I PRAY FOR VENEZUELA

    Seven years ago when I came to this country, it was nothing like I had ever seen before. Wonderful people, peaceful country, happy people, abundance of food, they had everything. Venezuela was a complete epitome of a land where milk and honey flows, I prayed everyday for my country to be like Venezuela. Venezuela was a country where you could not distinguish between the poor and the rich because both had equal access and opportunities. Free healthcare,free education for all, electricity twenty four hours a day, good roads even in the innermost​ parts of the country and the quality of life was over the roof.

         As a socialist system of government, the government provided everything for the people. And as a medical student at the time, it was difficult for me to understand how healthcare could be totally free, you didn't even have to buy the drugs, the doctor attended to you and gave you your drugs.

      Venezuela became my home in no time, the people were always happy and that positively affected the way they treated us as foreigners. It was home away from home.

      Everything began to take a drastic turn after the death of the then president Hugo Chavez Frias in 2013. Since that moment it has been a constant battle between the ruling party and the opposition on who should rule the country, on who had better ability and capacity to run this wonderful country. The reality in Venezuela at the moment is unimaginable, I never for once imagined that Venezuela will get to this point where it is no longer safe to come out of one's own house. The insecurity is disheartening, people killing each other,closing down the subway station and the streets, people running to other countries for safety, people eating from waste bins and others finding joy in stealing from other people.

     This isn't the Venezuela of seven years ago, this isn't the Venezuela that welcomed me and became my home. The once Happy people are angry and frustrated. Killing one another and destroying infrastructures is not the solution, the solution is peace and love irrespective of your political party. Venezuela is a great country, we need to work together as one people, as one country and not as different political parties. I believe in Venezuela. Venezuela will overcome.

 God bless Venezuela.  

           Written by : Onyinye Mbata