Wisdom, Counsel, Understanding ...

In an age when many national leaders seem determined to make decisions unilaterally -- without taking the time to consider the ramifications of their actions -- a wind of change has blown across Uganda.

According to CNN, when Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left Uganda without striking a deal on the African nation's oil, President Yoweri Museveni cut-off Iran’s visiting diplomat by stating to the press quite bluntly: “We have not concluded anything on oil.”

Ahmadinejad arrived in Uganda on Friday to seek support for his country's controversial nuclear program. But Uganda’s leader countered with his own thoughts. “Nuclear weapons are dangerous for humanity,” President Museveni stated, “even more dangerous than all the other previous weapon systems. We should work for a nuclear weapons-free world.”

The United States and its allies fear Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb -- despite Tehran's repeated denial that it was following such a path. Museveni has recently sought guidance from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Iranian Foreign Minister Manounchehr Mottaki “to hear from them why they are in dispute over nuclear use,” he said.

“Now I'm going to engage the United States to hear their version, then come back to and consult with our African brothers whom I represent on the U.N. Security Council,” President Museveni said. Uganda is a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.

Last week, citizens of Sudan voted in the first multi-party election in nearly 25 years ... and international observers were jubilant that democracy had finally come to this part of East Africa. Now -- any praise may seem a bit premature. A report by the Carter Center -- as well as official comments by the U.S., Great Britain and Norway -- note that “Sudan's first multiparty elections in more than two decades fell short of international standards.”

“We note initial assessments of the electoral process from independent observers, including the judgment that the elections failed to meet international standards,” a joint statement from the three nations. “We are reassured that voting passed reasonably peacefully, reportedly with significant participation,” the statement continued, “but share ... serious concerns about weak logistical and technical preparations and reported irregularities in many parts of Sudan.”

The European Union Election Observation Mission also criticized the election for showing “significant deficiencies against international standards” but said the vote paves the way for democratic progress.

The election was a key part of a 2005 peace deal, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, that helped end decades of civil war between the country's north and south. The conflict pitted Christian and Animist southerners against Muslim northerners, leaving more than two million people dead. The peace deal also called for a referendum next year to determine whether the south should become an independent nation.

Let us continue to pray for the people of Sudan and all that the future holds for them!

A Sign of Hope?

According to a recent study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life in Washington, at least three out of 10 people across much of Africa say they have experienced divine healing, seen the devil being driven out of a person or received a direct revelation from God. At least half of all Christians in sub-Saharan Africa believe Jesus will return to Earth in their lifetime. Muslims, too, hold fervently to their own beliefs as well. Nearly one in three Muslims in the region expect to see the re-establishment of Islam's golden age before they die.

The Pew study also examined Christian and Muslim attitudes toward one another -- in a region that has seen religious violence between the two communities, as well as attacks on American targets such as the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. Across the 19 countries in the survey, Christians and Muslims both associated positive traits with the other religion. Muslims see Christians as tolerant, honest and respectful of women; Christians say Muslims are honest, devout and respectful of women. Many people also said they were more worried by extremists of their own religion than by the other.

The study, "Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa," is based on more than 25,000 face-to-face interviews in more than 60 languages in 19 countries.

"Our hearts are restless, O God, until they rest in you." St. Augustine of Hippo (an African).

Fighting Africa's Brain Drain

In some parts of West Africa, literacy rates for 15 to 19 year olds and 45 to 49 year olds range from 13% to 18%. In other areas of the continent, the rates are even lower. But amidst such discouraging statistics, there are those who “break the barrier” -- and totally destroy preconceptions or stereotypes. Akasease Yiadom is such a man.

Three years ago, the World War II veteran enrolled at the Presbyterian University College's business school in Abetifi, Ghana. This month, the hardworking student graduated. Akasease Yiadom is 99 years old.

“Education has no end,” he explained. “As long as your brain can work alright, your eyes can see alright, and your ears can hear alright, if you go to school -- you can learn.” Now that he has finished his studies, Yiadom is urging his classmates to resist the lure of higher salaries overseas and stay in Ghana.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) more than a million Ghanaians left Ghana from 2000 to 2007. But more recently, more than 85 percent have begun to return home -- either temporarily or permanently. It seems they are heeding the words of Yiadom:

“Don't leave; fight, and serve the country. And if you do, you might live to a hundred!”