Saturday, September 29, 2007

The Power of Dreams Revealed

Friday, September 28, 2007

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Derron "Dapper D" teaching students broadcast in Cape Town, South Africa


Thursday, September 27, 2007


Me chilling at a braai (pronounced bri).
A braai is a South African BBQ.

I had a wonderful time this past Monday. Monday was heritage day in South Africa, which is like our 4th of July. I met a great number of new friends as we partied the workfree day away.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007


This is at Cape Point, South Africa. Cape Point is the southern most tip of Africa where the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans meet. Here the baboons run freely even occasionally robbing the stores and tourist of food.
Happy Birthday To ME!!! 29 yrs old in South Africa, YAY!!!!

I had the hottest time every it was a birthday that I will never forget. I hung out with some new friends in the townships of Cape Town and got a full experience of the ghettos. It was like being in the hood. I even enjoyed a few great BBQs and we pretty much partied the whole day. This place rocks.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Here is a safe sex ad in Cape Town, South Africa. It is great to see that the word is getting around, no matter how funny the concept. This is an ad in the community where I placed to work. The area is very heavily populated, yet the HIV/Aids rate is an unbelievable high. In this community the rate is at 33% infected with the disease. It will only spread more if there is not more advocacy done to make the people feel that it is important to think about safe sex to be around for their kids.

It is interesting to note that children, here in Cape Town and surrounding areas, as young as 9 yrs old are often abandoned, forced to live alone when a parent or both parents pass from the disease.

More to come...

Thanks

I would like to thanks Lenora Hines and Wendy Hoyte for their special contributions to my dream. Your contributions Assisted me in purchasing an extra battery for my trip, with which I will be able to document beautiful and longer video footage.

Also a special to my Brother Derrick and his family, wife Kim and Daughter Raven. Your contributions put money in my pockets, without which I would be flat busted.

To my mother and sisters for their contributions in money and encouragement.

Thank you very much

Power of the Dream 2

As I prepared for my trip to Cape Town, I found myself listening to MLK speeches on my Ipod as I showered and did various chores around the house. Although I did not live during his time, I found myself engulfed by his dream of equality for all. Moved by his words I began to think and realize that this one man, a single man had a dream, a vision that not only lived in his mind, but in his consciousness. This dream manifested itself and became a planted seed in the lives of all that embraced his ideas. An ordinary man, bound by the laws of the land and stumbling blocks of his time, thought beyond his limitations to dream and put this dream into action.

There IS power in dreaming! Kellyanne, once again refering to the movie Opal Dream, convinced her family and community that her imaginary friends once lived. In return, again, there were two coffins, a hole, a gathering, flowers, a speech and two headstones marking marking that the dream once lived. ALL OF THIS FROM A DREAM!!!

In the case of King, there was a vision that was moved upon and snowballed into a movement. Although seeing some of the benefits of his dream , the dreamer was for what lived in him. The powerplay comes in at the point where you have others engaged into that dream. No longer around to lead his vision, his passion for what he dreamed lived long beyond his years. Note that we, to this day, ate still using his words and teachings to further his dream.

As with a mother and child, it is my belief that once a dream starts to live it becomes independent of the dreamer and takes on a life if its own, thus outliving the dreamer.

"When you believe in something that is when it is real. That is what makes a person real too. How they dream and how they share their dream. When they are with you or even after they they are gone, because a dream is forever...We are all dreaming together and thats what is real forever." -Opal Dream

...Breathe life into your dreams

Now that is Dapper!
Power of the Dream 1

"Everyone dreams all the time...Opal shines like stars, but it's underneath. You can't see it. You can't see it, but you can dream about it. The more you dream , the more you wanna dig for it. But, if you dig too deep you may never wake up..."

The quote above came from the movie Opal Dreamwhich I had seen in route to Cape Town. Opal Dream is a movie about a young girl, "Kellyann Williamson" (played by Sapphire Boyce) in an opal mining community who has the imaginary friends that she plays with and keeps her company on a daily basis.

As with many kids, with vivid imaginations, the adults would role play and feed into the young girl's fantasy. She would receive lolly pops for "Pobby and Dingan," because as her imagination would have it, it was their favorite. As the story develops, her imaginary friends one day, being watched by her father and becomes lost in a mining field. Upon the father's return to the home, Kellyanne, not seeing her friends, starts to panic and worry about their safety. Worrying so that she would not let it rest, she causes her father to go out in the middle of the night with a flash light to look for them. A hunt which got him in trouble for "ratting," a term used for miners who were accused of stealing from other miners. Her constant worries also employed her brother to post missing flyers around the town for two imaginary people.

With the stories development, the brother began to find clues that the two friends died in a mining accident. Skeptical to the belief before, the brother now employed by his sister's dream, is now tasked to plan a public funeral for Pobby and Dingan. A funeral for two imaginary friends, planned in a town full of skeptics, complete with coffins, flowers, headstones...the works. In the end, the townspeople attends the funeral. Although skeptics of the existence of Pobby and Dingan before, the funeral caused them to become real in their hearts and minds.

Not thinking I would like this movie, I could not help but find myself being drawn into Kellyanne's world of imagination. Like Kellyanne, I also dream. There are times when I dream so, I sometimes believe that I am out of my mind. Knowing that not every dream that comes to consciousness becomes a reality, I do dream of being successful at whatever I set my mind to doing.

As with Kellyanne's imagination, not only were her friends a thought, to her they actually lived. They lived so, that when they became lost or misplaced she could not rest. For all who dream or hope to dream, our dreams should reside not only in our minds, but also in our hearts. Your dream should live so much to the point that they manifest and become real to others as well.

Sunday, September 09, 2007

I have reached the mother!
Stay Tuned for more!!!

Thursday, September 06, 2007

TOMORROW, I SHALL BE CAPE TOWN BOUND!!!!!

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMEL!!!
TO ONE OF THE BEST FRIENDS ON EARTH

To answer your question Soldier, I am on such a high right now, I can't even describe it. My heart is full with many currents of emotions. I awoke this morning feeling as if I could fly. My morning has been filled with praise. For some reason all of my songs this morning were about Gods protection and his promise to keep and sustain me. They just flowed one into another. Once again, is is difficult to describe. There is such a peace in my body amidst the struggle and rush to prepare. I believe that God is going to move on this trip and in my project in such a way that I will never be the same. Therefore I praise Him for his works and constant watch and protection on my mind and life. A grand Hallelujah is in order.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Thanks to the following patrons and benifactors:

Lorraine B. Cook "Momma"(believing and encouraging my vision)
Nathan "Seven" Scott
Duran Williams
Charles Albert
Ms. Vivian Baitey & Kenyatta Eugene (for aiding me with purchase of plane ticket)
Ty Whitfield (roommate, catching those hungry nights)
Laurence Pickney (aiding me with my vision)
Warren "Uncle Ajamu"Sims (the long talks from illusion to reality)

DJ Renee Hewitt (for providing dinner so I wouldn't have to purchase a meal)
Walter Clark (for the care package of food)
Nurse Eva and Dr. Ventura (Horizons clinic)

Thank you Q.

I'm not sure when your leaving. I just wanted to say have a safe fun trip take lots of pictures and remember me :). I'm proud of you man. When I said get your passport and travel, I didn't think it would be like this. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Big smile hugs and kisses until you get back.

Take care and love you,

Q


While working at BET Q inspired me with here travels to Spain and France. She knew of my desire to travel and encouraged me to get my passport and just go. So I must say thanks to Q for the encouragement and passion to inspire others.

Q is Dapper