GOD HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME

For 20 years, I watched him fight cancer of the face. First just a small speck that begin to grow larger. Year after year I watch him go to hospital to have a bit cut out each time. As the years went by, more and more of his face was cut away. When he returned with what is left of his face, he tried to smile. He never complained or was downhearted.
He was a skilful mechanic and carpenter. In fact, he was one of the best. Whenever he did a job, he stood back to see if there was anything left out that could be added to make it perfect. Then he would see some little place that the average person would pass up. He would then touch up this or that.
I suspect he said this to himself “My work will be my face and my life” I doubt if he often looked in the mirror at that damaged face where the cancer ate into everyday. No matter how humble the pace he worked in, how small the job was or how crude the other workers seemed, it never bothered him at all. This was his work and it has to be done right. He never glanced at the work of others; a shoddy work done by others was not his concern. Nevertheless, I suspect when the job was done, he had a sense of inner pride and joy when he saw how outstanding it was. But he never boasted about it.
As the years went by, he became weaker and weaker. His hands did not move with confidence and speed that so characterized him. He was unable to do many things. However no matter what the work or pay, he always had the insatiable desire to do a good job.
The help he got was not able to catch his vision. They thought he was cranky to try so hard to complete each and every detail. So he worked alone. He did not complain or bitterly rail at the others. He would just appear the next morning by himself with no explanation of the absence of his helpers.
During the latter day, he had only the shambles of a face. He would wrap it up in a red bandana handkerchief, leaving only his eyes showing.
When you met him on the streets, he would always give a cheery greeting. As time went on, it was more and more difficult to sayt he words. Often he would move his walking stick. This stick, too, was a thing of beauty, carved out by his skilful hands.
His life seemed to be filled with contentment and peace. I suspect that he thanked God for those hands and the fact that it was not marred in any way.
He would often be missed about his usual haunts for weeks or months. He would make his journey to the hospital for the surgeon to cut away more of his face. Then you would see him again, a bit more gruesome. There would be no complaints, o telling of his operation and pain. He would just quietly go to work that was waiting for him.
In all his time, I never knew him to come back with any complaints about the pain. You would think there was nothing the matter if you did not see his face. When the days of his labors seem to be coming to an end, his chief concern was that his tools might be in good hands. He sent for me one day and told me he wished someone would appreciate the tools and use them properly.
When I took a young man to see him about the tools, there came a look of contentment and satisfaction. His work was finished and he was ready to cash in.
A few days before he died he was walking in the yard. His face was nearly completely covered with bandages. Only his eyes were uncovered. As he hobbled about the yard, he said “I am going to keep young just as long as I can”
The day he died, I went to see him again. The odor was so offensive you could hardly stay there. What was left of his face was a mass of scars and there was really nothing to cut away. You could tell he was in great pain and had many sleepless nights. But still there were no words of complaints.
I shall never forget his last words.
Even afterwards they have made me ashamed whenever I feel inclined to complain. Still day after day, they are vivid in my mind.
The words are “God has been good to me. I had never had any reason to complain”
How many times do we complain of things that really do not matter? So what if you do not have money, so what if you are not beautiful, so what if you lack that killer smile, so what if your nose is bigger? Does it matter that you never went to a good school or you do not have friends? Does it matter that you do not have the latest shoes, or that dress or the phone?
You are alive, you are healthy…… God has been good to you.
I have no reason to complain of my wants. I would have wished for so many things in life but I have what I have!
God has been good to me...

