Blogrimage Dia Um: Angola

Let the blogging commence! Today is day one, and I must admit that I am super stoked to be writing this blog. Even if no one reads it I know I will enjoy learning more about the nations of the earth.
So, with that said, we will being this Blogrimage with the nation of Angola. For those of you who are geographically naive, like I am sometimes. It is in the in the south-central part of Africa along the Atlantic Coast...see picture below!

The official motto of Angola is ‘Virtus Unita Fortior’- a Latin phrase that means ‘Virtue is stronger when united.’ This is an intersting motto, because for over 25 years, this nations has been in a constant civil war, and is noted to be one of the most corrupt nations in the earth. It is intersting to me how this country often reflects what many people are like. On the outside they appear to be doing well, they will even tell you they are great and happy, but on the inside, these people are rotting with offense, anger and mistrust. I often wonder why people are so afraid for you to see who they really are. I guess to answer my own question it is because they do not know their value and worth in the eyes of the Lord. This is something that I think everyone struggles with at some point in their life. However, it is important to remember that your identity is in the Lord, not in man.

Now back to Angola. The 2 facts that I am going to focus on in each country is their capital and their flag. The capital city is Luanda and is located right on the coast. The flag is very symbolic to the history of Angola. Red represents the blood of the Angolans that were shed in their nation through oppression, and the struggle for freedom. Black stands for the African Continent, while the yellow cogwheel supports the peasants and laborers and also signifies the wealth of Angola. A wealth that is found in their oil and diamond industry.

So, to sum up what I have learned about Angola, I would say that it is rich in history. If i were to meet an Angolan one day, I would love to listen to their stories of life in Africa, however, these tales would also be full of death and what it means to loose everything. I am sure there are thousands of untold stories in the nation of Angola, and many that I would love to hear.

Oh, and by the way, they speak Portuguese, which is what "Day One" is written in above!