Hello Jones Family!

I know  it's been a while but this site is now up and running.  A lot of updates are needed so please edit away!  I'm looking forward to the end of Covid 19 so we can all get together for a big family reunion!
Roz

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Family - can you share this event that will happen during African Heritage Month here in Nova Scotia. This is an online event and family from around the world may be interested

http://www.ahm.bccnsweb.com/wp/event/rocky-and-joan-documentary-screening/


 wrote:

What time of year in 2011 works best?  Joe, please share with Meredith too.  Thanks



Count me in too…Although it would depend on the time of year…for my kids.



Lynn:
  
 It is so good to meet you on-line.  I am Viki (the Browne sister who also cried when the Mende results were revealed ... I just felt  joy and a deep sense that faith had ironically brought our ancestors back home via Canada).  
 I have copied the family members who initially responded to the idea of travelling to Sierre Leone.  Roz and I have planned on  taking my mother there next year.  If you have any suggestions on travel agents, hotels, what time of year to go, we would greatly  appreciate it.
  
 My bigger dream is that we can in fact make this a family journey.  I would be willing to help organize even if the journey only has  20 of us.   That would still be a good number and manageable.  So, since you are our expert on our mother country, we are  reaching out to you for guidance, ideas, what is the best time of year to go in 2011, etc.  
 My telephone number is below or if you can give me your telephone number maybe we can chat and come up with a plan and  timeline.  (Plus I want to learn more about your time in Sierre Leone.).  Once we come up with a planned trip working as a small  committee, then we can present to the entire mail list for their feedback and hopefully joining up (I think that we need to give  folks at least a year to save up but maybe not!!!
  
 You may be interested in knowing too that I was one of Randall Robinson's first members and volunteers for Transafrica (there  was a Boston connection there).   Got great and fond memories of those early initiatives in the late 70's and early 80's before I  moved to St. Thomas for four years.
  
 Again, I think that I found my tearry eyed double in my Cousin Lynn in Canada.  Hope to talk to you soon (and maybe a trip north  would not be a bad idea either!)
  
 Viki
  
 PS  My moms loved that the video is travelling!!

" I da cum"   - To Africa that is!

To our US family -

Thank you so, so much for sharing the Video .  You cannot know the effect it had upon myself as well as others from the African  continent, Canada and other points abroad with whom I shared this joy. Personally, it took me by surprise and when the tears  began to instantaneously flow like a river, I had to stop and question my own personal  why's and wherefore's ? I couldn't pass it  on quick enough - everyone-the whole world needed to know  how much has been missing from our lives which the generational  gap has not removed.  Well done!

My dream even as a very little girl was always to visit my ancestral homeland of Africa.  I thank God I was part of family that  always saw the richness and value of having roots in such a  place unlike many African descendent people who embraced the  horrors and shame. Through vision, perseverance and divine guidance my Mom and I travelled there together  in 1980 and visited  5 countries, of which Sierra Leone was one. As most of you will know, our families left Nova Scotia to travel to Sierra Leone and  established Freetown.

Since then I have expanded my dreams and now have been on a mission to visit every country.  I try to go regularly and have  added the need to take a child/youth with me so they may experience early what it took  me to reach adulthood to find out about.   My next trip, God willing,  will be Ethiopia and Uganda in the fall of 2011. Others are welcome to come.

There is great developmental work happening there and we will observe, hoping to bring back to Canada the richness of the  culture and land so that we may share in each others  gifts.

Depending on the timing, I too would welcome a return visit to Sierra Leone, this time with extended family.

I would also invite you to an upcoming conference being held in London, England from Sept 30- Oct 3 which I hope to attend.   The world movement for reparations , as stated on the Global Afrikan Website  ( http://www.globalafrikancongress.org )  is as  follows

 

The Case for Reparations is Based on Four Premises:

Millions of slaves and their descendants are owed money for forced removal from their homeland in Africa; People of Afrikan descent require compensation for the loss of their culture; People of Afrikan descent are owed for the work their ancestors undertook for free; People of Afrikan descent deserve compensation for the acts of segregation and discrimination, sanctioned by the countries, that  perpetuated long after slavery had been abolished.

Check out their website, share with multitudes of  others,  and maybe I will see some of you in London also.

 

Love and peace,

Lynn

 

 
>>> "Roz Browne"  2010-07-13 15:48 >>>
This is so exciting. I am definitely in! 
Roz 

Subject: RE: Sierra Leone Trip

Hi Everyone,
    Watched the YouTube segment and I thought it was fantastic.  So some of us got Mende running through our veins.  Watch Amistad to get an idea of the tribe.  I have been to West Africa at least 10 times and almost that many to Sierra Leone.  I know Leone well I was there at the end of the war up until three years ago.  My Non-profit is in the heart of the city of Freetown. During my travels this has been the only country I walk among the locals without anyone knowing I'm from the USA until I open my mouth.  I think everyone should visit the Motherland at least once there is no other experience like it.  I'd return with the Jones Family just to see everyone's expression.  Be Blessed!

-----Original Message-----

Subject: RE: Sierra Leone Trip

Viki:

I think that is an excellent idea and you can count me in as an interested participant. It might be a good idea for you to discuss with my sister Lynn Jones. She is a very experienced traveler to Africa and has many connections there and in the travel industry.

Thanks.
 Roger

Subject: RE: Sierra Leone roots

Thank you for posting Cousin Roger.  I was the browne sister that got a  little to over joyed with confirmation of the Mende tribal connection ... but it  all makes sense in a full circle kinda way ... If anyone out there is interested  in taking a trip home to Sierre Leone, le'ts see if we can do so a a  family?