Yes, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces significant social and economic challenges. It ranks among the top five most corrupt and poorest countries, encapsulating many of the negative aspects a nation can experience. Despite these difficulties, this is the place where I was born. God chose for me to be born there, and it was no mistake because God never makes mistakes.

In retrospect, I have come to realize that despite the negatives, there are many things I love about my country. I love the hospitality of most Congolese people and the enduring hope that burns within them. Congolese always have hope that their situation will improve, and this is something to be proud of because without hope, there is no vision, and without vision, there is no future.

This hope is probably why we create some of the most beautiful music in the world. We have Ndombolo and Rumba, the latter being particularly therapeutic for me. When I listen to Rumba music, I always feel a renewed sense of hope for better things to come. My current favorite artist is Fally Ipupa. His music is profound and speaks to the soul. My all-time favorite Congolese artist is Koffi Olomide. One day, I will write about some of his best songs.

I will finish with lyrics from Koffi's song featuring Papa Wemba called "Naomie." It says: "Mokili ya Nzambe ezali na yango mindondo te moto ye moko a compliqua la vie na ye moto soki azangi akoluka azua mbongo, soki azui mbongo akomi koluka bolingo. To kuta bolingo evandi na yango swi. To banzaka to leki yango no molayi," which roughly translates to: "God's world is not complicated. Man complicates his life for nothing. If he doesn't have something, he searches for it. If he gets money, he starts looking for love." The main message here is to question why we complicate our own lives. We might already have a partner or lover, but when we get money, we start looking for another. Why?