Every man of my age would admit that our main problem in the village when growing up was transport. Our legs came in handy in the sense that they would take us to every corner of the country that we wanted.
As expected there were some two or three people in the village who had seen the light and bought themselves cars. These are the people who we as villagers treated like small gods. Some treated us with respect while others walked all over us. The bad lot could talk obscenity even when elderly people were around.
If there was a time that we wanted cars around, it was the time when a woman had labour pains and was in an urgent urge to go to the hospital. I could watch helplessly as the other women carried her in a bid to reach the hospital before her water broke.
The journey to the hospital was long and dangerous. Here is a woman who could deliver anytime and it is at night and there are no street lights. Imagine walking through this hill and valley to the next and the unborn baby is just about to come out.
Just visualise that the woman in question is a little, naive teenage girl who has never seen the inside of a maternity. If you value humanity see the danger she is in, same to her unborn child. Can you see her pain as the babys head tries unsuccessfully to come out of her tiny opening?
At this point in time, the other women would gather and make a makeshift hospital and try to help the woman. At times they were not successful and the woman and her baby would lose their lives.
I remember one car owner in the village driving past a woman who was in dire need of going to hospital to deliver. He told the other women that his car was not hospital.
On hearing that, I looked up in the sky and told God that if he would by any chance give me a car when I am of age, I would help everybody in need. One day my faith and promise was put to test. Here we go:-
By 31ST December of every year in the company I worked for, we had to send our sales reports to our Head office in America. We used to receive business from all over the world and in fact in our industry we were the biggest and the best in the whole world.
This means that we had to verify and verify again and again that the report was correct. In case the report was erroneous and misleading, then someones job was in jeopardy.
Immediately after Christmas season, we would brainstorm even with the top Management because the buck stopped with them. It was not then unusual to find us leaving the offices at midnight.
Again that time of the year had come and as was the tradition, I left our offices some minutes past midnight. I entered my car and headed home. On the way, I decided to pass through a famous Fish and Chips shop near Jeevanjee gardens where I bought myself a generous amount of fish and chips and some drinks.
I was single and searching so I had to carry something to eat anyway. Suddenly I was again in high speed on my way home.
I was usually used to taking the route through city Stadium but for some reasons unknown to me, I decided to take Thika road where I would eventually branch at some point and head to the east.
No sooner had I reached Pangani than it started to rain cats and dogs plus their mums and dads. Scientists were calling that kind of rain El-nino but my people in the village were calling it demonic rain.
One minute the sky is very pregnant with rain and the rest of the day heavens would break with rain and more rain. One year ago when such rain would come, it would rain and rain on me with impunity.
I would go home dead wet and question no one. This time round, God had answered my prayers and given me a car. I could place my coat at the back seat, put the heater on plus my favourite music as the car ate miles and miles.
God you are able and you are merciful. As my car waded through a mass exodus of water going to God knows where, I remembered my people in the village who came to this world and will never own a car.
I made a quick flashback of how pregnant women had a hard time reaching the hospital in time and tears swelled on my eyes. Yes, we live in two worlds, there are those who live in abundance while others are barely trying to survive.
I had by now left Thika road and I would now drive on a kind of a straight line that ended at the airport. I was surprised to realise that at that hour there were no cars or any movement of life.
It was dark and it was even dangerous to drive very fast. To the left side was a slum which was a fertile ground of hiding criminals and I was in a very dangerous place alone at that hour.
From Thika road one had to make a rough descent along a valley before ascending to the adjacent hilly surface. On the bend of the valley a lot of water had gathered on the road and had adamantly refused to give way.
There was no way I would stop there at that hour and so I used my survival instincts to carefully and slowly drive through. I knew very well that if my cars engine made the wrong revolution, it would stop and so chances of I losing my car and my life was as easy as a kissing game.
By good luck I moved on and I was out of danger once again. On looking outside, I saw that it was pitch dark, just a cold blanket of darkness.
How on earth could it be that at that hour there was no car passing? Where had the entire world gone to? I applied the highest gear at least to be out of the slum area.
I had friends of mine who told me that the place was notorious with carjacking and smashing of windscreens. I was not ready for any of those. I soon realised that after all I was okay and I was doing well despite the heavy downpour that literally refused to stop at least for a second.
It was now approaching about 01:30 A.M. and my car despite the rainy condition outside was in good shape. The smell of fish and chips that I had bought engulfed the whole car and the whole place was well warm.
I put on one gospel CD at least to show God that I was thankful that I had already shed the village poverty in me and I was now on the other side of the city where people had abundance mentality.
Love me or hate me but to be in the circle of my friends, you must add value to my life and you must have a positive attitude in life.
Before joining my last part of the journey, I had to cross a road that cut my normal road like a cross. The world outside now looked like an orange that had been cut four times in total darkness. Ahead of me was a bridge which was a very dangerous point at that ungodly hour.
There was a bar which was frequented by armed thugs and why the relevant authorities were not taking action on them is a mystery to me. On the right hand side was a forest that harboured dangerous snakes from the evidence I had seen from a TV documentary.
An old looking snake had one time swallowed a whole adult goat all by himself at day time without blinking an eye-lid. What would he not eat at night? To the southern part of the land was an extension of the slum and some garages which housed criminals.
Just as I was some few meters about to embark on joining the main road reading to my home I saw a white thing pass across the road in a flash. It was still extremely dark and it was now raining very hard.
I was astonished because throught my journey from town, I had not seen anything that suggested that there was life outside. Just as I was trying to figure out what that was, I saw a young girl of about eight years crying.
She was wearing white dress, white jacket and white shoes and was running away crying loudly. She had now decided to follow the road while still running and crying as loud as she could. I applied full lights to see her properly.
