needed people to work for them to make their ideas see the light of day. Paying people to work for you, or render a service to you does not mean you have paid them out of your story. These people are part of your story and will forever be. When you tell your stories to others, you are remaindered that, you had victory in the past and will be victorious in the future. Above you begin to listen to the stories of others and learn from them. This is because when you tell your story it will eventually make others to start telling their own stories. As King Solomon said, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”. Share those stories and let them encourage, inspire and motivate others and you too will be inspired and motivated as well.

Your thinking is the internal dynamo that will make or break you

Most of the times there is this voice inside of you that tries to hold you back from stepping out and doing the things you know are supposed to be done by you if you want to be successful. The voice keeps reminding you of the gazillion things that are against you. It is not strange for you to hear the following: You are not connected enough, You are not smart enough, You are not tall enough, You are not short enough You do not have enough capital Others have tried and failed; You will fail as well. When you try to push yourself to act on your conviction and dream the voice gets even louder and stronger. It screams out at you, Give up, give up, give up! There is no point in trying, It is a waste of time, don’t do anything. Many people listen to this voice which is a result of external conditioning that has resulted in a faulty believe system about who they are and what they can accomplish. This is a direct byproduct of the type of information they have been consuming. This information includes the type of books read, movies watched, people listened to and they type of company they hang around. A constant barrage of negative, self-defeating, demeaning information will feed the voice in you that want you to stay at home, blame the whole world for your “misfortunes”; take no responsibility and no action. You will rather complain than do anything. Now is the time to do something about it and challenge this voice with the right information. First you won your first race in life and will win others. Take for example the odds of you being born in this century in a particular continent and race is about 1 in 400,000,000,000,. Wow! This is mind boggling. Let it soak in! In order words you are not some cosmic accident. There is a reason for you being here at this time. Therefore get excited about this and follow the advice of Paul, the Apostle, and be transformed by the renewal of your mind. In order words, be selective in the type of information you consume and the type of people you hang around with. If you are constantly consuming negative information and hanging around negative people, you will eventually produce what you consume. Just as Jesus Christ of Nazareth said, “Good people do the good that is in them. But evil people do the evil that is in them. The things people say come from inside them.” You thinking must align with what your aspirations are. You cannot continue to think about, lack, defeat and hate and expect to be joyful, happy and successful. Replace your wrong thinking with the right thinking. And you will begin to speak in the right way, for your words will create the reality that you will eventually experience. You thinking is one of the things that is under your control, so take charge of it and ensure that instead of think of the impossibilities you think of all the possibilities.

You and you alone will determine how far you are going to go in life

You and you alone will determine how far you are going to go in life. This may sound as an overly exaggerated, preposterous and unfounded statement. Give me a minute to show you why I think despite that fact that a gazillion things may be completely out of your control, the things that matter are under your control. You have to learn to identify the things that matter, master and leverage them and you will be unstoppable. It is a waste of your time, energy and resources to fret over the gazillion things that are out of your control. For example, you were not consulted to be born in this century and did not choose what continent to be born on. You did not choose your parents and the color of your skin, even your looks, eye color, hair texture, etc. This is an unending list and there is no point wishing to be somewhere else or somebody else. Therefore get along with the program and enjoy the ride while it lasts. One of the profound keys to success is realizing that the gazillion things you cannot change are the very things that will make you successful. Instead of these things becoming liabilities as many people will make you to think, they can become the fuel that you need to be successful in all you do.

Once you understand that you have what it takes for you to fulfill your purpose in this life and that the competition is not against others but against yourself, your focus while change from others to you. That is when a little talk with yourself each day becomes extremely important. You have to constantly remind yourself that, since you were not consulted to be born at this time, but were born anyway! You are in the right place at the right time. You were born at a time like this because you are needed and have a role to play. Society may grade and reward the different roles we play differently. That is not what I am talking about. I referring to you finding what you are good at and doing it to the best of your ability. Get up each morning stand in front of the mirror, smile and remind yourself that there is no better time to be living than now. The 30s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, are gone forever. Stop wishing you were living back then. If you were needed back then you would have been born back then. Now is when you are needed, now is when your can make the greatest impact. Therefore get excited and get going. Remember the words of King Solomon, “The power of the tongue is life and death— those who love to talk will eat what it produces.” According to King Solomon, your lot in life is not determined by when, where and who gave birth to you, but by how you talk. Most often the gazillion things that are out of your control are those that influence or talking. For example it is common to hear people say that, they cannot do something because they were not born in some particular race, or some doors will not open to them because they do not have this or that. Learn to talk life and not death and your dreams and aspirations will not only thrive they will yield a bountiful harvest. Replace, I cannot with I can and you will be amazed by how much this will transform and change your situation.

