Life’s Discoveries

(My friend Oumie with three special children – Nyima, Ebrima and Musa) It has been my good fortune these past few months to be able to explore the beaches of The Gambia and listen to the music of the ocean while contemplating life and living and its challenges.   It is amazing how the beach changes […]

Quiet Contemplation

Much of my time and energy here in The Gambia is spent in contemplation, especially around the evident economic and social disparities and the development challenges required to bring about better balance. A recent visit to Ukraine and Germany visiting friends and colleagues and witnessing the obvious disparities between each of these countries and with […]
With Neigbours child

What about the Children

My new perch in The Gambia offers different insights and a new window through which to contemplate the world.  While watching current world events unfolding, impacting so many, one has to ask “what about the children”. In this country, while things are stable, life is difficult for many, but they persevere.  The average annual income […]

Rooted in a Colonial Past

(This is how they dry fish in The Gambia.  It is similar to how it used to be dried in Newfoundland.  Colonies often have a lot in common – I guess the masters were the same.) Several years ago, while at a conference in Brazil, it was my good fortune to meet a young woman […]

Sharing the Wealth

Lack of money wealth in the world shouldn’t be a problem with prolific news stories about huge takeover attempts, large individual stockpiles of gold and silver, the vast sums paid to executives for salaries and bonuses and the billions owned by the few.  There would appear that there is enough monetary wealth for all. The […]

In Search of Community

I read with interest the article in the Western Star about homelessness.  It suggested that while it is a reality for some in Western Newfoundland, it is basically an invisible problem.  The article says: “homeless people here are more likely found living on a friends couch or at a relative’s.” Perhaps homelessness, here and elsewhere, […]

Reclaiming Community and Our Lives

The concept of family and community has been, and continues to be, eroded in modern society.  One might feel that they both are in danger of extinction. Globalists promote the idea of “Big Society” and centralists advocate individualism, in order to concentrate power.  Individualism works temporarily for those who accumulate the wealth or power to […]

The Beauty of Small

The President of BP recently caused a flutter in many circles when he stated, during a speech, “we care about the small people”.  He was referring to the people most affected by the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, those whose livelihoods will be dramatically affected and whose way of life will be torn […]

A World of No(n) Sense

There appears little by way of intelligence remaining in our world, much less compassion or care.  We appear to have entered into an age that makes no sense, and which is full of nonsense. What would those wise generations of long ago have thought about the current state of the world?  Indeed, would any of […]