When most people think of Louisiana, the prevailing thought is Mardi-Gras, oil refineries, the natural gas industry and riverboat casinos. Even though this seems normal for Louisianians, the true resource is found within Muslim followers of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad under the divine leadership of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.
An overcast day with expected rain didn’t deter the desire of the believers in the Nation of Islam’s Homer Study Circle. North Louisiana was blessed to receive The P.A.T.H. Training Seminar on November 10-12. The training was conducted by Brother Hashim Hakim at the invitation of Student Coordinator, Brother William X of the Homer Study Circle.
Participants traveled to Homer from other cities to benefit from the training, including Monroe and Shreveport, Louisiana, and also from Eldorado, Ark. P.A.T.H. is an acronym for Patience, Attitude, Technique and Humility.
Brother Hashim Hakim is a top salesman in Final Call newspaper distribution and has conducted several trainings around the country to share knowledge and techniques to increase distribution. During the seminar, questions were asked to the attendees as a quiz to reinforce the information learned. Once the test was passed, participants were rewarded with a P.A.T.H. ball cap and t-shirt.
After the seminar, the Fruit of Islam (F.O.I.) were led into the field with crispness and precision into a historic area called “Buck Bottom,” as our Saviour Master Fard Muhammad went door-to- door in “Black Bottom” Detroit, Michigan. We were led by Brother Hashim, door-to-door and house-to-house, throughout the communities in Homer. The presence of the M.G.T. and G.C.C. (the Women of the Nation of Islam) was front and center in the training as well.
The day concluded with a debriefing and the information for first-time guests was collected who needed a ride to Sunday service. Then we were blessed by the mighty M.G.T. with a healthy, organic meal consisting of navy bean soup, cream of wheat bread, whiting fish, teriyaki chicken, vegetables, vegetable rice, cheesecake and fresh strawberry-lemon cake.
On day two of training, Bro. Hashim met with Bro. Jushawn X who is a young rapper in from El Dorado, Ark. The brothers gave out invitations to Sunday service and distributed The Final Call newspaper for several hours.
On day three, the F.O.I. went to pick up guests who needed a ride to the Sunday meeting. Allah (God) blessed the fruits of our labor with eight acceptances and six first-time guests. Bro. Hashim said, “This is our way of devotion, and we must be consistent in going after our people who are lost.”
Student Minister Marvin Muhammad of the Shreveport Study Group who was an attendee that Friday at the seminar, said, “We thank Allah for our brother! The training is invaluable, which was seen in the Sunday meeting. The impact of his visit was truly felt and appreciated!”
Brother Laurence X agreed. “Witnessing the genuine smiles and warm embraces exchanged as we, a united community, reached out to one another with open arms, left an indelible mark on my soul,” he said.
Bro. Hashim credits his mentor, the late Student Lt. Khalil Muhammad of Chicago, for his dedication and upon those whose shoulders we stand upon.
—Submitted by William X, Homer, La. Study Circle Student Coordinator
