Cold, Cake & Campaigning!!

So, It has been over a month since I last blogged! o_O...say WAHHHH?? Where oh where has time gone?! My life right about now mainly consists of chasing time. Needless to say the word 'BUSY' is far too inferior to fully fathom just how crazy the past few weeks have been!! The simply fact that I am writing this blog at 1am in the morning completely explains it all. I hear you ask WHAT is this thing that has been keeping me on my feet? Well, If I were to scribe a detailed description...this post would turn into a book, I swear! Thankfully, I've been learning a thing or two about getting to the chase...you know, not dragging things, endless round-abouts of stories, tales, explanations, everything. So this is my attempt to summarise briefly the journey to my true authenticity for the past 6 weeks.

It all started with a cold...

As you know, I am back in University for my final year and I'm determined to make the most of it all! I don't know quite what I am going to do with myself this time next year.(That's a whole 'nother topic it itself). But the excitement of it all, and the sudden change of environment and routine had a toll on me. Exactly 1 week after moving back I was attacked! It started with a little 'weekend cold' as I like to call it. (I'm so immune to it, I even named it..yes, I KNOW, it's pretty sad). Which was closely followed by 2 consecutive migraines (the worst kind of pain I have ever had, no joke). And slowly as the week enrolled, I knew I was down. To make matters worst my asthma also decided to join the party...that's when It got interesting. I hastily wanted to continue with my schedules, putting on a brave face & just get some work done but my body was telling me otherwise. That's when I got it. I HAD to take my health more seriously! To cut the story short, I was down for the whole week, and was stuck in bed for 3 days! The best part of the story was when Mama came down to visit me on the weekend, as she wasn't going to believe I was feeling 'much better' until she saw me with her own two eyes. Thankfully, not only did she provide some TLC, but some scrumptious African food to soothe my weak self. Thank God for loving parents. That's all i have to say...for now.

The ultimate home-made Chocolate Birthday Cake...

The week after, I was back on my feet again and ready to conquer my assignments. A close friend of ours had her birthday coming up & we planned to throw her a surprise party. One of those intimate, close friends only environment. A perfect time to catch up & enjoy each others company. The week had been a hectic one, I had started to organise an awareness Campaign to raise the profile of my home country 'DR Congo' around campus. Because I was ill the previous week, It threw me behind schedule to go about and recruit people to help organise, book venues and generally get the words out. We had only 2 weeks to put is all together. But again, thanks to wonderful friends/connections I have, we managed to organise events & venues by the end of week one, which was a miracle in itself. As for me, the weekend was a signal for 'take it easy'. So the birthday celebration was in full swing. We cooked all day, YES, all day...we're Africans, timing is the least of our problem. And the fun began, full of lots of laughter, games & music playing in the background. Of course, birthdays are made extra special with a cake and candles lit. Eyes closed, and making a wish! I had decided to bake the cake, just because it makes it more loving & personal. I baked a mouth-watering chocolate cake, the ultimate birthday cake in my opinion decorated simply, as the secret was in the taste. this is how it turned out:

Congo Week Campaign

So the campaign was basically to commemorate the millions of lives lost in one of the world's most forgotten war and scramble for Congo's minerals. But also, to celebrate the human and natural potential that exists in the country. It is part of the movement calling 'Breaking the Silence' which does exactly what it says on the tin. It's a plea to raise awareness about the catastrophic situation in the heart of Africa, and to shout that the innocent population who have lost their lives in this senseless was are NOT forgotten, and through educating people about the tragedy, the purpose is to provoke activism in schools, Universities, community & the countries we reside in at large. The initiative started about 5 years ago and since then has become a global movement, galvanising the participation of about 60 countries and over 300 universities and organisations who pledge to host the event once a year, in mid of October. Since I found out about it a few years back I knew I wanted to be a part of it, especially being from Congo myself & being extremely fond of Peace & Justice Campaigns. Since I moved to University, I had always had this idea in mind...to host events that will not only educate people but most importantly change the mentality that we have towards Africa in general. It wasn't until I got in touch with one of the organisers of 'Friends of the Congo' that I knew it had to be through them. The timing had to be perfect, it HAD to be this year. I had met more people who knew about the idea & students who thirsted to find out more. We organised Film screenings, a silent demonstration, and talks to dialogue about the situation together, understanding the history of Congo, the present social struggles & future HOPE. I was completely overwhelmed by the response we had. If it wasn't for the unconditional help, support and time fellow students & friends put into this event, the week wouldn't have been a success. The Youth really did make it happen. I am excited about what the future holds for my beloved Country. One thing is certain though, Now is the time for ACTION. We're seeing more and more young Congolese people rise up to reclaim the narrative of their country, of course with the help of other youths from across the globe supporting their every step. Yes, change isn't going to happen overnight BUT it's VITAL that we plant seeds of hope now, so the future generation can reap the fruits of our labour.

So, there you have it. The power of the triple C's played an impact in my life this semester. It's safe to say that these past few weeks are easily the highlight of my year so far. Just thinking about it makes me teary. It was inevitable that this post was going to be a long one, excuse the essay. Just to close, always remember

'Fear is NOT our friend. It disables us from moving forward and causes us to shrink from doing what is right - Unless we have our eyes fixed on Jesus'

What is your greatest fear??

Blessed weekend!