Up until a few minutes ago, I had absolutely no idea what this was about:
Yeah. The simple rundown as I understand it from my limited research as of now:
250 teenage girls were kidnapped from their school by men disguised in military uniforms and they are to be sold as sex slaves.
They're being sold as "wives" to be "married" which is a complete defilement of both words and I refuse to give credence to the notion that these girls are either wives or married because it's completely against their will.
It shouldn't matter where these girls were. No one should ever be stolen. No one should ever be sold. But, for those that find those details of utmost importance, they were kidnapped from a boarding school in Nigeria. They, against what their society says is okay, against the odds, put their all into succeeding, and were in high school. They were pursuing big dreams- successfully.
And in the night, it was all ripped from underneath them. They were trusting these "military" men with their safety, only to have their school burned and their lives taken from their control. A few have escaped, but most are STILL missing.
This all happened on April 14, 2014.
That night, I was safe in my home in the early stages of labor, preparing for the arrival of my daughter.
Tonight, I learned, three weeks later, about this crime. THREE WEEKS. I was sitting in my rocking chair in my living room, nursing my three-week old daughter, as I read about #bringbackourgirls and goosebumps and chills invaded my body. I felt sick to my stomach.
Here I was, holding my baby girl, cuddling and loving on her, wondering what she will be like in the future, reveling in my hopes and dreams for her... And I read of 250 baby girls across the sea who were ripped away from their own mommas, their own hopes and dreams, their own lives, by, pardon me, some evil rotten scumbags wanting to make a buck. Some men with no respect for the sanctity of life stole these girls.
Can you imagine that? Can you imagine stealing these girls? Can you imagine being one of those girls? Can you imagine that girl was your baby?
She is OUR GIRL. They ARE OUR GIRLS.
We belong to each other.
#BRINGBACKOURGIRLS
Here's a link to sign a petition that the US step up. We are a "power country." Let's use the power for good.
My three-week old baby may have no real power over the situation, but it's my goal to raise her to be a compassionate, caring, empowered woman who knows the intrinsic value of all humans. So, with that in mind, she's taking a stand, too.
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