Posted on 11/02/2010 2:51:38 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Black Americans form important grassroots support for president Obama and the Democrats. For US citizens whose roots lie, just like Barack Obama's, in Kenya, the president plays an even more special role.
The Tumaini Community Church in Springfield is a center for Kenyans and other Africans living in Massachusetts’ third largest city. Tumaini means “hope” in Swahili, says Reverend Joseph Kimatu. He counts about 500 Kenyans in Springfield and thousands more in other cities and towns in his state. Overall, an estimated 600.000 to 1 million Kenyans are living in the United States. “Nigerians were the largest African community in America, but we may have surpassed them,” says Kimatu.
He leads services in the storefront church in Kikuyu and Swahili, with English and Spanish mixed in. About 20 adults and as many children worship together. Hymns are set to African rhythms. Upstairs, after Sunday morning worship, there is tea with mandazi (fried bread dumplings) and a spicy goat stew.
(VIDEO AT LINK)
Own choice
During the service, Tumaini’s pastor asked for prayer for Election Day in the United States, Tuesday November 2. Kimatu didn’t say who or what he had in mind. “I did not give an opinion because I want the people to make their own choice,” he said. “We are trying for intervention, for God to work his way in this election and let the outcome be the best.”
The Kenyan community is proud of president Obama’s lineage, the son of a Kenyan father. “He is American as any other American,” says Kimatu. “But we are proud of his Kenyan roots.”
The visiting pastors Gerald Wahome and Justus Munyasya share Kimatu’s enthousiasm for the American president. They do not share the more general sense in the US that Obama has not delivered what he promised in his election campaign. “He found a wrecked economy, he inherited a war,” said Reverend Wahome, visiting from Lowell, Massachusetts. “My opinion of him is separate from his being connected to Kenya. I like brainy people, I like the way he is tackling this. I ask people to vote for him right now, so he can finish what he started.”
'White resentment'
Reverend Munyasya thinks that there may be some “white resentment” at work in Obama’s loss of popularity. “It’s not that the guy is not performing. It’s his origin, his background.”
“Obama was a surprise president. Nobody had anticipated that at one point an African American would be leading this country,” adds Reverend Kimatu. “I think that during the campaign that reality was not there. After the inauguration the realization set in and I think the opposition started from there. I think that antagonism, trying to make him look like he has not done that much is what’s going on. But he has done a great deal.”
In the African community in Springfield, people look differently at the first two years of president Obama than in the United States at large. Opinion polls show that disappointment with the way things are in America might cost Obama’s Democrats their majorities in both houses of Congress on Election Day.
Proof
Reverend Joseph Kimatu might not have given his view on the best outcome of the election when he asked for prayer during services at his Tumaini Community Church. But isn’t he saying that for him the best outcome would be to support president Obama? After a pause and with a laugh he said: “I would say so in a way… That is my opinion… Because I feel that everybody should have their time to proof what they can do.”
Two years wasn’t enough voor president Obama to prove himself, is what they think in this small church of the Kenyan community in Springfield.
He would have never become preisdent if it weren’t for the guilty white folk vote, the stupid white college vote and the American idol vote, mr reverend!
whites get blamed
Yes, that’s what I meant... Whitey gets blamed...
'So, once again, we have the power. We've got this man in office. I think
we're all proud of Barack and his accomplishments. Everybody I know in
our communities are praying for us. Every day we feel that. And let me
just tell your listeners that it means all the world to us to know that there
are prayer circles out there and people who are keeping the spirits clean
around us.'
Don’t you need a vuvuzela to keep those spirits clean, or am I just confused?
After the consumption of spirits, the blowing of your vuvuzuela is much heartier.
Yeah. What the hell is Devine? I thought this was an article about Andy Devine...
Methinks after Wednesday, they might want to rename it to Tsunami Community Church.
I’m sure Devine does support Obomba, and I don’t mean Andy Devine.
First thing they learn when they get here. Play that old race card.
Not since Wild Bill.
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