Psalm 16:1-2 (NIV)-Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” I say.

It was 1978, when I was dying of a cocaine overdose. It was not my intention to die that night in this manner. It was the night before the birth of Jesus Christ. I have had many encounters with death in my neighborhood. During my childhood, death touched others but not me. My encounter was to come years later. This Christmas Eve, it was a personal encounter. It had been so many dying in difficult situations. It would not serve my purpose to recall those experiences now. What I do remember is that Christmas Eve when I was twenty-one. I lived above the red-light district a few blocks for Dupont Circle where men were in search of prostitutes. I was not looking for a prostitute. Instead, I was trying to get away from the inner-city life. It was not by a gunshot wound or stabbing by a knife that brought me horror this night. 

Now death was touching me, reaching for me. The snowflakes danced outside my window. It reminded me of my younger years.  Snowflakes would land on my tongue.  It was my last memory of childhood before it all went bad. Now, for a split second, there was peace and light that would turn into darkness. I crawled from my bed to the floor in search of air. I crawled back into the bed in search of air. My chest was as if it was an explosion inside of me. The room began to fade into black, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Fear moved into my mind and body. The fear of dying into a blackhole. 

I had a friend in my childhood for many years. We walked the inner-city streets together. Walking in alleys to avoid the violence and the people associated with it. My introduction to Jesus was by my foster mother Dee. She sang hymns while listening to the AM radio station playing gospel music. Her flower dresses didn't hide her wounds from diabetes.  Her arthritic fingers brought her pain. She had been washing clothes for many winters. The old, rusted ringer washing machine, on the porch floor covered with snow. I would listen to hear while she spoke about Jesus. Day and night Jesus was what she knew about. Fallen asleep still hymning to Jesus. All this talk about God and Jesus left me wondering who Jesús was? In addition, who was God, and what did he know? In my mind, I questioned what He knew? Maybe he knew that I was afraid living in that neighborhood? Maybe he knew I wanted to be with him? Noise and gunfire and endless screams. Where was this Jesus Dee talked about so much?

Amidst all this chaos and turmoil there were moments of peace and quiet within me. My aunt Lucille took me to Holy Redeemer Catholic church for morning mass each day. I was eleven and found a different relationship with Jesus. Sitting in the pew in an empty church. The light of the votive candles in red, blue, and yellow colorful glasses. The altar candle flame flicked. There was tranquility now. It was so peaceful sitting there before having to go back into the war zone. However, this sense of peace stayed with me. Until, Christmas night at twenty-one. The war returned for me. I hadn't escaped. I felt the terror of all those years coming to life. A confused mind and a heart racing. Where was Jesus who had walked with me?      

I wanted Jesus, I needed Jesus, I pleaded with Jesus. Oh, that eternal suffering like in childhood. It was frightening without my friend. Dying without my friend. However, leaving the church after praying it was different. There was a sense of serenity which evaporated slowly. It slowly creeped into my existence in this moment of crawling on the floor. My existence began to slip away. It had all returned and I had not escaped.  I wanted to escape the streets and not die in childhood. However, I was dying in a rooming house alone. My body would be found and taken to the morgue. I had watched children taken that final ride in that black car as the crowd watched. All those sleepless nights back then. Those black cars with the certain closed. I wanted this Jesus Dee spoke about. I wanted God to know I wasn't ready to die back then and not now. 

"Please, God Save me" was my prayer. Finally, Christmas morning snowflakes gently fell.  Inside my mind and emotions, I was feeling disoriented, which seemed to last for years. Nothing made sense. I wasn't sure if I had survived. I prayed to God to stay with me. I wanted my friend. I wanted Jesus. The night of the demons had passed. Salvation and Redemption came to me. A promise my promise to follow Jesus Christ. My life now has meaning and purpose unlike that Christmas Eve. It has taken forty-five years to understand what Dee always knew and I knew the Jesus Dee always talked about.

Dear Heavenly Father, you did not forsake me. My night of despair you loved me. My heart belongs in your sanctuary where there is peace.  Amen. 

Sugar Stars

Sweetness through the years
sugar stars in your eyes

your touch
instantly making me what you love

walking together
along an endless sea of tranquility

threats of the distant world
only making us stronger together

moon blushing
when we press deep

sitting together on a high peak
our bare feet stirring the night

your humming into a sigh
speeding up the slow spin of the earth

morning coming
again and again.


