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saulpaulus

Member Since March 2008
 

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I am married and have a nine year old daughter. We live in Terrace, British Columbia, just a few hours from Sarah Palin's domain. I am a Social Studies teacher, a US Navy veteran, and a lifelong Republican.

I have always been convinced that God called me for a special purpose and have sought to find that purpose. Born in 1956, the year of Ike's reelection, to parents who were conservative Republicans and employees of Mobil Oil Corporation, I was raised a High Church Episcopalian with a strong sense of duty.

This sense of duty drew me into the U. S. Navy in 1974. While in the Navy, I served in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation of Indochina) and the Mayaguez Rescue. The handling of the latter incident by the U. S. government disillusioned me about its past policies.

It also opened me to God's leading. My calling by God came with a conviction that God intended for me to do something special to help the orphans of Africa. Over time, I came to see the African AIDS pandemic and especially the plight of the African AIDS orphans as the gravest humanitarian crisis of our times.

Longing to be used to help alleviate this crisis, I came up with the idea of writing a play to dramatize it. I reached out to the most obvious institution: the U. N. I spent an entire afternoon interviewing with them in New York. My concept did not fit with their plans. Over time, I have sought to work with CARE (after meeting with their officials during the UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV / AIDS (June 25-27, 2001), with ADRA, and with DATA.

Despite one disappointment after another, I remain convinced that God has called me to this purpose. My idea for a play has evolved into something called Death of the Rain Queen. It is based on the Balobedu, a matriarchal tribe in South Africa ruled by a Rain Queen. I became aware of them after reading reports of the death of the then Rain Queen Mojadji in 2001. Two years ago, Makobo, the last reigning queen, died at age 27. According to one rumor, she died of AIDS. Her death might mark the end of the matriarchy as her only daughter was fathered by a commoner.

Since the Special Session, I have also become interested in pursuing my calling in the public policy area. In 2000, I worked briefly in Senator McCain's abortive New York effort. His apparent abandonment of my moderate Republican values led me to support now President-elect Obama in his recent campaign.

A desire to make this world a better place for my daughter to grow up in coupled with a recent diagnosis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), the disease that killed my father and grandfather, has strengthened my conviction and spurred me into action.

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