I SAY NO TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

#AMillionKindness #No4

I am super excited to write about Paula and her organization especially because campaigns against domestic violence is something that I am particularly and personally passionate about. My recent book, My Father's Girlfriend is a narrative that shares from a practical perspective the everyday living of women who have been abused. Anyway, after seeking out Paula and her team, we got chatting and we learnt very quickly that we were closer to each other than we thought. Exclaiming small world, I wondered how many more people friends I am going to make through this campaign. Whew! I am excited about Fostering Hearts.

Fostering Hearts is a catalyst in the community to see the face of Domestic Violence change. By bringing awareness and providing the necessary resources, such as empowerment of women, educating on domestic violence, and shelter, they plan to help the city of Atlanta see fewer numbers in Domestic Violence and more numbers in healthy relationships. Having volunteered at the Covenant House in Georgia and delivered food for Open Hand, they  were also in attendance at the Young Urban League's Health Fair earlier this year.  Their involvement in the community has definitely helped young women between the ages of 20-30 who live in the metropolitan Atlanta area living on low to moderate income. So if you know anyone who desperately needs help from domestic violence, please reach out to Paula and her team. This is what I call an act of kindness. To support Paula, can we get some thank you(s) in the comment?

Their vision is to see a world where domestic violence doesn’t exist. And I say AMEN to that.

Let the thank you comments begin.. I start it by saying THANK YOU PAULA AND THE FOSTERING HEART TEAM!

Follow me on Facebook for more updates about #AMillionKindness
https://www.facebook.com/The-Official-Mac-Jane-1558277357761828/timeline/

Mac-Jane speaks at Troy University's commencement ceremony

http://www.troymessenger.com/2015/05/09/pursuing-excellence-more-than-880-students-graduated-from-troy-university/

...AND SO I GOT A TATTOO!

In my best Nigerian voice impression, I shall attempt to mimic what you are thinking as you click on this story;
"Children of nowadays, ehn? She has gone abroad now and forgotten her roots. After all that Sunday school class, she still left her parents home training". And then I finish up my impression, clapping my palms together and spitting out "Tufiakwa" which translates to mean God forbid bad thing.

Shhhh.....

Please just read my story before you start back-lashing me and telling me my life history. Would you at least give me a chance to explain why I did what I did?
You are probably judging me and blaming America for turning me against my culture. Or worse, you have already criticized and bagged me as an unrepentant sinner. Well, the twist to this story is the 'why' I am posting it.

So, I was chatting with my beautiful friend one day, and I saw her tattoo on her wrist and I asked her why she did it. Because I was curious. I wanted to know why people get nose piercing, tattoos or even run off to get married. And she replied, "well Mac-Jane, it was valentine, I was bored, so I decided to get a tattoo, and so I got a tattoo"
I laughed as I said to her, "My Mom will skin me alive if I got a tattoo"
She laughed too, and said "well, my mom will skin me too, but she doesn't know right?

As I sat with her and we visited while she decorated my hand with her traditional 'mehndi' which is a temporary hand decoration that will wash away in a few days, it occurred to me that many of us are like my friend. We take serious life decisions in the heat of the moment without considering five, ten, or twenty years later effect. I love my friend, and as she painted my hands, she told me the symbolic meaning of what she was doing on my hands, and I was amazed. As she shared that it signified love, flowers and other things which I will rather keep private, I realize the beauty of friendship from around the world. Culture, love, food are all important contributors to friendship.

But the main point of this story today, is to say, when next you are about to take that spontaneous step, pause and think for a moment why you are doing it.

I have bought things in that spontaneous moment that I don't need. I have said things in that spontaneous angry moment that I don't mean and wish that I could retrieve. I have hugged someone in such a hurry that I thought later that I should have waited a little more to be too friendly. I have sent a text message that I wish I did not send. I have signed a contract that I wished I had thought it over some more and read terms and conditions before agreeing to..

Oooph!! The list is endless. But this my confession. What is yours? What is that thing that you just do 'JUST BECAUSE'?

Think before you make rash decisions...

WHAT AM I ABOUT TO DO? LAUNCH MY MOVIE PRODUCTION, MY BOOK, OR A MUSIC ALBULM?

When I say I am super excited,  yes I am.
Now, I am about to share my most recent project with the world. Can you guess what it is going to be?
Am I about to release a movie I directed? Or am I about to release a musical album? Could it be that I'm about to launch another book?
What do you think it's going to be?

Guess...

But more importantly,  visit my Facebook page -  The Official Mac-Jane, to know the latest. Like,  comment and spread the news. Something big is about to happen and I want you to be a part of it.

Yessssssssss!

"YOU CAN BE SEXY AND NOT BE NAKED"~ EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH WUNMI ABE

Let's Chat with Wunmi Abe...?

It is a new year, probably a time to write new year resolutions. But for me, I kick off this year with this exclusive interview with an extraordinary lady who has won my heart over with her love for God. Wunmi Conga, like I fondly prefer to call her is full of energy and excitement. I enjoyed chatting with her, and I couldn't stop laughing throughout our conversation. I kept laughing. When I finally met her in person, I was awed by her simplicity and genuine desire to simply praise God and bring down the presence of God in worship.

Wunmi Abe is happily married, a mother of three, and has a masters in human resources. She is not one of those persons who want to be at the front. She prefers to work magic behind the curtain. She is a worshiper at heart who is crazy for God. Indeed, she has a big time passion to worship, to praise and impact the youths.

Since her music reaches out to people across diverse races, and I know that my American friends cannot get over the song, I asked what her inspiration is with "Dance For you",  Wunmi says her dream is to sing songs to impact people, songs that young people are crazy about. She describes how the inspiration to sing Conga came about; "I  sat down with my manager and we just started singing, conga came to mind. God reminded me to stop dancing secular songs, and since good beats gets me dancing, so I thought I would sing a song with a good beat that can get everyone dancing too. Hahahahahaha... Actually, I had written the lyrics months ahead.

What is unique about the kind of music you do?

Laughing, Wunmi responded, "I listen to great musicians, not purely Nigerian musicians.  I want my music to be diverse though it has a Nigerian feel to it. I don't just want to be a Nigerian artist, I want to do something that cuts across the world.

What's your favorite perfume?

"I'm not a perfume person. I'm not eccentric. I just look good". So, now you know, when next you want to buy sister Wunmi a gift, don't buy her perfumes. She loves shoes.  Lol. Just saying.

What is your vision?

I believe that I am called out to young girls, rape victims, pregnant young women. I am not called to everyone. I hope to impact the younger generation such that they will know that serving God is fun, and you can be trendy as a christian

When asksed what's something people don't know about her. Wunmi laughs and says, you mean something crazy? "Hahahaha... Truth is I say what's on my mind. I'm not wishywashy. What you see is what you get.  I am adventurous but not spontaneous". The most most adventourous places she loves are Egypt because of the pyramids, Israel, where Jesus walked.

What is your secret to success?

"Wunmi music wasn't set up to make money initially. My secret fomular is God. He will tell you what to do. You would need discipline too - put your all in it. Excellence is key to success, no mediocrity. God is a God of excellence. Love is my working formula, I might not like you but I have to love you, and finally, be at peace with all".

Giving a word of advice to young people out there, Wunmi says "love God. Love God for all because at the end of the day we will still run back to Him, we answer to God. Know God and serve Him with all your heart".

Click on this video to listen to her music...