We walk in
through the gate at around 3:05 PM. We were meant to be here by two o’clock.
But I will shamefully admit that most of us, in this our “landing party” are
African timers. So yeah, we arrive here one hour late. The home is not far from
Ruai town, so the group had to walk here. Four of my friends and I are the last
to walk in through the gate. We had lagged behind as a result of this injury I
have on my leg. So they have to walk at my pace.
You see,
the way this home is designed, it is such a way that, the buildings have been
built at the edges, thus leaving a vast open space in the middle. Basically, it
makes it look like a playing field enclosed by houses. We walk in through the
gate to see an empty ground and for a moment I am disappointed thinking we’ve
arrived during nap time for the kids or something. But I can’t see my fellow
group members as well, and it is so quiet so I am baffled for a moment. But
then, my friend who has been here numerous times, points at a long building at
one end of the field, it is the dining hall. Of course that’s the only place
they could be at. And so we make our way towards it.
I hobble
in through the door, followed closely by my friends, to see a mixture of little
faces peering up at us and slightly older faces (My friends who already got
here earlier and took their seats). The kids are not that many, full house,
they are thirty five in total, but today some of them are in boarding schools so
they are roughly twenty five in total. My friends and I walk around the room
saying Hi to the kids, I prefer a fist bump, I feel like it shifts the power
from me to them, in a weird way, you know, not my gigantic hand wrapped around
their tiny ones.
I have to
pick a place to sit. After a quick glance around the room, I see two little
kids seated next to each other, a boy and a girl. By the look of it, they look three-ish
or four-ish. I walk towards them and lift the boy off his seat and put him on
my lap and take the seat. In retrospect, I should have picked the girl. This
little boy is a ka-terrorist I tell, a cute little terrorist. From the moment I
sit down to end of that day, I know no peace. Lol. He is a headstrong boy. A
curios little boy. One moment he is struggling with my water bottle, trying to
open it and asking what was inside, “Nini iko ndani? Ni maji?” he asks peering
up at me? I nod trying to keep it low since someone is speaking at the front.
But I think it is true what they say about men and their inability to whisper
because this little boy has no chills, he talks so loudly. Lol. My efforts to
shush him bearing no fruits. Soon he is tired of playing with my water bottle
and now he is after my glasses. After a small light hearted struggle which
includes soft head butting struggle, he wins one and I win the other and manage
to give my glasses to a friend to just hold on to them for me. This my kalittle
friend, he is cheeky too. The small girl seated next to us knows no peace
either. Dennis ni kamchokozi and it takes a lot from me to keep his hands away
from the little girl who is just looking on helplessly. But it was a lot of
fun. We were probably making a little noise, but I am sure the speakers at the
front understood it. They could clearly see my struggles with this little
terrorist. Hahaha!
Soon the
speeches and presentations session is over. I can’t believe that took all of 45
Minutes. Between my onslaught with little Dennis and our chairman thinking that
it is a very good idea for all the guys who we came with to stand at the front
and present our own songs to the kids, time seems to fly. It is snack time
already. I jokingly threaten Dennis that he won’t get any because he has been
mean to Steph (Stephanie in full). Woi! This is a yuuge mistake on my part. You
see my Dennis is someone who doesn’t like it when people joke with his snacks!
We are thrown into yet another war and I end up losing and as a result of my tyrannical
utterances, which seemed to suggest that I am the one in a position of power
when in fact I am not, I am now to feed him, hold his juice cup and make sure
that no sooner than he taps my arm to indicate that he wants a sip, the cup is
already on his lips! Nourishing him. This kids totally has me in his reigns. But
it is okay. It is fun.
I try
chatting up Steph who seems a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing, the presence
of all the new faces. At some point, I am forced to admit to myself that I am
not as good with the ladies as I like to think I am. I mean, I can’t even get a
smile from her! Damn! But I try not to push it too much, social anxiety is a
real thing and I am sure she will open up at her own time.
We are
soon done with the Snacks and it is time for my favourite time of our visits!!
The playing with the kids!! You see, I love this part coz, apart from all the
fun it bestows from the playing with this little angels and seeing them having
fun and laughing with reckless abandon, like all that matters is this moment,
the here and the now- It also takes me way back to when I was a kid. I get to
relive my childhood again. And I do this shamelessly. Because, you see, this is
the sole purpose of my being here. I am not here to care about how anyone will
think me childish for doing all these, no, I am here to be all the childish I
can be, I am here to have fun with this little angels!
