by Jeremiah Anthony Wanwan

It was a time of great and exalting excitement, 
until the country was again up in arms and agitation. 
The war was on. 
Indeed, tough and elusive time had made its way; 
the melody of birds 🐦 singing in the trees 🌲 🌲 
had been converted to the rhymes of guns and violence. 
Faces became wet, Flooded with pains and sorrows, 
sleep abandoned the eyes, the state of peace became alien.  
Hunger, rags and thirst inherited the land of milk and honey. 
Liberia had lost herself.

On the early morning of December 24, 1989, 
She felt the weight of the flight of bullets, the pistol popping,  
the branch of banger simulating and splattering her air,  
dislocating her peaceful citizens.

After many weeks of tumultuous disturbance and starvation,  
thousand flee to exile, thousands made rebels,
 of which hundreds were child-soldiers. 
Human lost their proud, their way was watered 
with tears and blood from the wounded and dead loved ones. 
Creek and river colored in the blood of the innocent and pregnant women.

On and on, it continued; 
until a large group of citizens with a breathing heart 💔 
flagged of tumultuously, gather at the American embassy in Monrovia 
headed by great and devoted men and women of God.
Together, they made their quest and supplication (spoken and unspoken) to their God above.

Together they said:
"O! Lord our Father, the protector of our land and flag, 
for we have witnessed our loved ones losing their lives, 
raped, living as exiles, our children turned into child soldiers. 
Our hope blasted, our lives blighted.

Help us to survive,
Help our country to find peace, 
let our blood not be wasted. 
Let thirst and hunger disconnect from us.

Let pains and sorrows be flooded 
with the remedy of peace.

For our sake, who adore thee, 
O Lord, blast the hopes of our enemies, 
makes their steps heavy and slippery,
and water their way with their tears.

Bless the arms of those who fight on our behalf, 
grant us victory, O Lord our God.

Bless every country that has come our aid, 
every humanitarian who gives to the poor.
Long live Mama Liberia.

We ask it, in the spirit of love, 
of Him, who is the source of love,
 so dearly we pray, seeking your aid 
with humble and remorseful hearts.”

Together they said, “Amen.”
Heaven was opened, the results of prayers unlocked.
The war ended,
Lord had heard our prayers.

The African sunrays smiled once again 
with the sweet melody of birds singing in the trees 🌲. 
Peace had again taken citizenship.

The activities of normality brought laughter to the land.
O God, Our Lord!

We thank you for MAMA LIBERIA 🇱🇷 🇱🇷.

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Jeremiah Anthony Wanwan is an 18-year-old student from Liberia.