Is Fear is holding you back? Now is the time to stand up to it

What in the world prompted a young man to leave behind his young bride and son in Africa to come to America for graduate studies; without money or scholarships to pay for his studies? This was his first time of travelling out of his home country and this meant living behind all the familiar, sights, tastes, sounds and all he had been used to from birth. With just a single suitcase he borrowed money at 120% a year for his air ticket and embarked on a journey to a foreign country without any guarantees it was going to work. He is neither the first nor the last to embark on such a journey. Many immigrants share a similar story. What prompts people to take such a risk? By now you may be wondering who the young man is. It was me in 2002. I left Cameroon with a single phone number on me and when flight landed at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the person to pick me was in Oklahoma City. I waited at the airport for him to drive from Oklahoma City to the airport in Dallas; after many hours he showed up and took me home. (See Coming to America: A Journey of Faith page 52). Fear is a normal reaction when you are faced with uncertainties or when things do not go the way you anticipated. We all have to deal with fear on a daily basis. For example, the fear of losing a job, the fear of not winning a contract, the fear of being rejected and treated as an outside by others, the fear of being different etc. One of the greatest fears is the fear of failure. This has killed many dreams and caused many people to become stagnated. Let fear become a motivator for you to do better. You can do this by focusing on the root of issue, for fear is usually a symptom of something deeper. If you confront the issue head on the fear will disappear. Information is an excellent antidote for fear, so make use of the resources at your disposal and overcome your fear. As Winston Churchill said, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” Get excited when fear shows up, for it is time for growth and expansion. All who have made great strides have figured out how to harness the power that is hidden in fear. Do not let fear prevent you from being all you were created to be. What is the worst thing that can happen if you start that new business or enroll in that program? Failure? Of course failure is not bad itself so long as you leverage the failure and make it work for you. That is a discussion for another day. Remember you are not alone, as King Solomon said a few thousand years ago “There is nothing new under the sun.” Do not let fear stop you, instead let it to motivate you to try new things and do the impossible.

Three more lessons learned from gardening

I left work and went straight to the garden to water and the tern the veggies that were planted last weekend. This had to be done because of the heat and absence of rain fall. According to the Star Telegram September 2014 now holds the record for the driest month in the history of North Texas, for only 0.06 inches of rain fell during the month. This is bad news for gardeners like me, and it means extra work to care for our plants. This takes me to the first lesson which is: 1) Care. Plants need care, especially when there is a drought. The plants depend on the gardener who planted them to follow up with watering, weeding and mulching. It is something that you have to do or lose the pants. In like manner all the relationships in your life need care and tendering. You have to value your business contacts, your customers, team members and your boss. Treat each day as an opportunity to “water” these relationships. For example this can be done by genuinely smiling when people work into your office or when you walk into theirs. In some instances you have to take it upon yourself to follow up, with a phone call or visit. Take care of your relationships and they will blossom and your will enjoy the fruit.

2) Weed. If you do not pay attention to the weeds, they will choke life out of your plants. It is amazing that the weeds grow faster than the plants. Please do not ask me why. Get rid of the weeds in your relationships. Watch out for anger, unforgiveness, bitterness resentment and the desire to get even with people. These attitudes easily grow out of control and will consume you instead. The words of King Solomon ring so true, “If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead.” There is a tendency to want to make people get a feel of “your other side”, resist this temptation and do not yield to it. Get rid of the weeds and your relationships will flourish and bear fruit. 3) What your harvest is commensurate to how much you sowed. Paul the Apostle said, “Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.” This implies the more you plant the more you will harvest. I am part of a community garden and our plots are 25 feet by 5 feet. Some Gardeners have just one plot, some have two and some like me have seven plots. You can tell from the numbers that our harvest will not be the same. Be generous with your time, your resources, talents, ideas etc. Invest in others, and you will be amazed by how much your efforts will pay off. You maybe be screaming no! No!, this does not always work. You are right and we will discuss that in another article. For now just hold the thought that sowing more is the best thing to do.