Then the Rain Came

Catching hold of us
near reaching the end

last glances
of the tease of comets

clutching into the last press
of our togetherness

building
into tears

dripping down into the dry leaves
of the tree we played in

the surrounding forest of our youth
encompassed by a city of sin

all the world has turned into itself
a twisting of ages we could have conquered

but we were too busy
trying to love our way out.


This is the End

On the last island
an apple tree
with the waters closing in

wave after wave
no one there
to say goodbye

not even a bird in the sky
to land on a branch
and sing the final song.


And Then God Spoke

No matter how bad it gets
it seems there has to be more

Space has no end
no wall stopping the run of time

Man and his mistakes
lifted high above the evil

God's love
forever forgiving.


Stephen Jarrell Williams trying to find his way home...  Listening to the rain, and wind, and the calling of God.  He can be found on X Twitter @papapoet

Moonlight Memories
 
The moonlight lingers long 
Over the shadows of my soul. 
Penetration eludes the mind 
In the silvery brightness of being. 
Waves of longing sweetness 
Hold my body prisoner 
Of memory’s braille fingers 
Touching my body’s holy places 
Lingering as the face of dawn 
Peeks in the curtained window. 
All night long the wild gypsy song 
Played across the softness of night 
And drew its bow with aching delight 
Across the muscled hardness 
Of your straining body, dripping 
Such honey over my glistening skin. 
Is it any wonder I resent the day; 
The hours dragging morning 
Past the fresh memory of your mouth 
While I dream of our shadowed bed 
Hung with moonlight, tracing 
The outline of your heaving form? 
O hurry day and draw the shade of night, 
For I am bathed; perfumed; and waiting, 
Wearing nothing but the memory of your kiss!


Time Was
 
Time was when a gale wind 
Swept across the field of wheat 
Making it look like a golden sea. 
Time was when the windmill whirred 
Filling the water trough for the horses, 
And the chickens scratched in the barnyard 
And the rooster crowed heralding dawn 
While I dreamed under winter covers on my bed. 
Time was when I could see my breath in the air 
When I stuck my head from under the quilt 
And smelled the scent of fresh coffee; pancakes 
And hot Maple Syrup and heard bacon frying. 
Time was when I jumped eagerly out of bed 
And greeted the outstretched arms of day 
With golden legs ready to run joyously 
Over the fields, meadows and streams 
And taste the wind in my hungry soul. 
Time was when the earth laughed 
Like a high-spirited child running through puddles 
Making mud pies and humming to itself. 
Time was when I dreamed of growing up; 
Being a woman; becoming a bride; having babies 
And flower gardens filled with tender longings; 
And I dreamily awaited someone I knew, I knew. 
Time was when you came calling like morning dew 
And I opened the door of my soul to you.


Annie Johnson is 84 years old. She is Shawnee Native American. She has published two, six hundred-page novels and six books of poetry. Annie has won several poetry awards from world poetry organizations including; World Union of Poets; she is a member of World Nations Writers Union; has received the World Institute for Peace award; the World Laureate of Literature from World Nations Writers Union and The William Shakespeare Poetry Award. She received a Certificate and Medal in recognition of the highest literature from International Literary Union for the year 2020, from Ayad Al Baldawi, President of the International Literary Union. She has three children, two grandchildren, and two sons-in-law. Annie played a flute in the Butler University Symphony. She still plays her flute.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATION PROSPECTS OF USE

Nowadays, digital technologies are actively used in all spheres of life, in particular, they serve the rapid development of the economy, banking, service sector, as well as the educational process. All citizens living in the country, including young children and pensioners, are forming the opinion that all problems in society can be solved through digital technologies. In addition, the robotization of production and management processes, for example in the banking sector, raises the issue of competition between robots and workers. With the undoubted benefit of digital technologies, issues related to ethical, personal data protection, legal aspects of competition between robots and employees of organizations are increasingly being considered.

In this regard, as the President of our country, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, stated, “To achieve development, it is necessary and necessary to acquire digital knowledge and modern information technologies. This gives us the opportunity to take the shortest path to ascension. After all, information technologies are deeply penetrating all areas of the world today. Of course, we know very well that the formation of the digital economy requires the necessary infrastructure, a lot of money and labor resources. However, no matter how difficult it is, if we don’t start today, when will we?! Tomorrow will be too late.”

