April 16, 2025 We have been to the African continent many times now and my reaction is always the same: What can I do to make this a better place? Don’t we all like to think of ourselves as travelers who would rise to the challenge: “To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new Read more

April 20, 2025 In People of the Lie, Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck, M.D., wrote evil people suffer from an extreme form of “self-protectiveness…Their “goodness” is all on the level of pretense. It is a lie…this is why they are “people of the lie.” They lie not to deceive others but to deceive themselves regarding their Read more

April 15, 2025 (The sound of the cracking of a whip) “Your name is Toby. You are going to learn to say it. Let me hear you say it.” “What is your name?” “Kunta.” “Kunta Kinteh.” (The sound of cries as the whip cracks again) “When the Master gives you something you take it. And Read more

April 13, 2025 Today, we are in the capital city of Cape Verde, Santiago. If you recall, these islands had no population until conquered by the Portuguese in the mid-15th century. This was a central depository for slaves being sent to South America and the United States and that dynamic is still evident in Cape Read more

April 12, 2025 Like many isolated islands, today’s port of Mindelo on the island of Sāo Vincente in the country of Cape Verde is one of 10 islands that were uninhabited when Portuguese explorers discovered them. Lying in the mid-Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Senegal in West Africa, Cape Verde later played a key Read more

April 9, 2025 (If you hit the word BLOG at the top of the page you will return to Page 1 and can read our blog of January 11, 2024, which talks about our first visit to Devils Island.) Missionaries from the mainland of South America sought refuge from disease on these three islands just Read more

April 8, 2025 On one side you have Catholicism brought by the Portuguese colonization and on the other African spirituality brought through the brutal legacy of slavery. In a country where faith is everywhere it is not uncommon for someone to light a candle in a Catholic church and then leave flowers in the river Read more

April 5, 2025 What would you do for your wife? How much is too much? How much is too little? Is there anything you wouldn’t do? I forgot to mention your wife is pregnant. You are overflowing with love. Like many pregnant women your wife is having cravings. But she isn’t craving ice cream or Read more

April 3, 2025 Yesterday, upon departing Boca de Valeria I took a photo of a boy sitting by the shoreline looking out into the Amazon River. I imagined he was contemplating his future and wondering what life would be like beyond Boca de Valeria. Perhaps, I was wrong. Last night, I was told of a Read more

April 3, 2025 Before reading this blog, Please read my blog “Hope for Boca da Valeria” published on January 19th, 2024. It will provide context for this blog and have you learn why this community is so special to Chongae and I. You can read it by going back to Page 1. We are so Read more