Letter to the skeptic

Dear skeptic,
I'm writing you this letter because I have been where you have been. Religion had me disgusted,disgruntled and trapped . I know what it feels like to look pitifully at a true believer because you are sure they are brainwashed and desperately looking for a comforting being to cope with the harshness of the world. I also have been through the drills, you know the prescribed and pre-worded prayers monotonously repeated like a delusional chant. Sometimes it even felt like the doses of asthma medication that I was so used to. "Say 7 bla bla bla's and one this, and two that " sounded like "take 7 Ventoline, one Prednisone for the wheezing and one painkiller for the chest pain. (In order to avoid offence, I deliberately left the name of the prayers out).
I understand the superiority that you  have about yourself because you know these things better. Still, I am asking you to try in your mind and separate religion which is man made from true spirituality(God's ideal) and seek God, seek His son Christ and the Holy Spirit. You see, He comes in a powerful package of three as you will hopefully soon learn.Ask Him to reveal himself to you and prove His existence in your life. You lose nothing from it. If anything since you are so sure of his nonexistence, it will only serve to prove you right, right? I am asking you because I have tasted and seen His goodness, I know His reality just as much as I know the reality that I am alive. I don't want Him contained to a few but spread out for the benefit of many. I urge you to give this as much earnestness as you have given in finding proof that he does not exist. I urge you also to dedicate as much time and energy as you put in your debates, research and whatever activities you engage in to assert that He does not exist. This is not an invitation to argue and prove my case, but an invitation for you to fully have all the facts before you decide that God is not for you!.
Sincerely,
a truly convinced believer.

Learning from a great man

Today the world celebrates the life and legacy of a great man. A man who took the abuse and degradation of his people and himself yet chose to forgive. I imagine that on that day in South Africa when apartheid was finally put to end South Africans finally dared to dream again. They begun to see the reality of success for a black nation. Although all African states did not endure the same type of treatment under colonial masters, the feeling must have been the same at the declaration of independence.

It is a pity that while years ago our people celebrated independence and chose to forgive our colonial masters today we are faced with an even greater challenge, forgiving our very own African leaders. We trusted them with so much. We trusted them to rebuild and restore Africa's dignity but instead they have mostly sold us moving speeches instead of actual change. Their wants(and I mean wants not needs) became their primary focus while Africa continued to be dug into a deeper pit centuries behind other continents. These same leaders are allover the news today claiming to have been greatly inspired by the rare spirit that was President Mandela and yet they have continued to do the complete opposite of what he stood for. Strength, love, vision, selflessness, influence was him but our leaders are well...you know what I mean.  It's a shame that with such a great example, they will still choose to ruin their countries and the spirit of anger will continue to mount.

We've seen the results of violence in North Africa, we've seen wars , genocides, xenophobic killings all past colonial rule. People are tired, frustrated and angry but he must have felt the same way through all he endured yet he still chose peace and forgiveness. Our leaders have disappointed us no doubt but there is still hope and still much to do.  The only hope we have is ourselves. If Madiba has taught us anything, it is the power of an individual. We must do things better ourselves, we must forgive ,(yes forgive) we must work together, and we must render our best selves to our people. Africa is the richest continent in resources but the biggest resource that Africa has is the people. And so it's with that knowledge that we should not stop working and striving for better!
Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Yes, I will always draw from the word of God for it's rich in wisdom!