YOUTH ESSAY 2010

More Chances For Youths To Be In Lithuania 2011 :)

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Raise Your Voice, Share Your Ideas, and Get Involved in Democracy!
Come on you people! :D let’s do this..just submit your essay on democracy, and win an opportunity to attend one of the largest global gatherings of democracy leaders! ;) I said it, and its real…why not ? :D

The World Youth Movement for Democracy (www.wymdonline.org), a youth network of the World Movement for Democracy (www.wmd.org), is pleased to announce the launch of its Global Essay Contest. Fifteen semi-finalists (3 in each region: Asia, Central/Eastern Europe & Eurasia, Middle East & North Africa, Latin America & Caribbean, and Sub-Saharan Africa) will be announced in January 2011, and will have their essays published on the WYMD Web site. Two global winners will be invited to participate in the upcoming Community of Democracies Ministerial Meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, in June 2011. (www.community-democracies.org)

Questions
Democracy has been practiced in different ways and in different contexts. We believe there are core universal democratic values and aspirations that we all share, which transcend our differences, even though we live in different cultures, speak different languages, and eat different food. The purpose of this essay contest is to highlight personal engagement in democracy by promoting critical thinking about the role of young people in democracy and to connect youth with broader democracy movements. The questions posed below for this essay contest aim to challenge youth to write about their perspectives on democracy and their understanding of democracy activism, particularly their own.;)

Essays are required to address one or more of the following questions:
1) In what ways have young people contributed to democratic participation in your community? Highlighting some of the strategies and tools they have used, what difference have their efforts made?
2) New media and social networking are increasingly becoming popular tools for community organizing. In what ways have you and/or your organization been using new media for democracy promotion? How effective has it been and what challenges have you faced in using these tools?
3) What practices, do you think exemplify human rights activist protection or violation in your country that is not openly recognized? What do you think are the justifications for this and how can it be either replicated, in the case of a good example or stopped, in the case of a bad example?
3) What new factors can youth activists bring to longstanding human rights issues in your country? How have these issues been addressed in the past?

Submissions
Please submit your essay by 30 November 2010, via email attachment as a Word document. The format must have 1’’ margins, double spaced, Times New Roman font, and size 12 font. Please make sure to clearly designate, in the body of your email, your full name, age, gender, physical address, and phone number, to the relevant regional email address listed below. Do not enter your name or other details on your actual essay. Essays can be submitted in Arabic, English, French, Russian, or Spanish, and the essay must be no more than 2,000 words. Authors must be no younger than 18 and no older than 30 years old before November 30.

Asia: WYMD.ASIA@GMAIL.COM
Central and Eastern Europe & Eurasia: WYMD.EURASIA@GMAIL.COM
Middle East & North Africa: WYMD.MENA@GMAIL.COM
Latin America & Caribbean: WYMD.LAC@GMAIL.COM
Sub-Saharan Africa: WYMD.AFRICA@GMAIL.COM
To submit essays via fax, please fax: +;1.202.378.9889. Provide your details on the cover sheet.
Timeline
August 12, 2010 – Launch of the Essay Contest
November 30, 2010 – EXTENDED DEADLINE!
January/February 2011 – Announcement of 15 Semi-finalists
March 2011 – Announcement of 2 Global Winners
June 2011 – Global winners attend Community of Democracy Ministerial Meeting

Review Process
The submitted essays will be reviewed by regional committees each of which will determine three regional semi-finalists. The semi-finalists will be announced in January 2011. If needed the each of the regional committees will also translate 3 semi-finalist essays into English to post on the World Youth Movement for Democracy Website. Essays will be evaluated based on: Composition; Clarity; Creativity; and Practicality.
* Essays must be based on your own personal experiences and must be your own original work. Please do not use outside sources without citing properly.
Prizes
The Two Global winners will be announced and provided with a sponsorship to cover travel and other expenses related to their participation in the Community of Democracies Ministerial Meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, in June 2011. (www.community-democracies.org)
The 15 Semi-Finalists (3 from each region) will be announced and their essays will be posted on the World Youth Movement for Democracy Web site.
For further information on the Global Youth Essay Contest, please visit: www.wymdonline.org. If you have any specific questions, please contact Cecilia Andersen at: ceciliah@ned.org.

……………….Wishing you and myself success………:)
Eddie Ombagi