Watoto Wazuri Wanasoma

The children continue to blow my mind here. They are so excited to learn and therefore so delighted by the smallest of gifts … like pencils or pens. They take them shyly, with the right hand – left hand placed gently on their right elbow as a sign of respect and then turn and run screaming back to their homes to show brothers and sisters what they just got from Rehema. I can’t help think … but what will they write on? Most of them won’t have paper or notebooks at home and yet, the gift of a pencil is so coveted.

I delivered my last round of books, notebooks and writing tools to the village the other day. We set up a library of sorts in the home of one of my favorite little ones – Saidi. His father was so delighted to meet me this year and he’s 100% behind the children’s education. He won’t let them tire of learning and insists that it’s the only way for them to go somewhere in life. When I suggested using his house as the learning center, he was more than happy to say yes. The kids in the neighborhood have already come up with a system of ‘checking out’ books to read or use for a day or two. We’ll see how long the books survive and if they come back once they go, but I think in a village this small – the checks and balances will work easily as they all know each other and want to hold each other’s respect and friendship.

After pouring over the books for a couple of hours, including reading Snow White to them – the first time they heard that one … (no surprise there, but so different from our childhood in the US where knowledge of Snow White is inherent throughout) I took out my camera. At first they were shy and just let me take the pictures that I wanted – such as a few of them reading and looking over the books. Then, once they had seen their images on the screen they went nuts! I was suddenly a photographer for a big photo shoot starring – Hindu, Saidi, Musini, Zainabu, Zuhuru, Hamisi and a few others that popped in and out. They were seriously striking poses – leaning this way and that against the house or a banana tree, leaping through the air, posing with books and home-made soccer balls, painting their fingernails for the camera, posing with the pigeons … anything you could find within and just outside their home, they were utilizing in the most frenzy-filled photo shoot! ‘Rehema!! Mimi… hapa ..!! Rehema, Rehema, Rai, Rai, Rehema… me, me, me, now me, me alone, me with the book, me, me, me’ … It was insane! (unfortunately, this computer won’t work with my camera, so those will follow soon!)

After the photo madness I took out the U of Utah football that I brought them to play with. I showed them how to throw a football – fingers on the laces and all that good stuff that I learned in my backyard some time ago. They had fun throwing it at close range in a circle, like hot potato… Then I showed them how far a football could go. I told Hamisi to ‘go long’ – ha ha – … When he was quite a distance off, standing between two banana trees, I sent a long hard spiral his way and he caught it no problem and sent it right back! It was fun to watch them each take a turn throwing it back and forth.

Yesterday was my last day in the village. I went back to attend the wedding of one of my young friend’s sisters – Hindu’s sister, Amina. After the wedding, which deserves an entry in its own right – I gave the kids the biggest hugs I had in me and said with great confidence: I’ll see you next year! Study hard and check the mail for your pictures!

Next stop – Dar es Salaam… then Mombasa for a big Somali wedding and then Nairobi and home! I’m homesick this year… I didn’t have Tamrika and the gang to spend days with and debrief about cultural and educational issues … Next year, some of you should seriously consider joining me! I have everything worked out … lodging, car rental, school-building project … the perfect African Safari (Safari meaning trip, not lion hunting!)… just planting the seed… 🙂