pray the devil back to hell

i was invited to attend a women's leadership forum this weekend. how could i possibly say no to that?!
so, of course i went!

it was fantastic to be surrounded by so many women who were so successful and dedicated to making a difference in others lives.

the day started off with a great meal and sitting at a table getting to know the women around me. i had some great conversations with the ladies at my table. (i know you're not supposed to talk about a lady's age, so i will not disclose anymore information besides this tidbit- i was the only one still in college.) the reason i even make a point of saying that is because i'm at a crossroads at this particular moment in time, and the women at my table were distinguished in one way or another. they had found their calling and created a path. i was basically sitting in their presence in total and utter awe. some were college professors, social workers, creators of organizations, and much more.

after our meal, we watched a documentary titled, "pray the devil back to hell."
it's about the women of liberia who prayed for peace at a time when their country was in utter turmoil and devastation due to its leadership. young boys were being recruited into the armed forces of a corrupt government and being trained to kill and destroy.

the images shown were heartbreaking and terribly hard to watch. there were scenes where young boys held guns and dragged dead bodies proudly. my heart ached as women who were mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, etc were subjected to watching the ones they love die or murder others.

there was not a dry eye in the room. (yours truly was doing all i could to keep from sobbing too loudly.)

one woman made a stand.
she gathered thousands of women- old, young, christian and muslim, to rally together and pray for peace. together.

they silently protested and showed their unity by wearing white shirts.

these thousands of women demanded a change, peacefully, and prayed that the civil war in liberia would come to an end.

this documentary speaks volumes about the change that can happen when women come together and dedicate their time to a cause.

here's a passage from the website- www.praythedevilbacktohell.com

"A story of sacrifice, unity and transcendence, Pray the Devil Back to Hell honors the strength and perseverance of the women of Liberia. Inspiring, uplifting, and most of all motivating, it is a compelling testimony of how grassroots activism can alter the history of nations."

if this peaks your interest i would strongly recommend checking out the website.

and remember- all the strength you need is inside yourself.

xoxo