Remember to care for your relationships, by getting rid of the weeds and sowing abundantly and your harvest will be bountiful. Till next time share this article with others. If you are curious about where I am coming from, I have a book that will shade more light for you. Check for the book on www.erictangumonke.com or on www.Amazon.com

Three qualities that will make you a successful team member

One of the most common words you find on resumes is team player. The impression is that the individual can effectively work with others in a team. If you are in the corporate world, at one point you may find yourself working together in a team. Where I work in order to drill a well, you need input from a geologist, engineer, geophysicist and a Landman. These four professionals depend on each other for a success well to be drilled, completed and put into production. The team must function properly for the company to be successful. It is not enough to be part of a team, there must be synergy for the team to be productive. Companies spend millions each on professional training to improve team dynamics and the smooth functioning of teams. The desire is to get good functioning teams and eventually highly productive employees. You can make a difference in your company, by being an efficient, dynamic and functional member of the team you belong in. This is how you do it 1) Listen more than you talk. Many people will rather talk than listen to others. They cannot wait for the next person to stop talking for them to take the floor; as a result they barely listen to what others have to say. It is difficult to listen, but it is a skill that with practice will do you a lot of good when you master it. Finally, when your turn comes to speak, be considerate and make it as short as possible. Some people are in the habit of going on and on and on, with little regard of time. You may be forcing your team members to tune out if you fall in this category. It will help if you get your thoughts together prior to important meetings, so that you will use less time when presenting your point of view. 2) Speak up. You are part of the team for a reason and only you can represent yourself. Therefore it is incumbent on you to participate in the discussions .The fear of making a mistake, or saying something that may not may sense, keep people from saying anything at all. They sit through team meetings and do not say a word. The most they say is yes. This is not a enough, do all to add your input for it is highly needed to make your team complete. Remember you are part of the team. 3) Respect the opinions of your team members. Do not forget that the other members of the team are part of the team and their input is equally important. A dismissive attitude both verbally and non-verbally will destroy the team spirit eventually. No matter how outrageous an idea maybe, or how farfetched a question raised is. It is important to understand why the question has been posed or why the suggestion is being made. This is difficult to do at times, especially when you think you are the “smartest” on the team. The words of the Paul the Apostle will be a good reminder of the type of attitude you should have. He said, “For by the grace given to me I ask every one of you not to think of yourself more highly than you should think, rather to think of yourself with sober judgment on the measure of faith that God has assigned each of you.” In order words you have to be humble and not get over inflated with yourself.

If you are a good team member you can do better by perfecting your listening, speaking ability, and increase your respect for others. If you are still to start do not be too hard on yourself and do same for others.

Three things that will help you maintain an attitude of gratitude at all times

Let us face it! It is not easy to be grateful when things are not going well around us. When you get to work and are faced with challenging problems to resolve and your boss and in some cases those that you are working with are making it more difficult. How do you maintain an attitude of gratitude and not let these “distraction” get in your way? 1) Know what you can control and what you cannot. How other people act around you is in most cases completely out of your control, but how you response to them and the circumstances surrounding you is totally under your control. What do you do when you get stuck in traffic in the morning? It is not uncommon to get irritated, angry and frustrated. This frustration will raise your blood pressure, dampen your mood and may throw a dark cloud on your day. In some instances it may turn into road rage and you may end up in an accident. Next time you are stuck in a traffic jam, instead of getting all worked up, you should be grateful that you have tarred roads. This does not mean that an overcrowded road is a good thing, or that the problem should not be solved. It means that focusing on what you can control. This is the best thing to do under this circumstance. You are not the person in charge of fixing the roads, and there is no point venting your anger on other motorist. When you get off the road send your complains to the right quarters. 2) Pay attention nothing is wasted! I heard on the morning of the September 11th, 2001 attacks somebody got up in the morning and spilled coffee on his shirt. As a result this person was forced to get a clean shirt, in doing so he arrived late that day. Coming late saved his live. I am not in any way saying that you make it a habit of coming late to work. But the morning you get up on time and do everything you are supposed to do and something happens that makes you to start running late, you should not miss the moment. Relax and enjoy it. Nothing is wasted! Thousands of years ago, King David said, “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives” 3) Count your blessing each day. You have to make it a habit to count your blessings on a daily basis. You may do this in the morning or at the end of the day. Say it out aloud, or write down one of two good things that happened in your life during that day. If you are not already doing it, you will feel awkward when you start. Do not let this stop you. The more you count your blessings and share tell others about it the more gratitude you will have.

