I have had recurring dreams about swimming with sharks my whole life. Sometimes one big shark, other times whole families of sharks. Sometimes I have to fight being scared at some point during my dreams. When fear started to enter my mind during my latest dream a very large shark gently rubbed up against my body, when I was resting on the surface. The message I received was don’t be afraid when you are swimming with us act as if you are apart of the family and you belong down here with us. I was going to swim to the waters edge and get out because it was a large amount of sharks that was in my view not to mention in my dream it was night time but under the water I could see everything clearly. The fear started when I was younger early teens, I use to go boogie boarding in Long Beach CA and I use to try my hand at surfing occasionally. The best waves on that day was in the deep water. I caught a wave then all of the sudden I was ran over by a surfer from behind his board hit me in the head I went under. I had lost my sense of direction and didn’t know which way was up or down. Luckily my leash to my boogie board was still attached to my leg I used it to regain my sense of direction. I swam to the surface back to my boogie board, the surfer apologized then asked if I was alright he said I just didn’t see you. I didn’t feel well noticed I was bleeding from my head and decided to get out of the water. I got tired of paddling with my arms on my boogie board so I jumped off and started walking/hopping in water neck high. When my legs was suddenly impacted by a large fish. As soon as it touched me only one word popped into my mind shark! It knocked me up and half way out the water sideways. I fell right back into the water sideways right on top of the large fish I felt it’s skin it was right next to me. The power from the sharks tail swinging side to side trusting away from me was intense I felt it’s power being so close. Fast forward to the year 2003-2004 I was serving the the U.S. Air Force stationed in Qatar When a military member came into the office I was pulling T.A.SS duties (Tactical Automated Security System). He remembered when I had asked him if there are any missions to Africa I want to go. I was inspired by a long conversation I had with a African brother when I was stationed in Germany to see my mother land Africa at a bar. The military member who came in the office was the second in command for the Phoenix Raven Program which consisted of teams of specially trained security forces personnel dedicated to providing security for AMC (AIR Mobility Command) aircraft that transit high terrorist criminal threat areas. He offered a deal with me watch his back in the war zone and I will take you to see your mother land Africa. After receiving specialty training It was off to Baghdad International airport I was apart of these missions for months. I have completed missions way behind enemy lines no back up no support the air crew was very nervous during those times. On my last mission in Iraq a Frago mission came down the pipeline (Frago changes of existing orders to subordinate and supporting commanders). My plane was now a high valued target we received in coming fire right after take off and started to do 500 ft evasive maneuvers the load master was sending the pilots information to avoid being shot down. I put my extra bullet proof vest under my ass out of desperation and held on tight for the ride I was okay was losing a limb but I wanted my genitalia to remain on my body. We made a stop in Jordan to refuel and recharged the plane an old C-130 Hercules from the Vietnam era.
After that my next mission was in Africa during the trip the air crew was so tired and exhausted from leaving the combat zone. I was asked if I would be willing to fly the plane accompanied by a navigator I said yes I was able to accomplish two dreams of mine going to Africa and flying a plane. I was able to rest for many hours in transit so I was fresh. I was told on the mission briefing if we failed to land properly and went into the ocean in South Africa it was a good chance we would die on impact or get eaten by sharks. A lightning/thunder storm was detected on our radar I was instructed to fly around it (Baba Shango made his presence known). After being relieved of my flight duty the number 3 engine burst into flames the air crew had to shut it down. Then we lost LOX (liquid oxygen) we could no longer breath a 30 thousand feet so we had to fly very low. I was able to see the African landscape and take in the sights such as Mount Kilimanjaro. After landing successfully and inspecting the plane we did notice a few big holes in the noise of the plane. Was they caused by bullets or lightning strikes we wondered I did a number of missions in Africa after the plane was serviced and cleared to fly. On my last mission in Africa we landed in Kenya the load master may of made a miscalculation of the weight of the cargo and upon landing we busted a few tires plus two out of the four engines was down. We was stuck on the ground in Kenya for weeks. I was able to go to the Whitesands Beach resort in Mombasa Kenya located right on the coast to take a shower and to relax for a few hours once. There I met a brother on the beach and I asked him how was the water? He replied warm and loaded with sharks I said to him I’m going in. He looked at me like I was crazy and pleaded with me to not go in the water. You see I had embarked on a mission to conquer my fears years before this took place. I had a fear of heights from almost fallen off a mountain in the Californian forest. It was light snow/ice on the ground I was walking down a path from the top of the mountain when I slipped and couldn’t stop myself from sliding towards the edge of the mountain I threw myself on the ground to slow down but I kept sliding towards the edge a blessed bush saved my life, I grabbed it and It was strong enough to stop me, my feet was hanging over the edge of the mountain but I was okay. Part of the reason I joined the Air Force was to conquer my fear of heights. Now back to Africa I went waist/chest deep in the warm waters off the coast of Kenya loaded with sharks. I stayed there for about 30 mins inviting any sharks in the area to come and make peace with me or bring on the attack. I was not attacked so peace was made now through spiritual growth I can sense any near by sharks that are in the water close to me. You see this story is about conquering fear and taking control over your own mind, so the fears you once endured no longer have any control over your thoughts to hold you back in life. After returning to the aircraft we came under surveillance by the local African rebels. Tires was being burnt to send smoke signals to the other rebels in the area, to inform them that the American military was on the ground. I told my partner that I just had to endure the war zone in Iraq to make it to Africa and I didn’t want to have to fight my African brothers. We began making preparations for a fight after contacting the Marines Special Rescue Unit. I had sent a prayer to the universe and after a few days my prayer was answered, I was relieved of duty and on my way back to Qatar without spilling African blood.
