That Moment Online met Offline: A World Pulse Connection!

At 4pm, I was all ready, sitting in my sister's living room in Denver-Colorado, waiting to meet my online friend, offline! We had exchanged emails days before with Anne, and she agreed to pick me up at 5pm. It was a dinner evening, with one of the most amazing people, from the most amazing organization in my world -- World Pulse. I had told my elder sister and brother, that Anne Dupont, a World Pulse Board Member, will be picking me up and taking me out for dinner. I was excited, but yet tensed about the whole meeting. Thinking about how this face-to-face meeting with someone I was meeting for the first time was going to turn out left me in panic mode. At some point, I felt like "Who am I to meet with Mme. Anne Dupont." At the same time, I remembered World Pulse is love,  power and above all, true sisterhood. The thought of this, left me strong, a few minutes before Anne arrived.

At 5pm, a quick email dropped in my phone "Nakinti, I am outside." I jumped, grabbed my hand bag and rushed out. As Anne saw me coming, she hurried out of her car, walked quickly towards me even though her foot hurts. With a broad smile, she swung her two hands open, I did same, and yes, for the first time, we gave ourselves that warm, tight, genuine and lovely hug. I hugged her tight, two times tight -- one for her, and one for Jensine Larsen, who made it possible for us to experience that sisterhood moment. We looked at each other in utter amazement, wondering how "one click at a time" women all over the world are connecting for good. "Come on in," Anne asked me to get into the car. We got in and hit the road.

The beauty of that Italian restaurant that Anne took me to was silenced by the bars of interesting discussions we had about us, about World Pulse, about changemaking, about Cameroon's crisis, about family and about everything sisters would talk about on first meeting. We ate and then they brought us a list of wines, and yes, I ordered Portland Wine in respect of Jensine Larsen. The memories of that day will forever remain in my head.

The truth is, I never imagined, that someday, somehow, this thing that I started online on World Pulse, would lead me to countless offline opportunities and offline meetings with World Pulse itself -- how wonderful! Dear sisters, if you ever visit a foreign country, try to catch up with a World Pulse sisters. Now I believe I have sisters in every part of the world. Let the sisterhood connection stay alive!!!