This is an autobiographical essay describing the experiences which the author endured while attending a major educational institution. Stemming from this and subsequent incidents and occurrences is a strengthened relationship with God, who delivered the author from devil worshippers and other adversaries.
As this essay upholds, it reveals some of the reasons why the author underwent some of her experiences. Things revealed to the author include mysteries of the universe, the order of things, and what is in store for mankind and the future of mankind.
The author was born with a mission predetermined by God Himself. Through her ever-growing relationship with God and her never-ending search for truth, the identity of the returned Messiah was revealed to her.
As the author reflects back upon her uncanny experiences, her childhood and growing up, one can understand why she is different, a Chosen One ("Many are called, but few are chosen"). The incredible events that take place span over the author s life and beyond. They all add up to say, "Yes, the author is truly the sent one!"
The author, Asalia Rasheed, is from River Rouge, a small city on the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan. Her formal education was in the public school system. Upon graduation from high school, Ms. Rasheed received a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh. She attended the University of Pittsburgh from 1970 to 1973 then transferred back to Detroit, where she attended Wayne State Univesity. From WSU she attained a bachelor of arts degree in psychology in 1975.
Ms. Rasheed has held a number of professional positions including a typist for the Wayne County Circuit Court Administrative Office in Detroit. She taught Algebra 1 and Essential Mathematics for the River Rouge High School Adult Education Program. The author has also taught leadership skills and journalism to Detroit public school students, from eighth to twelfth grades. She has worked with emotionally impaired teens in residential and school settings. Ms. Rasheed also worked as a statistical typist for a mental health facility, and as an employment service interviewer with the Michigan Employment Security Commission and a disability examiner for the Disability Determination Service for Social Security. She was a volunteer worker for the Coalition for the Black Family, in conjunction with the Detroit Urban League and other black organizations. Additionally, Ms. Rasheed directed the Downriver Community Gospel Choir.
The author is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the African-American Women s Entrepreneur Network, African-American Writers and Poets Organization, an associate member of the Voices of Union Second Baptist Church and has been a member of Word of Faith International Christian Center since 1994. Past memberships were with all the alumni associations of Wayne State University, Detroit Black Writers Guild, Nafe, a member and board member of Core City, a member and board member of the National Coaltion of 100 Black Women, Inc., the Detroit Chapter, NAACP, the Downriver Community Choir, the Excelsior Choir of Union Second Baptist Church, and the Penn Center Organization of Detroit.
I was very afraid to leave the building alone, and at first I hesitated. I considered phoning Keith to have him come and pick me up from the police station. I knew they expected to see me leave the building at a certain time and I just didn t trust that inspector and his friends. I finally left, however, and headed toward the lawyer s office.
While I was talking to the lawyer, a woman walked into the room. She began checking the books in what looked to be a library. When she turned toward me I saw a black mark on her forehead! From that point I kept my eyes on her while I spoke with the lawyer.
When I finished consulting with the lawyer he directed me to the public defender s office for free legal assistance. As I was walking down the hall outside the lawyer s office, I met another woman coming toward me, who also had a mark on her forehead. This woman said that she would show me to the person who could give me the information about the public defender.
I went into another office, and a young blond woman turned toward me. She had a big black round mark on her forehead. I gasped, and when she asked me if she could help me, I told her that was okay, I had all the information I needed.
Suddenly it dawned on me what was happening. As impossible as it seemed, I was having a vision, a revelation! God was showing me what was at the root of all the things that were going on. These people had the mark of the devil.
When I was a little girl my mother told me that God s Holy Children carried a white mark in their foreheads. The mark that I had been seeing was black, just the opposite. It was hard to believe, but it is true, I actually saw black marks!
I collected myself, got back on the bus, and went back to campus. Back on campus I started walking down the street looking at people s foreheads. I saw the black mark on some, and no marks on others. Then, I thought about some of the people I was suspicious of. Would they have the mark or not? I want to look for them, and discovered that those who I felt would have the mark in fact had it.
I knew that those people were aware that I saw the mark, that God had given me a vision exposing them. I had always been a skeptic. My thing had always been show me, because seeing is believing. In my heart I knew that if I had not seen these things with my own eyes, if anyone had told me about this, I would have told them they were crazy.
The day went on and I continued thinking about some of the things I d been taught in church. I also remembered something my close girlfriend s mother had told us during our first year on campus. She was watching a TV talkshow and heard they were going to interview a guest who was the head of the Church of Satan in California. She tried to call to let us know about it. The man said that their biggest following was in Pittsburgh!
At about 6 p. m. that evening, after it was dark, I took a walk through campus.
As I was walking down the street, the entire sky lit up. Everyone around stopped and looked up, including me. I heard an already white man say. "It s a sign of a good omen."
I looked up into the sky and there was a big beautiful rainbow lighting up the whole sky. Then it started to rain a little. I looked up again and smiled to myself and said, "Pittsburgh had been shined on today."
Since I knew what was happening now, I tried to phone home to speak to my mother. I wanted to tell her that I needed to come home and get some blessed crosses. However, when I dialed the number, a recorded, message said that the line was being "serviced for trouble." It s funny that on that day, March 5, 1973, the phone company just happened to be working on my parent s pole and line. Why?
