We have a rat in our wall this morning. A rat in our wall is very rare, and I wake up from the sound of his gnawing at something religiously. I wonder if he will ever get to the bottom of whatever he is chewing -- and find nothing left to gnaw! My brain has been in a perpetual state of gnawing since my arrest and deportation from Zimbabwe during the filming of my feature-length documentary, Tapestries of Hope.

This is the first time that I have used my pen to write an original thought since my arrest. I will never take for granted the power of free-thinking or the ability to speak of my experience without fear of repercussions, torture or death. I type these words with a great deal of reverence, responsibility and respect. I borrow from Edward Bulwer-Lytton:

Beneath the rule of men entirely great,
The pen is mightier than the sword. Behold
The arch-enchanters wand! -- itself a nothing!
But taking sorcery from the master-hand
To paralyse the Cæsars, and to strike
The loud earth breathless! -- Take away the sword
States can be saved without it!

Read the entire piece on The Huffington Post. If you are interested in donating to "Tapestries of Hope", you may do so directly off the Tapestries of Hope Blog