Five lessons learned from gardening that will energize you

I planted my first plant at the age of six, it was a melon plant. When the plant germinated it produced vines which started creeping as is its custom. The way the vines where growing fascinated me, so I got a stick and staked it in front of the vine, when I came back the next morning the vine, had not only grown past the stick, it was smart enough to avoid colliding with the stick. This was quit fascinating, but over the years, as I have gardened my fascination has changed to admiration and finally I have learned some valuable lessons from gardening that have impacted my life positively. 1)There is great potential in a seed no matter the size. Seeds come in all sizes, but they all do one thing. They become plants when planted under the right conditions and will eventually bear fruit. Likewise great ideas most often start small and if planted and nurtured will eventually yield results. Therefore do not let people minimize or under look your idea, no matter how small it maybe. Do something about it. Plant that business idea today, enrolled in that class you have been putting off. Pick up the phone and make that call. What about making up your mind to start writing a paragraph of that book you have been dreaming of for a greater part of your life? Remember the seed does not need to be great for it to bear fruit. If you start small it will eventually grow bigger.

2)The season dictates the type of seed that is sown. When I moved to North America, it took me a while to figure out what to plant and when to plant. In the tropics, it is easier, you are dealing with the dry and raining season, but in North America you have four seasons accompanied by dramatic changes. For example winter crops that need cold weather will cook under the summer heat and crops like okra that love the summer heat will freeze in winter. You have to know what season you are in if you want to stay ahead of the competition. You have to know when to sow, when to tell people about what you want to do next. If you speak out prematurely, you may be discouraged to let go of your dream. Know the season you are in and you will not lose your seed. 3)The soil eventually determines if the life in the seed comes out or not. Sowing in the right soil cannot be over emphasized. For the life of your seed eventually depends on the quality of soil you plant your seed in. Even in hydroponic garden, where your plants are planted in water, care must be taken to ensure that the right nutrients are available and in correct amounts. No matter how healthy and robust your seeds are, the wrong soil will kill them. Hanging around the wrong company has the potential to choke life out of your dreams. At times you may have to relocate to blossom. You may even have to stop hanging around the wrong crowd to move forward.

4)Gardening is hard work. There are no short cuts, you have to get your hands dirty of you want your crops to do well. You are depending on luck by just scattering seeds without getting the ground ready and hoping the seeds will somehow germinate, blossom and bear fruit. Unfortunately there is no such thing as luck! Be ready to give all what it takes to see your dreams come to fruition. When hard work and preparation meets opportunity there is going to be a successful outcome. Be ready to work hard on your dreams and aspirations. Thomas Edison said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. Hard work will eventually payoff.

5) You reap what you sow. If you sow spinach seeds you will reap spinach, it is on heard off that you will be expecting avocados or oranges. This is a very profound truth and it governs all areas of one’s life. In fact Paul the Apostle stated this same truth more than two thousand years ago, he said, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” You cannot transfer the blame to others when harvest time times and you are reaping according to the seeds that you sowed. Your success or failure is going to be determined by the type of seeds you sow on a daily basis. Focus on the potential in your idea, know the season you are in, release the idea under the right circumstances, do the hard work necessary to develop the idea and you will be in for a bountiful harvest. Start in your garage is that is what you must do, there are many great companies around that started like that.

