The Day death visited

\"Mama, there is someone at the door asking to be let in to take you out for questioning on your activities as a SNWOT member\". My children tiptoed over to my bedroom in a panicked mood knowing that will be the last they will ever see of me. They have heard terrible stories of people being taken away in like manner and never returned. They have experienced the worst kind of pain during a conflict. I was asked to switch off my phone and hide under the bed for security. Now as a mother, my focus was on my children's safety. If I don't go out as demanded, my children too may come into harm's way so I hugged my children and asked them to stay calm while I negotiated my way out of this. Lessons on negotiation techniques I had learned in Kenya with African Rising slipped into darkness as I tried unsuccessfully to remember just one. That is the power of fear. I quickly got hold of myself before fear takes the better part of me as flashbacks of death threats from unknown assailants both online and offline for the past two years brought me back to reality. This is real, I muttered to myself with tears running down my face. Is this the reward I get for seeking peace? I asked myself while wiping away the tears. Then I finally understood that taking part in the Peacebuilding processes in my country Cameroon is the highest risk any woman can ever take. But I still believed in the voice of a woman who has all the positive qualities of bringing back peace into the affected communities of the South West and North West Regions of Cameroon. Despite the challenges associated with this call for the warring parties to engage in a dialogue and possible ceasefire, I for one still harbored hope for a possible Resolution to the crisis at any cost. Yes, the fear of being kidnapped, killed by either warring party is the greatest nightmare. Do we allow ourselves to be eaten by that fear? No! Women Peacebuilders still storm targeted platforms online and offline with Advocacy campaigns igniting a ceasefire, and a genuine and inclusive dialogue between the warring parties. The pounding of the door brings me back to reality.