I am excited to be celebrating the International Day of Peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was a very special day and week - I produced my first song, Nous Sommes Ensemble, I acted in my first play with the spectacular Lumiere Du Monde drama troupe from Rwanda, and I enjoyed the poems, acting, and passion for peace shared by the youth at CBCA Virunga's peace day celebration.
They were humiliated and mistreated, and they couldn’t take it anymore. So they took a stand. They went into extensive training for the fight. They knew it would be hard and long. They had to be mentally, spiritually, and physically prepared. When the day of confrontation arrived, every hour of training was worth it. Although they were shouted at, pushed, spat upon, and beaten, they did not fight back with angry words or fists, but with love. They won, peacefully.
My cheeks hurt. Not because of dental surgery, but because I can't stop smiling. I just got back from the Friday the 13th motorcycle rally in Port Dover, Ontario. I can't believe I rode for years and never made it before. This time I took a day off work, grabbed my camera, and had a fabulous day! Peace overflows abundantly on days like today, when thousands of people — most of them strangers, in leather, riding motorcycles — share friendship and love.