Why you have to let go of Yesterday

When was the last time somebody told you not to weep over spilled milk, or you told somebody to get over it and move on? Getting over it is easier said than done. Let’s face it! Letting go of yesterday is extremely difficult and at times excruciatingly painful. The lure of wallowing in self-pity and receiving sympathy from others becomes an almost in escapable trap. We are tempted to hold on to past hurts, failures, disappointments and miss opportunities at the expense of the present and the future. Nobody drives by focusing solely on the rearview mirror, for intuition and experience demands that you only glance at your rearview mirror occasionally. If you disobey this rule, you are going to be involved in a crash that can cost your life. This is serious and all drivers obey this rule most of the time. Hanging onto yesterday, especially focusing solely on failures, disappointments, betrayals and missed opportunities is tantamount to driving solely with your review mirror. You are headed for a crash and that can cost you friendships, business opportunities, promotion, innovation and your life. Yesterday is gone and it should not be the only criteria you use in measuring how well you will do today. Each day is a fresh opportunity to start all over, so make the most of it. When you say, I am set in my ways and cannot change despite the fact that everything surrounding you says otherwise, you are letting yesterday rob you of the present. For example, you just left the consultant’s office and the recommendation is that you make some changes in the way customer service is handled in your business and all you say is, “We have always done our business like this and there is no need to change it.” You may even state with all conviction that you tried it already and it did not work. What you are indirectly saying is that my yesterday has the final say. That should not be the case. Living in the past means the present will pass you by, since you cannot be in two places at the same time. Something has to give if you try to be in two places at the same time. It is an extremely frustrating and costly way to live. Maybe some of the frustration, and headache, is a result of lingering too much in yesterday. Therefore it will do you a lot of good if you take the advice of Isaiah and Israeli prophet of old. He said, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” This is ancient wisdom that still applies to us to day. Yesterday is gone, so let it go as well. There is no point holding tight to what is completely out of your control.

Why Today Matters

You must have heard that the final outcome you get is the sum of what you do on a daily basis. In order words it is a summation of your minute by minute activities during the course of each day. Today matters because where you will be tomorrow depends on what you do today. There is no point expecting a different outcome tomorrow, if your today is not aligned with your expectation for tomorrow. For example the way your threat your customers today will determine if they will come back to you tomorrow or not.

Today matters because yesterday is no longer yours. It is gone and there is nothing you can do about all the missed opportunities. Your only hope is what you decided to do today. The only way yesterday can count is if you avoid the mistakes of yesterday today. If you also repeat the success of yesterday today, tomorrow you will be glad you did. When you focus on making the most of today, procrastination will no longer be an issue, since you will stop putting off the things you are supposed to be doing today. For example, you will stop putting off going to the gym and start following the recommendations from your doctor to do something about your present health condition. According to Jesus Christ of Nazareth today is what you should be focusing on, he says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” It implies engaging each day fully with all you have is the best way to deal with the challenges of that day; when you try to add tomorrow you are over stretching the resources of today. Today is important for tomorrow it will become your yesterday, therefore make the most of today and your yesterday will be great and your tomorrow wonderful. Today is all you got, smile, love and make the most of each moment. I hope this encourages you to make the most of today and make it better for others.

http//:erictangumonkem.com Dr. eT

How to keep going when the going gets tough

If you are not facing a tough challenge right now, it is only a matter of time before you will be thrown into one. The issue is not about, how you get into a tough place. It is about how you respond when all hell breaks loose. Even the most successful people still have to deal with how to stay at the top. For what takes you to the top may not necessarily be enough to keep you at the top. That is why you have to continue learning. This involves questioning the statuesque and making the necessary adjustments. Remember when it "seems" there is no hope, know there is hope and keep pushing. There are always two realities, hopelessness and hopefulness, the outcome depends on what you chose to focus your energy on. Chose to be hopeful today and carry on no matter what! Don’t forget that difficulties will make you a stronger and better person. How can you give hope and inspiration to others when your own life was handed to you on a silver platter? This is not possible! Gold has to be refined through fire, for its brilliance to shine forth. It takes tremendous pressure to form a diamond. If the diamond could speak, I think it will cry out during the process. You are a diamond in the making, do not short circuit the process. Hang in there and you will be glad you did

