To:      The Heavenly Father

From: Chishimba M. Lumbwe 

Dear Lord,

RE: SLAVE TRADE

I write this short note to get some clarity on one issue: slavery

God, where were you when the Arabs, astride their camels and horses, assailed your African flock?

Where were you, God, when the Tuaregs, Berbers and Bedouins robbed, raped and murdered countless millions of your people?

Where were you, Jehovah, when the Moors –  at times in concert with colluding Africans – chained and yoked your charges and dragged them, for months on end, through the hell of the Sahara on foot?

Dear God, where were you when the Europeans shoved those made in your image into the holds of floating torture chambers that sailed for week after interminable week?

Where were you, Lord, when the anguished cries of Africa reverberated into the wind and floated through the sky towards their Father in heaven?

Where were you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, when all dignity was sucked out of your children in Africa?

Almighty, you were not sleeping on the job, because you do not sleep

Redeemer, you did not abandon your post, because you are always there; yesterday, today, and tomorrow

Yahweh you are not hard of hearing so you heard the cries of your African children

Jehovah, you are not blind so you saw it all in real time

Heavenly Father, I know you tasted the salty tears of African mothers, smelt the disconsolate helplessness of fathers and felt the absolute terror of African children, because you created all their senses

Lord, to cap it all, you could have stopped everything in its tracks, because you are the all powerful, the miracle maker

For sure, Father, you knew what was going on because you are all knowing

Were you in Heaven, Creator, when your children from another mother shat their loin clothes in fear and trepidation at the sound of galloping horses carrying infidels?

Were you in the Elysium, Lord, when your African children were skewered, men castrated and left to die and women violated for centuries by those purporting to worship you?

Were you in the Promised Land, Lord, as the futures of millions of Africans were torched on figurative and literal man-made fires?

Were you all around and watching all your creations, Lord, as the rogues rained mayhem on the weak, sometimes in your name?

Lord, unfathomable as it is your reps here on Earth say that your will was done. Really? That was your will?

Lord, give me a clue though: Just where were you?

 

Sincerely,

Chishimba M. Lumbwe