The Pied Piper

Last week, I spent several days in one of the villages called Mairowa. We will be starting school there this January, so I spent time there visiting some of the local nursery schools that are hosted by churches and talking with the social worker and pastors. One of the schools is a mud hut with a dirt floor. The benches that the children sit on are just simply branches from a tree. I will never complain about wobbly desks again! =)

Saturday is feeding day. The children gradually trickle in until they get lunch around 1pm. As we were waiting for more of the children to arrive, I just sat on the ground surrounded by children who just simply wanted to touch my funky looking white skin. I think they wanted to see if it would rub off. They could not get enough of my hair and the way it moves so easily. The girls would play with it, comb their fingers through it, and just fluff it up. At one point, I had a little girl sitting in my lap while the rest of the kids were playing around me. I leaned my head over and had my hair fall on her head so it looked she was wearing a mzungu wig. The children squealed with delight.

Later on in the morning, I needed to send a text message that was important. However, Mairowa iko porini, Mairowa is in the bush. So cellphone service is a bit allusive. I did learn that there are some spots where if you hold your phone just right you can pick up a signal. I was not sure where the main spot was, but I was told that I could not miss it. I needed to walk a ways to find the spot and the children inisited on going with me. As I walked up the hill, more children began to follow the strange colored white woman. After a while, I did indeed find the spot. X marks the spot. Literally! There is a little mound of dirt by a tree where the grass has been completely worn down because that is where everyone goes to use their cell phones!

While I was sending the message, more children were walking by to head down to the project for the feeding. The big eyes and silly giggles are just too fun sometimes. Now, that I have learned a little swahili, I love to start speaking to the children. The open mouth stares of astonishment are hilarious. The mzungu speaks our language! They cannot believe it. So, I start to head back down towards the school area where the feeding is. I have now acquired a pretty hefty crowd. I have kids hanging onto every finger fighting for a chance to hold my hand. I begin to skip and so do they. I begin to sing and they just laugh and laugh and begin to join in. I begin to run and flap my arms like a bird and my little fan club follows suit. I feel like the pied piper. What a blast! The children and I can barely breathe because of laughing and running.

I love Africa!