“To belong or not to belong,” that’s my focus on this write up. I love the famous soliloquy by Shakespeare’s Hamlet with the opening, “To Be or Not to Be, that’s the question”. The meaning of course was “Is it better to live or to die?”. I am not even going that close in terms of depth in focusing on the essence of SaBeSa USA/CANADA.
~ Shufai Mbinglo
I have often wondered why we have so many Sabesans in continental USA and yet when we organize events or invite folks to our meetings, the turnout has often not been reflective of the numbers we have in this diaspora. In my abstract mind, I ask questions like: Is it the tight work schedules in America that doesn’t allow us to take part? Is it that some don’t like the effort or are some simply not convinced that the venture is worth it? These and many more are the questions that have troubled me as we work on rallying folks behind the annual convention gathering.
Think about it, we can absolutely do better and we will. Let me clearly state that I am not trying to engage in second guessing motives but rather my focus is on the need for Sabesans to belong to SABESA, stand up and be counted, scream and be heard, register and be part of success. For this to happen we need a strong, united, focused and committed SABESA family. It is my belief that “Blood ONLY makes people relatives; Loyalty makes them family”. A SABESA family working along these lines is not a far-fetched dream but a reality grounded in our collective experience.
To belong to SABESA, you should have been a student of SABECO or affiliated to it as a teacher, spouse or friend. This qualification is a recognition of your accomplishment as a student and the parent or clergy you are today. Therefore why not stand up and be counted? Why let others shape the future of SABECO and SABESA without your participation? You earned your place at the table of SABESA and should not leave your seat empty. Sabesans can do better and we are doing.
In less than 3 months Sabesans will be gathering in Washington DC for another annual celebration of our collective experience as a family post college from June 29th to July 1st. The delegation from Canada will be arriving on Thursday June 28th, Delaware will be arriving Wednesday 27th, while the rest will arriving Friday morning June 29th. My flight is scheduled to arrive Tuesday June 26th and looking forward to sharing palm wine from Chicago with fellow Sabesans.
I wish to appeal to Sabesans who may not have participated in the past due to other scheduling conflicts to come out and together we will rise up and grow as one SABESA family build on our shared values and heritage from solid Catholic education. SABESA belongs to us all and it is our mission to celebrate our collective experience from Ashing Kom annually. The Archbishop personally commissioned our executive to rally this family, bring out sabesans where ever they are based in continental USA and of course stand up and be an excellent shinning example to others. Now is our moment and this is our time. We are the ones we have been waiting for actually. Register and be counted, be active and engaged, be present and belong to SABESA USA/CANADA. It is up to all of us to make this event a resounding success. Therefore; Why NOT belong? LET’S REGISTER 200 SABESANS TO START AND BUILD UPON EVEN MORE FOR CANADA 2019.
God bless Sabesans
Shufai Mbinglo
