This Day in History November 10, 1871

By Kim Traynor (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"Dr. Livingston, I presume?"  These were those ever-so-famous lines that were uttered on this day in 1871, by Henry Stanley upon his finding Dr. David Livingstone in Tanzania after searching for the Scottish missionary for about eight months.  Because Dr. Livingstone had been in Africa for quite some time and his correspondence had become less frequent, there was concern that he had been kidnapped or possibly even killed. Stanley was only a reporter who had not explorer experience.  He just wanted to find Livingstone.  He battled a lot of issues including malaria, starvation, and more to find this missionary.

I think the amazing thing throughout all of this is that through the life of Dr. Livingstone, Henry Stanley himself was converted to Christianity and became a missionary himself.  One can only imagine what their meeting on that day must have been like!

For more information:

http://www.crawfurd.dk/africa/livingstone.htm

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/November/Dr-Livingstone-I-Presume.html

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/thisweekinchristianhistory/november10.html

"Listening to Africa" Tribute Books Blog Tour Book Review

Listening to Africa's Summary

Poet Diana M. Raab travels to the heart of Africa with her family to experience the beauty and fascination of another world. During her safari, she observes the distress, the delight, and the dignity of the humans and animals who live there and parallels them with her own quest for health.

Listening to Africa's Reviews
“Diana M. Raab makes a pilgrimage from the 'familiar neon of home’ in America to Africa, bringing her family, her passion and her pen. Her moving words carry us with her in narrative poems re-plete with vision, humor and irony. In her inner and outer journey, the poet transforms fear and sadness into beauty and love as her heart opens 'in this place which will remind you of your reason for living.’”
- Susan Wooldridge
author of poemcrazy: freeing your life with words

“Diana M. Raab takes us on a joyous poetic journey of words and photos. She juxtaposes her wisdom, essential wellness and depth of feeling in exploring four-legged friends, illness, and hope, making this an extremely powerful collection."
- Cara Nusinov
author of Unrequited Loves and Other French Kisses

Listening to Africa by Diana M. Raab

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Poetry is something that has been a part of since I was in elementary school, and I always appreciate well-written poetry that takes simple (and even complex) experiences and ideas and puts it into memorable stanzas and poetry lines.  And I think you will see this detailed in this particular book of poetry about Africa.

I have never visited Africa, but after reading this poetry, I feel that I have a better understanding of the world that is Africa.  I believe Raab's poetry is as dynamic as an artist's renderings, and I can highly recommend this to anyone who would like to get a glimpse of Africa in an easy-to-read but artistic form.

I was impressed with the way the author took such simple and sometimes profane concepts and scenes and turned them into an intriguing line of poetry.  While this is not classic poetry or even rhyming poetry, I think everyone can take a few moments and read this for himself or herself.  It is well worth the time--the book is short, easy-to-read, and full of pictures.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

View all my reviews

Diana Raab's Bio:

Diana M. Raab is a memoirist, essayist and poet. She has a B.S. in Health Administration and Journalism, and an RN degree from Vanier College in Montreal, in addition to an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from Spalding University’s Low-Residency Program.

Diana has been writing from an early age. As a child of two working parents, she spent a lot of time crafting letters and keeping a daily journal. A journaling advocate and educator, Diana teaches creative journaling and memoir in workshops around the country. She frequently speaks and writes about the healing powers of writing.

She’s the award-winning author of eight books, and the author of over 500 articles and poems. Her release is Writers on the Edge: 22 Writers Speak About Addiction and Depression, co-edited with James Brown, which is a compilation of essays by renowned writers discussing how addiction has influenced their literary lives. She is also editor of Writers and Their Notebooks, a collection of essays written by well-known writers who keep journals.

Raab is the author of two memoirs, Regina's Closet: Finding My Grandmother's Secret Journal, winner of the 2008 National Indie Excellence Award for Memoir and Healing With Words, the 2011 Mom's Choice Award Winner for Adult Nonfiction.

She is also a registered nurse who teaches in the UCLA Extension Writers' Program and at various writing workshops across the country. She is the author of four poetry collections, My Muse Undresses Me (2007);Dear Anais: My Life in Poems for You (2008), winner of The Reader Views Award and an Allbooks Review Editor's Choice Award; The Guilt Gene (2009); and Listening to Africa (2012).