It is possible to widely introduce digital technologies in state and community management, social sphere, increase efficiency, in a word, dramatically improve people’s lives. The digital economy is not only a type of activity, but also business, industrial facilities, quality education and services. The term “digital” refers to the active use of information technologies in all areas. If in the ordinary economy material goods are considered the main resource, in the digital economy it will be information and data that can be processed and transmitted. After their analysis, a solution for proper management is developed.

It is not surprising that the educational system today is absorbed by digital technologies, because it serves as a basis for serious analysis and pedagogical justification of many things that are offered in the information space today. It is also important that in recent years, no research has been conducted on the basis of any state project or survey on the problems of “digitalization” of education and its impact on its formation. At the same time, we can see the importance of the influence of the environment on the Internet system on the minds of young people in the reports of the government, modern mass media, pedagogical public discussions, researches of graduate students and researchers, as well as deputies. It should be noted that before we were limited to the implementation of digital technologies in all spheres, that is, industry, economy, banking and other spheres. Today, taking into account that the digital economy is rapidly developing, deputy heads of all areas of digital development are included in the position.

Activation in the direction of digitization is being carried out in all business structures. Today, digital technologies are “aggressive” in all areas, especially where economic benefits are found, and are being supported at all levels. The dynamics of the processes taking place in the economy require an active position of the educational community in the analysis and development of proposals for the development of higher education in the digital transformation of the economy.

What needs to be done to effectively use digital technologies in education while maintaining the quality of teaching?

– we should improve the Internet infrastructure in our country, increase the quality of services provided by mobile operators, and most importantly, create conditions and privileges for the population, especially students and young people, to master the latest achievements of modern information and communication technologies;

– expanding the scope of using digital technologies in the organization of the educational process and developing information resources, teaching tools and distance learning technologies, to involve creative students in digitization projects of the university and make suggestions to the competent authorities on making changes to the normative legal documents regulating the activities of higher education institutions, organization of centers, including structures equipped with high-performance digital devices, classrooms, laboratories, media studios, etc., and application of the experience gained there in all higher education institutions of Uzbekistan;

– ensuring the solid integration of modern information and communication technologies and educational technologies, creating additional conditions for the continuous development of the professional skills of pedagogues in this regard;

– organizing and conducting courses for improving the qualifications of teachers on topics such as the use of interactive presentation systems, the development of interactive and multimedia presentations in connection with the Internet for lectures and seminars;

– implementation of distance learning process at any time using real-time interactive presentation systems, video conference communication systems, virtual halls, electronic resources;

– the use of cloud technologies, virtual reality, augmented reality and the use of a 3D printer in the development of didactic materials and experimental designs, as well as, it is necessary to develop scientific websites for the application of digital didactics and digital education models, for teachers and students to discuss projects, theses, scientific research, etc. Only then will we be able to use digital technologies to provide students and young people with knowledge at the level of today’s demand without lowering the quality of education.

It should be noted separately that today our life is connected with techniques and technologies in every way, that is, the time from early in the morning until the end of planning and studying. We wanted to create an opportunity for beneficial use of technologies to improve and develop the quality of education. When the tablet becomes an element of education, children are more interested in the learning process. It is equivalent to combining classical education with play. As a result, the school will improve, assimilation, level of education and efficiency of personnel training will increase. An educated generation, professional personnel are the guarantee of the development of the society on a large scale.

In conclusion, today’s classrooms are very different from ten years ago, and classrooms are equipped with computers, iPads, tablets, smart boards, and other types of educational technology. As in other parts of the world, a seven-screen generation of the digital generation – television, computer, tablet, tablet, phablet, smartphone and smartwatch – is emerging in Uzbekistan. As a result of having such a dense digital environment and constant interaction with it, the thinking and information processing processes of today’s students are fundamentally different from the previous thinking and information processes. The digital generation cannot and should not be taught the way our parents learned. It is not possible to use blackboard and white chalk in teaching this generation. Changing the blackboard to white and the chalk to a marker doesn’t change anything, it’s not the way to motivate today’s students to learn and develop the skills to succeed in the job market. It is necessary to adapt the educational system to the digital generation through mass and effective use of innovative educational technologies and didactic models based on modern information and communication technologies. At the same time, it is necessary to actively use the approach based on research in the educational process, and with this, it is possible to develop the skills of students in scientific research and to form their creative abilities and creative thinking based on IT competence.

