I refuse to believe it's:
black vs white vs brown
democrat vs republican
conservative vs liberal
my country vs your country
I refuse to continue enjoying the comfort of my home knowing that someone else slept on a street pavement or in an alley somewhere
I refuse to continue judging other people according to their past mistakes
I refuse to continue going grocery shopping and filling up my refrigerator with all the food I want and let it go bad knowing there is someone out there that is starving
I refuse to keep scrolling past pictures of young kids dying in war-torn areas and believe that's the norm knowing that if they asked me to exchange shoes I wouldn't
I refuse to continue filling up my closet with clothes that I won't even wear in a year knowing that there are people out there without clothing on their backs
I refuse to continue ignoring the fact that I can drink water straight from the tap in Canada and not worry about getting sick and yet there are kids in Uganda, Michigan and all over the world that can't even access clean water
I refuse to continue turning a blind eye to that which doesn't affect me knowing that if tables turned I would want somebody out there to help me
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I refuse to continue enjoying good health care in Canada for a cold, headache, fever and yet there are women out there who can't even access the essential necessities for childbirth knowing that I wouldn't wish this on my mother, sister, or wife…
I refuse to ignore the fact that I can stream whatever I want to watch, have several smart devices, access to 5G network and yet some people don't even have access to the Internet, can’t study remotely in a lockdown but I will hold their illiteracy against them five years from now
I refuse to believe that we who have learned how to fish can't put aside some time and teach others how to
I refuse to believe that those who live in peaceful and stable neighbourhoods enjoy driving past impoverished neighbourhoods
I refuse to believe that different countries can come together for the Olympics but can't come together for a peaceful world
I refuse to believe that it's the Billionaires who are going to save us, that we have to wait until they give away all their fortunes for things to change
I refuse to believe that the country where you are born is a crime and that if you're dealt a bad hand you just keep playing it
I refuse to believe that it's the Government and Politicians in power that will save us
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- Calvin Kabanda
I choose to believe it's:
good vs evil
right vs wrong
truth vs lies and deceit
justice vs injustice
forgiveness vs unforgiveness and bitterness
knowledge vs ignorance
oppressors vs oppressed
faith vs fear
love vs hate
I choose to believe whatever is wrong in our world today can change
I choose to believe we are the system and we can change
I choose to believe unity is better than division and produces far better results
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I choose to believe we can all co-exist
I choose to believe you can change the hand you're dealt for a better one
I choose to believe basic human needs should be accessible to everyone
I choose to believe though our problems are bigger than you, me, they aren’t bigger than us
I choose to believe these words from Genesis “...and the Lord said, The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!"
So I choose to believe that if we (you + me) put our minds, resources, time and hearts (filled with love, compassion and care) we can change the current trajectory of this world.
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-Calvin Kabanda
Our brothers and sisters are hurting everywhere
In Russia, they can’t speak out, in China likewise
In Uganda, their voices were silenced for weeks with the internet shutdown during presidential elections
The bondage of our brothers and sisters in the middle east has become a norm decade after decade
Our brothers and sisters in South America seem to be ignored
We are ignorant of their hurts yet they keep gracing us with their warm personalities
Africa keeps feeding on its diseased flesh and wounds from the past
Its hopes and dreams every decade were achieved elsewhere 50 years ago
Europe and North America once a-head paving the way starting to sink before our very eyes
Every decision that can be made to help, uplift, advance and push the frontiers of this great planet is being held back by the principalities of fear, race, religion, politics and unwillingness to forgive each other for their past sins and ignorance
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We cancel others for their code of conduct in their teens and youth yet desire otherwise for ourselves
For we ask God to forgive us our daily debts but won’t forgive our daily debtors
We have the best technology of any generation before us but fail to solve the same problems that our ancestors dealt with
We have the fastest information distribution systems ever
Drowning in knowledge but lack the wisdom to apply it
This was never God’s plan !!!
We are on a fast treadmill to nowhere
Our brothers and sisters are hurting everywhere
We’re living in the wild wild everywhere.
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-Calvin Kabanda