Her poetry and prose have appeared in national journals and anthologies such as Rattle, Rosebud, Litchfield Review, Tonopah Review, Writers' Journal, A Cafe in Space, the Toronto Quarterly, Common Ground Review, The Smoking Poet, Snail Mail Review, New Mirage Journal, Lucidity, Blood and Thunder, Jet Fuel Review, Ascent, and The Huffington Post.

Paperback
Price: $16.00
Pages: 80
ISBN: 9781936482184
Publisher: Antrim House
Release: April 18, 2012

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Diana Raab's Web Site

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Listening to Africa blog tour site

Mom Bloggers for Social Good Action Campaign--Malaria No More’s "Dream Big for Africa" Campaign

Last week, Malaria No More launched their "Dream Big for Africa" campaign.  All you need to do to join in is to text DREAM to 85944.  This will automatically donate $10 to Malaria No More and enter you to win a trip to Africa with former American Idol runner-up Katherin McPhee.

Sample tweet (help us spread the word)

Text DREAM to 85944 to donate $10 to @MalariaNoMore and be entered to win a trip to Africa with @NBCSmash star @katharinemcphee. #socialgoodmoms


Now if you are like me, you would like to know a little bit more about this campaign.  So read on.


The statistics are staggering.  Malaria kills one child per minute.  It robs children of their dreams more than any other disease.  I had no idea it was so bad over there.  Did you?  The goal of Malaria No More is to end these senseless deaths by 2015.  As we know, this is a very treatable, preventable disease.  


This is a big job, and Malaria No More needs your help.  From now until February 16, every time you text DREAM to 85944, the $10 donation goes to Malaria No More, and you are entered to win that fabulous trip.  While in Africa, the winner and McPhee will deliver much-needed malaria prevention tools.  (In case you are not cell phone savvy, what happens is $10 is added to your cell phone bill.  I have donated this way before, and it is awesome!  Please note that message and data charges may apply.)


Within 24 hours of sending this donation, you will receive a follow-up message via text with a link to an online form where you will enter your contact information and your one-sentence dream for Africa.  On February 24, 10 finalists will be notified and asked to submit a 300-word blog post and 30-second video on why you think you are the best person for this African trip.  The best blog post and video will be named on February 26.  And that is how the winner will be selected!


You do not have a whole lot of time, so enter now.  For more information about this promotion, click here.  Even if you are a not a blogger, just donate the money, and you will be making a difference in the life of a child--probably several children!


http://mombloggersforsocialgood.com/2012/01/25/action-campaign-spread-the-word-about-malaria-no-mores-dream-big-for-africa-campaign/

Bead For Life Review (and possible giveaway) (8/31)

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I had the outstanding opportunity to review this outstanding handcrafted recycled paper bangle as a part of Bead for Life.  It is an outstanding organization.  Their mission is to eradicate poverty and create sustainable opportunities around the world.  Their main focus is Uganda  You can see on their website how they make beautiful jewelry like what you see in the above picture and Shea Butter products.  Check out their awesome products here.

There are lots of opportunities on their site including the chance to host a safari party and win a trip to Africa!
They even have curriculum that you can order!  If you are interested in their work in Uganda, check it out here.  There is plenty more information on their site, so have a look around.

More resources:  Facebook
                          Twitter

I love the bracelet!  You can see in the picture that it fits my small wrist quite well (I have small wrists, so generally bracelets are too big!!), but it has plenty of room to comfortably fit someone with larger wrists.  I really like these.  I highly recommend them!

Now, I did mention a giveaway.  This giveaway is something I would like to do for my readers, but there is a catch--you knew there would be!!  To promote this, I would love to give away one of the beaded bracelets like I received for review.  You can check them out here. They have all sorts of colors to choose from.

I would like for my readers to check out any or all of the links in this post.  Then in one post, I would like to comment on what you learned or liked about the site.  Or maybe you chose to follow them on facebook or twitter.  Maybe you are even going to plan a bead party and enter the sweepstakes for the African trip!  Whatever it is you have done, please leave one comment and one only!  (If you leave more than one, I will not count it!)  Please leave your e-mail address as well unless it is visible in your blogger profile.  For each 50 comments, I will give away one bracelet to one of my readers.  I will count all comments on August 31st after 9 P.M. Pacific Time.  I will determine at that time how many valid comments there are.  So it is to your advantage to get the word out, but no, you do not get any extra entries.  Since I am funding this, I am setting the rules!

Thanks to Bead for Life for the review product that they provided free of charge to me in exchange for this review.  All opinions are 100 percent mine.