Adventure Travel Coming to AmericaPart 2: Star Scholar receives honors

Dr. Naby Camara arrives in the Washington Dulles Airport.

Dr. Naby Camara of Guinea, West Africa, arrived in Washington Dulles Airport on February 7 and was met by Dr. Jim Fisher and me. We spent the night at the home of Dr. Fisher’s brother–in–law then drove to Columbia via Norfolk, VA.

On Tuesday, Dr. Camara had lunch at the Shepherds Center where he will be speaking February 16 and 23. At 2 pm he was recognized at the SC Senate and presented a certificate by Senator John Courson.

The major purpose of Dr. Camara’s visit to Columbia was to have his failing vision corrected. Early Wednesday morning, Dr. Camara received an eye examination at the office of Dr. Rick Milne. It was determined that he did indeed have cataracts, but retinal damage was also detected so Dr. Milne referred him to Dr. Lloyd Clark. Dr. Camara received a thorough examination of his retina and it was determined that the malaria medicine he had been taking for years had damaged it. Dr. Clark recommended that Dr. Camara cease the malaria medicine immediately and proceed with the cataract surgery.

Dr. Naby Camara and Dr. Warner Montgomery stand in front of the USS Wisconsin which is now a museum in Norfolk, VA. Dr. Camara attended the Presidential Symposium at Allen University. He met Dr. Charles E. Young, president of the 135–year–old institution, several professors, and Earl Brown, assistant to Congressman Joe Wilson. Dr. Camara thanked Brown for assisting him in getting the visa to come to America. Later he visited Dr. Dean DuBois in the Providence Hospital and Dr. Barbara Fisher’s class at Crayton Middle School.

Dr. Camara and Dr. Fisher stand at the African–American Monument on the State House grounds. Dr. Camara notes that some of the slaves depicted at the auction may have come from his home village. On Friday, Dr. Camara was the guest of honor at the Explorers Club meeting where I gave a presentation on our Slave Trail Trek in June, 2004. Following my slideshow, Dr. Camara offered his comments and concluded, “My friends, I am the first person from my village, Farenya, to travel to America as a free man.”

Right: Dr. Naby Camara speaks with Dr. Barbara Fisher in her classroom at Crayton Middle School.

(Continued next week) Dr. Naby Camara prepares for eye surgery

Dr. Naby Camara is presented a certificate of recognition from SC Sen. John Courson. The presentation is attended by Dr. Jim Fisher, Sen. John Courson, Sen. John Matthews, Sen. Clementa Pinckney, and Dr. Warner Montgomery.Dr. Camara and Dr. Fisher stand over the diagram of a slave ship at the African–American Monument on the State House grounds.Devon, technician with Dr. Rick Milne, prepares Dr. Camara’s eyes for examination.Dr. Camara is injected with dye so his retinas can be examined by Dr. Lloyd Clark. Dr. Rick Milne examines Dr. Camara’s eyes.Dr. Camara visits Dean DuBois in Providence Hospital.After a morning of being examined, Dr. Camara enjoys his first meal at a fast food restaurant.