The Final Call

Report from Costa Chica, Mexico—XII

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[Please note that in Vol. 29, Number 32 the Encuentra XII Meeting was mistakenly referred to as the Encuentra II Meeting. Thank you.]

“O you who believe, remember Allah with much remembrance, And glorify Him morning and evening. He it is Who sends blessings on you, and (so do) His angels, that He may bring you forth out of darkness into light. And He is ever Merciful to the believers.” —Holy Qur'an, Surah 33, verses 41-43

During the last several expeditions to Mexico, we have coined the expression of our learning experiences as “a University on Wheels,” taken from the 32nd Problem of our nation's study of the Problem Book. In Part B, No. 1, it states: “The Uncle of W.D. Fard lives in the wilderness of North America and he lived other than his own self, therefore, his pulse beat seventy-eight times per minute and this killed him in forty-five years of age. How many times did his pulse beat in forty-five years? …”

Later we will examine some of the science and the mathematics that our small touring group of the MXODUS team has applied in our present outreach to others on the spiritual, educational and economic program of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad to help in our advancement in this 21st century and beyond. We will continue with our report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Ridgely Mu'mim Muhammad. We read:

Dr. Ridgely Abdul Mu'min Muhammad, Nation of Islam Ministry of Agriculture and Angelina Muhammad from Columbus, Ohio discusses the land and water quality with one of the farmers in Costa Chica, Guerrero.

“For irrigation purposes farmers can get together and build much larger rainwater storage systems that would capture the excessive rains in July and August to have it available for plants and animals throughout the dry season. However, there is another important element that Mr. Hernandez pointed out that must be factored into any problem solving equation and that is the human element. People must first see the need, find possible solutions and then be ready to change and make the necessary investments to install the systems needed.

“As I stated earlier, the wells in the Huehuetan area dried up about 15 years ago. The contrasts between the rainy and dry seasons have gotten wider. The people in the area may have hoped and prayed for the climate to go back to a more favorable balance; however, sooner or later they must decide to either wait or make a move. Added to their extreme poverty is the unstable political environment where they do not trust the banking system or the government. If they were to organize a cooperative, where would they store the money; who could they trust? How could they protect themselves? These are all very real non-agronomic issues that must be dealt with before a viable solution can be actualized.

“I mentioned to the participants at the conference how in their past history of Mexico they had examples of how the people got together on a collective basis to solve major problems of survival. We were blessed to have at the conference Mr. Alberto Ruz, who was the son of a famous archaeologist in Mexico, who unearthed many pyramids and ancient pyramid complexes in the Yucatan. I asked him if there was a relationship between water and the pyramids, because I have written in my books starting in 1988 that the pyramids in Ancient Egypt were part of a water irrigation and purification system. He said that next to each pyramid was a “cenote.” A cenote is a sinkhole with exposed rocky edges containing ground water. Mr. Ruz said that some of the underground streams attached to these cenotes can be followed beneath the rock until they reached the Gulf of Mexico. The water is fresh at the top but becomes saltier as you go deeper and get closer to the sea.

Photo of representatives of our delegation reporting on educational program with people of Huehuetan, Costa Chica during the Encuentra (Meeting XII) April 16th –18th, with (far left) Wanda Muhammad and Mavis Muhammad, coordinators of the Ministry of Education.

“One of the purposes of the “Black Peoples Conference” was to instill a sense of identity and pride among the people of African descent in this area of Mexico so that they can reach within themselves, organize themselves and solve problems for themselves. The farmers in the area seem to have a sense of what they need to do and have started to form some type of organization to solve their problems. Again I thank Mother Tynnetta Muhammad for inviting me on this journey. I have learned more from the people there than I have taught them. We hope to continue to work with them, inspire them and then use them as an example of what is missing in the Black communities of America, the “will” to survive.”

The following words are the beginning of the Ministry of Education Report rendered by Sister Wanda Muhammad from Atlanta, Georgia:

“One of the most important parts of the MXODUS tour was our group's participation in the Encuentro de Pueblos Negros. The event included expressions of art and culture, informational presentations, strategic dialogue and celebration of community.

“Upon our arrival on the first evening of the event most notable was the presence of the children in uniform ranging from elementary grades to high school. Their energy filled the atmosphere with excitement, innocence, a sense of respect for the occasion and curiosity about our delegation. Children's artwork, including paintings and sculptures, were on display and emphasized the value of children in this community. We would later learn that the displays were products of children who had participated in an art program founded by Father Glenn to generate pride. Our delegation donated supplies that included paint, crayons, colored pencils, sketch pads and various other supplies to support the program.

“We had an opportunity to see the school that was used as the venue for the presentations on the second day of our visit. The buildings were humble stucco structures with classrooms set up for learning with desks, white boards and some books along the walls. It was evident that resources are needed to renovate the structures but the environment in no way impacted the quality of learning that took place during the sessions. The classroom that was used was full with standing-room only outside, and with delegations from various communities, organizations, young artists and college students. The participants had the opportunity to view presentations by the M.G.T. & G.C.C. on the Seven Units, Dr. Runoko Rashidi (who shared pictorial evidence of the presence of the Black man all over the planet earth) and Mr. Fermin Marinez Hernandez (who presented a strategic system for agriculture). All appeared to soak up the information and many expressed their appreciation for the information; especially Dr. Runoko's presentation which bore witness to the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad of the original man as the Asiatic Black man, Maker, Owner, Cream of the Planet Earth, God of the Universe. The presentations brought home the connection that we have by history and blood to our indigenous family and the common struggle that we face against oppression.

“Their salutation on the day they meet Him will be, Peace! and He has prepared for them an honourable reward. O Prophet, surely We have sent thee as a witness, and a bearer of good news and a warner, And as an inviter to Allah by His permission, and as a light-giving sun. And give the believers the good news that they will have great grace from Allah.” —Holy Qur'an, Surah 33, verses 44-47

To be continued.