Information and communication technologies are not a solution to all problems in the education system, but a tool for making lectures and seminars informative and interactive for the digital generation. It should also be noted that teachers retain the main role in the interactive learning process focused on the needs of students.

Author: Madina Fayzullaeva

Master’s student in the field of “Management of educational institutions” in the faculty of Pedagogy of Chirchik State Pedagogical University in Uzbekistan

Desire

 Don't come near me, out of my mind
 I will not reveal my heart to you.
 You see, you come to my heart,
 I still can't go to you.

 A bird fell from the sky on my shoulder,
 You are the dark nights that haunt me.
 Just a dream in your mind,
 One day you will hurt your heart.

 The winds slap my face,
 If you miss me, don't come near me.
 Heartbreak is something that
 I still remember the feelings!

Nasimova Rukhshona is from the Samarkand region, Urgut district, Kenagas neighborhood. She is a 1st year student of Tashkent International University of Financial Management and Technologies
Faculty of Uzbek language and literature

Sweeping the snow from the face of the earth,
 Spring leading the flowers.
 Driving the cold chain,
 Spring leading the sun.

 welcome spring
 Congratulations step girl.
 welcome new day
 Welcome Navruz.

 To all hearts not yet awakened,
 The spring that seals love,
 Bringing smiles to bright faces,
 The spring that chases away sorrows.

 welcome spring
 Loving girl.
 welcome new day
 Welcome Navruz.

 To the blue buried in black darkness,
 Spring with seven different glosses.
 To every creature locked in a room,
 The spring that opens the doors of the world.

 welcome spring
 A good girl.
 welcome new day
 Welcome Navruz.

 Tumors and dark eyebrows,
 The swallow has landed its wings.
 Fill the pot with pilaf, soups,
 Tabarruk collected sumak.

 Welcome my spring
 Blessed girl.
 welcome new day
 Welcome Nowruz!

 This time you came more beautiful than ever,
 Welcome, happy Ramadan.
 You showered blessings on the ground,
 Thank you, we are already.

 welcome spring
 A Muslim girl.
 welcome new day
 Welcome Nowruz!

Kutlug Nigor was born on January 22, 1999 in the Qamashi district of Kashkadarya region.

A Vision

We all come to make a promise happen
Beg you to welcome us with arms wide open
Individual Muses together we Awaken
We all as one family a duty is given
We bring to you our sacred mountain
You bring us your wind and terrain
Let us Heal the world dying with pain
Our spirits blended evil power to drain
Our cultures and skills to Inspire
Let there be no more slaves and master sire
To Unite for true Change to transpire
No Pride No Greed No violent Desire
Let us forge a chain of Equality
All men be free even in Diversity
Show the world true meaning of Humanity
Artists and Poets, that is our moral duty
Let us be blind to Colors of Race
Let us be deaf to Discrimination phrase
No Gender No Age to hide our face
No Fame No Richness No Name to trace
We shall all stand with our heads up
Each one in loving arms to wrap
Let no lies or doubts set up trap
We all rise with Honor on our lap



Words be True

Words may cover ones heart
Yet time shows where they start
Lines connect to tear them apart
Beware from goal never depart
Words may cover as mask
Yet time will put them to task
Lines to show the inside of a husk
Beware one's own heart always ask
Words may others convince
Yet time filters all ever since
Lines drawn whether a lie wince
Beware one's own truth never mince
Always walk on one's true path
Lest one gather the judge's wrath


Lilian Dipasupil Kunimasa was born January 14, 1965, in Manila Philippines. She has worked as a retired Language Instructor, interpreter, caregiver, secretary, product promotion employee, and private therapeutic masseur. Her works have been published as poems and short story anthologies in several language translations for e-magazines, monthly magazines, and books; poems for cause anthologies in a Zimbabwean newspaper; a feature article in a Philippine newspaper; and had her works posted on different poetry web and blog sites. She has been writing poems since childhood but started on Facebook only in 2014. For her, Poetry is life and life is poetry. 

Lilian Kunimasa considers herself a student/teacher with the duty to learn, inspire, guide, and motivate others to contribute to changing what is seen as normal into a better world than when she steps into it. She has always considered life as an endless journey, searching for new goals, and challenges and how she can in small ways make a difference in every path she takes. She sees humanity as one family where each one must support the other and considers poets as a voice for Truth in pursuit of Equality and proper Stewardship of nature despite the hindrances of distorted information and traditions.