For Alison Botha - Stay Strong Soldier Girl Poem by Shaakiera Schroeder

For Alison Botha
Stay Strong Soldier Girl
Amidst all this darkness you have been a shining beacon for thousands around the world, most importantly you have been your own light. When I read your story I thought "Greatest fear- Marianne Williamson". You did what she describes as "make manifest the Glory of God that is in each of us". From the very first moment you decided to take the hard road…you chose courage…you chose Life!
YOU made the choice …lay down and die or crawl…get up…stumble…fall down…struggle up…and LIVE! Does this not epitomize the journey we all call life? Do we not all have "our demons" we fight day by day? "Trauma beyond the norm"…is any trauma normal?
The Divineness of your situation is that you stepped back, out of yourself and you said "whooah stop the train! I will not give them anymore- NOT ONE SINGLE THING! "
Raped, ripped…you crawled and clawed your way out of being a mere statistic…one of the unlucky masses - to becoming an international symbol of hope! You proclaimed proudly "SURVIVOR" not victim. Yes "victim of circumstance" but SURVIVOR BY CHOICE!

As I read your book (fourth time LOL) I find myself deeply sad but deeply inspired. You survived something even modern medicine has no answer to still and it reconfirms to me and so many that it is our willpower and Faith that will carry you over any obstacle you may encounter, no matter how battered, torn apart and shattered our bodies may be…we only have to have the WILL to live and the faith to know that everything will be okay. God chose you Alison not to hurt or feel any of the pain (and I am so so sorry for all the pain that you endured and still enduring) not only to survive, but to live and to thrive - a visual reminder of the power we possess inside of us. To help the many thousands find comfort _ because if you an ordinary girl from PE survived hell itself, then we can live…REALLY LIVE_ Smile_ be kind…help one another…

YOU make the world a better place!

If only more people had an ounce of whatever divine magic you have inside of you…WOW!

We are all praying for you…you surviving and putting those monsters in the dark holes they deserve will never be in Vain! Just believe…have Faith…the Almighty did not bring you this far to just leave you stranded and alone in the darkness I know may be threatening to swallow you in.

STAY STRONG!

Sending love and prayers
Shaakiera Schroeder (JHB- SA)
28th March 2012