We pile
outside onto that field I told you about earlier. The one enclosed by the
Home’s buildings? Yeah that one. But people can play by the way! Me some of these
games I don’t even know about. You see, I grew up in the rural area and some of
these games we didn’t play as children… Like “I sent a letter…”, or .. see? I
even can’t remember some of the names. But it is so much fun. Either way, I
decide to stick to the ones I know. No need to embarrass myself (though the
fact that I know these games does not preclude the possibility of me
embarrassing myself. You’ll see why in a while). I join in the Nyama Nyama Nyama
game (if you don’t know this game, I don’t know which games you played as
kids!) but damn, these kids are good :‘( Very soon I am in the circle amidst
laughter from the kids for having jumped when they called out frog meat. I try arguing
that the Chinese eat them and so it’s food but these children will hear none of
it! Looks like they are having real fun throwing me into the losers circle. And
I thought there’s no way I’d be embarrassed here!
I would
have wanted to play football, but remember that foot injury I was telling you
about? Well, it can’t allow me to do so. You see, ironically, the foot injury
was suffered when playing another game, martial arts, I am a big fan of that
too; but I digress. But I still manage to look on with awe as one lady, going
by the name Winnie Madigizela (one of our members) takes up this game as if she
were wearing a golden boot. Kumbe people have hidden talents. And not just in
football by the way, because my next stop is Katii (or Mbanya for the people
who grew up where I did). Well, me I am eliminated with the second throw. I
guess I am not as good as I thought I was. Another embarrassment from the kids
who are having a time of their lives! But there’s also Beth. She’s one of the
ladies we came with. Weh, this chiq can play this game. It’s like she is
invisible to the ball. Untouchable. She is giving these seasoned kids a run for
their money. I think she should consider coaching this game at the Olympics
level. Well, that’s assuming that it is there... I will get my revenge though.
I take the ball and join the throwing side. They will know why there are no
birds that dared patch on the trees around our house when I was a kid! I will
hit them with this ball mpaka wajue I am no jokes! But loh! I am missing all
the throws! When did I get this old!!
All in
all, it is so much fun and before I even know it, it is already 6:30! And since
some of us live a thousand miles away, we have to wrap up and call it day. But
not before a vote of thanks and washing up the dishes we used up. Oh yeah, and
Steph! Steph finally opens up. You see, at some point, we were playing with
Dennis where I was throwing him up in the air and catching him. Now, Steph
timidly approaches me and says, “Nichezeshe venye ulikuwa unachezesha Dennis”.
Kumbe she was watching from a distance all along. So I lift her up by the
armpits and throw her up in the air and catch her as she comes down. And boy is
it rewarding! Because within no time she is squealing with laughter and girly
screams of excitement! Damn, I can barely believe that this is the same little
girl who wouldn’t even reward me with smile earlier on. Now here she is,
laughing and grinning from ear to ear with excitement. Then I start whirling
her round and round (because my arms are tired and I can’t throw her up
anymore) and this too gives rise to a lot of giggling and laughing especially
when we stop and I am struggling to stand up straight from all the dizziness of
going round and round. Needless to say, my evening is made… I guess so is hers.
I gotta
say though. The hardest part is saying goodbye to these kids. Especially the
young ones. Some even cry and it is sad… Not my proudest moment, but I had to
hide from Dennis and Steph. It would be hard to say goodbye to them especially
if they started crying. I met lots of interesting kids. And if I were to speak
about each one of them, this would go on for like five pages. All I know is
that it was one awesome experience (as is every time we do this) and I am
looking forward to the 4th of March for another dosage of this!
I could go
on and on about what an awesome time I had, but sadly I have to stop here
(mostly coz I am doing this while at work and my boss is starting to look at me
suspiciously. Like “accounting doesn’t have this much literature young man! Are
you writing a love letter or what?” well, I sort of am! It is something close
to my heart). Anyway, I would like to thank one Wanjohi Wachira, our chairman.
This guy is so passionate about what we do that it is inspiring. He had the
option to cancel this visit, because the person who had initiated it (wanted to
have a birthday party there) cancelled at the very last minute, but our very able
chairman decided to go ahead with it with or without the other party and it
turned to be so much fun! They say that there is no greater joy than when you
help someone whom you know they will never repay you. Well, I say these kids
repay me in ways they can’t even begin to imagine. Through their laughs and
joyous faces!!