When I was about to reach her, I slowed down and I saw that behind her were some four tall boys who to my opinion were chokoras as we called them. I could not believe what was happening because this was a young girl in danger. Ahead of her was a bridge where thugs used to hide and molest people.
Behind her was my car which could knock her down anytime. If she decided to enter in the forest, then it meant that she was an easy meal to the hungry venomous snakes.
Behind her still were chokoras who I believed wanted to rape her. God in Heaven, creator of Heaven and earth, what did this young helpless girl do to deserve this? Where were her parents? So as to avoid my car, she deviated her way and was now about to run into the forest.
This was my time to act. I quickly stopped the car and sounded my horn as loudly as I could. The boys scattered away and I asked her to come quickly and enter in the car.
She looked at me and kind of ignored me. When I saw her about to enter in the forest, I almost screamed at her to be aware of the snakes inside. On hearing about snakes, she ran straight to my car. I opened for her and she sat on the passenger seat.
I had to make sure that I left the place immediately because even me and my car, we were not safe. After about half a mile I parked the car by the roadside so as to know more about the girl.
Her clothes were completely wet and she was very cold from the way her tiny teeth were knocking each other. She was also shaking and from the way she was yawning, I realised that she was very hungry.
I passed her my fish and chips and she ate hungrily. At this time she was still crying even after assuring her that all was okay and that she was safe. She had long curry hair and it was obvious that one of her parents were white.
Her clear blue eyes looked at me and she started to cry more. I tried to ask her what her name was and she just looked at me and cried more. I was now worried and desperate.
Supposing she was not a normal girl, maybe a spirit from somewhere? Was she an Angel from Heaven, why all the white dress, white jacket and white shoes? Did she by any chance own some wings under her arms, maybe a tail? What of if she was a child criminal, maybe a suicide bomber? I was worried.
As she could not talk, told her that I was dropping her at the nearby Police station to help her. She now opened up:-
Me: Listen here, I have just saved you and I want to help you, whats your name?
Little girl: My name is Farida.
Me: Where are your parents?
Little girl: Mum is at home and my fathers name is Ziegeinbein.
Me: Tell me what happened, how did it happen that you are away from home especially at this hour?
Little girl: I had gone to visit my Auntie, I waited for her and she never came. I was told that she lives in Mukuru kwa Njenga.
She went on to tell me that she lives with her mum, brother and her elder brother in Mathare valley. I decided to take her back to her house in Mathare. I could have taken her to my house and then take her to Mathare the following day but then I decided to take her to her mum the same day. What of if the neighbours woke up and found a girl, young enough to be my daughter in my house? How would I explain it? My integrity is beyond reproach.
The journey to Mathare valley was a very unpleasant one. I had to drive deep, deep in the interior of Mathare which was even more dangerous for me. Fortunately there is life round the clock in Mathare.
We reached her house and knocked the door. On opening the door, I saw her grandmother, very, very old and almost blind. Her mother stared at me and started calling me Zieg. She held my hand and went on her knees begging me not to leave her.
What was happening? The brother was a young, handsome thin man of about fifteen years. He was cooking ugali for the family (at that hour!). The grandmother and brother thanked me so much for helping young Farida.
The grandmother then went on to tell me that the mother was suffering from mental illness and I should just ignore her. She was not even aware that her daughter was about to die an hour ago.
Of course I had to say goodbye and asked them to take care of their daughter. I asked the brother to escort me to my car and that is when he told me that her mother started developing mental illness after their father left her and married another woman.
Their father was rich person of German origin and that they were living in Mombasa in affluent suburbs in South coast.
The dad had by then relocated back to Germany with his new girlfriend to start a new life there. The family was now depending on what he could earn as a Jua kali Artist.
As I was back in my car and driving home, I realised that in life, we cannot ignore the fact that there are people who literally eat in a very narrow life. We breath the same air, were created in the image of God but some live in Dogs life.
Just imagine if I was a paedophile (I am sure I will never be!!) and I was with that little girl in my car? What of if I was a rapist and the young girl was at my mercy? Supposing I was a serial killer and the young helpless girl was in sight? For a moment imagine that that young girl was your own daughter.
Worse still, imagine her mother was your mother who could not be able to seek medical treatment and mental illness was eating her away? Would you care? Is there hope for such people? Definitely yes!
The best the mum to the girl could do was to start her life afresh and move on. If someone leaves you, he is not a God. Maybe God can only bless you if someone is no longer connected with your life.
It could be your business partner, let him go and God will give you some anointing that that has never been experienced. God will never forsake you but for you to succeed, you must change your attitude. It is our attitude which almost always determines our altitude.
Next year 2012 is coming. You risk remaining in the same position until thy kingdom come if you go to the New Year with the same attitude. You must shake off your mediocrity, your jealousy, low self-esteem and self-limiting beliefs.
You need to roll with friends you can learn from. Tell you what; your life will be the average of the five people who you deal with every day. For example your income will be the average of your five friends you talk to more often.
You must forgive so dont go to the next year with resentments. Your wife betrayed you, so what? She is not a God…move on. Your husband betrayed you so? You must find all reasons to forget and forgive otherwise your countdown of having cancer are imminent.
More and more resentment will hit the most feminine parts and the result is cancer. You are a winner.
To cut the long story short, I used my connections and connected the little Farida to S.O.S. children homes. I believe she must be doing well. God will always send Angels to help you whether you are on the other side of the city or not. God is LOVE. MAY YOU HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012. GOD BLESS YOU.
By Man Man (Whispers from London)
A sad story of yester years in the Village to help change attitude for 2012
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