On a Mission

Born and reared in Iowa, author Jane Banks McIntosh had always felt a need to connect with her African roots. She made a pilgrimage to Senegal and The Gambia, where she formed a powerful bond with some of her African relatives. After returning to America, she was invited to attend a wedding in Dakar, Senegal. Bursting with excitement, Jane accepted without hesitation and began making plans to attend that special event. Her adventures continued when she witnessed one kind of corruption in that part of Africa as she crossed the overland border to reunite with her newfound family in The Gambia. But an unexpected visit to a village in the bush provided her an opportunity to interview the village chief and to see the other side of this magnificent country and meet some of its people. Five years later, Jane's experiences came full circle when she was bestowed the African name Fatou Ndoye at a ceremony held in her honor in Dakar. Rich with the beauty of the African landscape and her people, On a Mission: Mamadou's Wedding and My Naming Ceremony artfully captures this woman's quest to connect with her ancestry.