#BringBackOurGirls

Dear World,

Every girl in this world deserves to go to school without having to worry about being kidnapped.

We cannot allow terrorists to have their way!

Boko Haram is a group of religious extremists who exercise their beliefs through acts of terror. The group does not promote world peace, reconciliation and most importantly LOVE.

Moreover, in Nigeria, the group is against the education of girls seeing it as forbidden. This was their reason behind kidnapping more than 200 girls from boarding school. The kidnapped girls are being sold as child brides for about $12 each.

Let us join hands with Nigeria and the rest of the world as we fight against terrorism and raise our voices on social media through the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls

Also, you can sign this Change.org petition to ensure that world leaders come together and stand up to this act of terrorism. This time it could be Nigeria, hopefully our leaders will work to ensure that there is no next time in any other part of the world.

We have come too far as humankind to let the future heirs and heiresses of our planet to live in fear of getting educated because of cowardly acts by radical religious groups.

Click here to know more about various campaigns from around the world supporting #BringBackOurGirls.

Love,
Ayuma.

To New Beginnings in 2014

Today, a friend shared with me a story about a rite of passage carried out by one of the Native-American communities. Boys who have become of age would take-on the tradition by journeying to the center of a thick forest and camp there overnight. An additional challenge to the task is for each boy to go through the whole process while blind-folded. Some of the young men would spend the night in the forest, afraid and feeling unprotected. But at the end of the challenge, the blind folds would be removed and the first person the boy would see is his father. The boy would realize that his father was always there watching and guarding him with bow and arrow. This is the best story to hear as I plan to close this year’s chapter.

The year 2013 has been one rich cocktail of happenings; good and bad, happy and sad, wins and losses, learning and teaching and of course… the dramatic world of the unknown. As many ushered in 2013 with gilts and glam, cheer and beer… I began the year crying in my room because I had had the worst year ever in 2012. Who could have known that a year which began so ominously bad could have ended in such a peaceful and beautiful way?

Death snatched dear ones from me and I could do nothing else but just thank God for the time I had with them. I had to deal with depression early in the year and after healing I managed to draw my friends out of it. So many of us seemed to be suffering from the cruel fate of Murphy’s Law but now we all smile having tasted the sweet fruit of victory over our challenges. I think our tough times shape us into better people and I am glad to have seen the better side of all that I had gone through.

Right now, my life seems like a mess but I trust in God who sees the whole picture.

Right now, I am scared about half the things I am to face or that I pursue but I will do it anyway.

Right now, all I have is faith in God and a vision of the woman I want to be this coming year.

My duty is not to worry, but to carry-on with the task entrusted to me by God.

And so this coming year, I plan to obey dear God and trust that He will be me always:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” ~Joshua 1:9

Live. Love. Learn.

Here’s to a fabulous 2014 dear ones!

Yours Truly,

Ayuma.