Remember that everything that has a beginning has and end. You may be facing a seemingly impossible situation, but the end is closer than you think. It is often said, “It gets darker before dawn.” Take some time to focus on the possibility that your pain is momentary and will eventually come to an end. Hey! You are not alone; many other people have gone through what you are going through and many others and going through something similar right now. It is called life. Take a minute and think about the energy a seed has to exert to shoot out of the ground. Have you thought about the number of days the seed has to be buried in the dark? You do not have to look far to see that each person is dealing with one challenge or the other. This may not necessarily make you feel good, but it is a reminder that even Jesus Christ had to die a gruesome death on the cross, instead of calling legion of angles to come bail Him out. You may be wondering the why you are between a rock and a hard place. You might have asked, what is the point of all these challenges? According to Paul de Apostle, “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Some good is going to come your way, so don’t give up! When the going gets tough the tough get going!

African News weekly Sep 2020.101126

African News weekly Sep 2020.101126

The following
interview questions were answered by me on Radio Kilimanjaro 

1. Dr. Eric, In Coming to America: A journey of Faith, you recount
your own true life story. What prompted you to write a book about your life?

2. You experienced despair and desperation back in the days in
Cameroon and in the US. In brief, tell us your ordeal.

3. The entire book seeks to echo the role of faith in your transformation,
how did you come to the realization that it's the hand of God, not luck or even
your own strength?

4.Dr.Eric,in the midst of all the troubles you encountered in
Cameroon and in the US, You refused to go for other choices like getting
married to a lady to get legal documents, seek political asylum like others to
change your status. Why?

5. From a look at things, you planned to launch this life
changing book in three cities in Cameroon in December 2014, can we know the
time frame for these events

Two reasons you should stop complaining

1) You relinquish control: You must have heard the story of the two sales men who went to an island for to carry out a market survey and ran into a “serious problem”/ (a great opportunity). Their challenge was that, the inhabitants of this island did not wear shoes. In fact they had never heard about shoes least talk of wearing them. One of the sales person called headquarters and complained that, it would be a waste of time, energy and resources to try to teach the inhabitants of the island about shoes, before selling shoes to them. This sales person focused on the difficulties and impossibilities that accompanied a great opportunity and missed the bigger picture. Next time a seemingly impossible opportunity presents its self before, take a moment and meditate on the great reward that awaits you if you engage the opportunity head-on. Complaining made the first sales person to give up and quit. Quitting is the best result you will get when you spend your time complaining and wishing conditions where ripe for you to thrive. Complaining will make you feel better for a little while, and in some instances attract sympathy from friends, but it will make your situation deteriorate and keep you where you are. Because when you complain you relinquish control to the circumstances surrounding you. Let your attitude be like that of the other sales person, when instead of focusing on the impossibilities of the circumstances, chose to take control. This sales person called headquarters and reported that, their company was in for a bonanza. That an opportunity of a life time has been discovered and they should get ready to engage the inhabitants of the islands. First by teaching them about shoes, second, showing them how shoes are worn and third, selling shoes to them. This required a lot of work, but they were willing to do the work and reap a bountiful reward as well. This is in line with what King Solomon said, “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.” 2) You become trapped. When you relinquish control you become helpless and are left at the mercy of whatever situation you are facing. This is because complaining most of the time is rooted in the feeling of being a victim. You make yourself believe that you are a victim of circumstances beyond your control. Unfortunately this is part of the truth. The whole truth is that, you are never completely at the mercy of whatever circumstances surrounding you. The final outcome depends heavily on how you respond. If you chose to focus on the great potential dressed in difficulties, obstacles, and impossibilities you will take charge and make the most of the situation. Instead of complaining about your work, colleagues, boss and even your tools, start focusing on the great opportunities hidden behind all these challenges and you will be amazed with the outcome. Remind yourself that, the final outcome hinges on how your chose to respond. In other words you are in charge! You are a victor and not a victim. There is great reward for you if you chose to deal with the problem head on.