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By Zena Henry It is undoubtedly one of the most hated transgressions that can be committed against a people, and for many, the mere thought of the torturous journey endured by Africans during the quest for labour to build the New World centuries ago, invokes rage and disbelief.It involved weeks and sometimes months of being chained below deck on slave ships, tossing in their own and the faeces of fellow countrymen, hunger, fear and most times, death.So what could inspire nine men to hike all the way to Africa from Guyana? Of course they are free men and they don’t have the whips of slave masters on their backs, so what could cause a man to go out of his way, through some of the harshest and most dangerous terrains to go back to the place that his ancestors were stolen from?Compton Fergerson and Lawrence Renville after speaking to Kaieteur News in New YorkFor Lawrence Renville, a 58-year- old Guyanese residing in America, the trip was about marking several events: “to coincide with the 500 years that Columbus encountered the New World, the 400 years of the African slave trade from the West Coast of Africa and to symbolize the struggle of African slaves brought across the middle passage.”Lawrence and 72-year-old Compton Ferguson, called “Fergo or Fergie” are two of the seven men who survived the intended African journey which has so far reached as far as the United States.The group of travelers was founded in the late 1980s by Linford Schultz, the author of “ From Continent to Continent” In Search of a New Life”  and “The Stowaway Posse” published by Vantage Press New York in 2000.Schultz, now deceased, developed the idea from his “From Continent to Continent” book. As he and Lawrence were seeking to re-write the piece, all the right reasons for a physical journey to the Motherland seemed so relevant. As such,Cheap Stitched Jerseys, for one year, the team began to prepare for the trip over land, rivers, seas,Cheap Jerseys From China, plains, through jungles and even war zones.They were able to gain endorsements, sponsorships and recognition, while gathering the relevant documentation for their travel.  There was a hike from Crabwood Creek to Georgetown to highlight the project. Lawrence said that they received good support from locals. The Lions, Rotary Club and YMCA were very instrumental.The government also lent its support, with endorsements out of the Office of the Prime Minister, while equipment came from Da Silva’s Optical and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).With the support and contributions from the various agencies, the team could wait no longer, so on June 1, 1989 the members departed Guyana for Africa.The nine men had planned to walk across South,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Outlet, Central and North America, then into Europe and into Africa. Three went along West Coast Demerara to the Essequibo Coast,Cheap Jerseys China, into the Pomeroon River and into Venezuela. Six started out by steamer and the others through the North West District of Mabaruma into White Water Creek into Venezuela.It was 800 miles of river and Jungle through the North West route and many times the group had to split up to travel as hitched rides only had space for a few persons.Lawrence had taken the West Coast route and ended up in the Venezuelan community of San Felix then to Puerto Ordaz, and Caracas.Lawrence was always with Schultz; they used boats, got rides and other forms of transportation during their journey. As they went on, they received help from local authorities for safety tips on hiking, transport and even got security when needed.  The group did community work with the country’s YMCA where they stayed from about a month before heading on to Maracaibo; the next major city.From there they hitched rides and continued walking. The group that went through the Pomeroon was always two weeks ahead, Lawrence said. They were basically going through and letting the various areas know that the group was coming behind and would be passing through.From Maracaibo, the group then entered Colombia through Maicao, a city on the Atlantic Coast, then onto Santa Marta and up to Cartagena. The team then hopped onto a plantain boat. “By then it was about five or six of us who had regrouped.”The next stop was across the mountains of Puerto Obaldia, Lawrence said. But at the Panama border at least three persons turned back into Colombia when the group was denied access due to instability.Lawrence and his group rerouted and found another way into Panama and kept going until they arrived at Panama City, then to the Pan-American Highway where they hitched a ride to Costa Rica,Cheap Wholesale Jerseys, then to Nicaragua. But again they encountered difficulty as that country was experiencing war.Another boat was taken to a place called Saint Andres and then to El Salvador. “It’s about eight months now that we were travelling and wear and tear started taking a toll on us,” Lawrence recalled. Eventually he had to tell his team that he couldn’t go on as he was going blind and needed medical attention. He returned to Colombia.By this time,Cheap Basketball Jerseys, one person by the name of O.K. Grant had died after falling off a pier in Belize. Another person had to be taken back to Guyana after getting malaria in Colombia. The other persons were able to go on to Belize, into Mexico and into the United states. Lawrence joined his fellow travelers eventually after flying the rest of the journey to the United States.“The hike was to go to Africa; to span three continents, America is the first base and it hasn’t ended yet. Life continues,Cheap China Jerseys, and this is all part of the journey. I have not seen the end of it because the end is to Senegal,” Lawrence continued.The aim is to get to Africa to the Commemorative monument for the slave trade and have a celebration after the journey through the continents back into Africa before we return to Guyana. The former Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara resident said that it was worth the piranha attacks after their canoe capsized, and the days and nights of paddling up a river and encountering crocodiles. “The motivation for me was just to get to Africa.”But life is unpredictable; today Lawrence is a professional photographer with a multimedia film, video and music studio. He is married with five children. Ferguson is retired from his work at a nursing home. The former Bartica resident has five children and is no stranger to adventure after stowing away to England in his earlier days.According to Lawrence, the next step to completing this journey is to regroup and plan for the future; and remembering Linford Schultz who founded the movement.