CHAPTER TWO THE 12: The Vision Made Plain (Final Episode of this chapter)

They clapped as the children walked in, they couldn’t understand the kind of dance they wanted to do because they came in with different attires. The street dance, the ballet, the tango and the hip hop dance was combined to form a perfect choreography. People had never seen a thing like that before, such great creativity coming from people they could have least expected. Some young teenagers and young adults who watched from the crowd made up their minds to be a part of whatever was going on in the children’s world because of what they saw, the setting was incredible and their performance was done ten minutes.

“Wow,” The MC said and people could not stop clapping, she waited for about forty seconds, then the audience relaxed giving her space to speak.

“That was incredible right? She asked smiling and the audience screamed again.

“Thank you all very much. Parents and guidance don’t be too shocked okay. Your kids are God’s design and there’s nothing he withheld from us, the reason what it was not seen was because they were not yet given the chance to express themselves from the point they could speak best and this is what the dream is all about, bringing young people to the realization of all the gifts and talents God has given them, teach them how to use it to serve God and bless their world.”

The audience agreed with her some by clapping and some by shouting and some by nodding.

“The time has come for the official launching of the children’s world, it is the reason why we all came here and I will be welcoming the people that will launch this world open for its full operation.”

People knew without any doubt that she was going to introduce the twelve. They were waiting and anxious and those who had never seen them were shaking, ninety percent of the audience was up on their feet.

“Join me welcome the children’s world choir…..”

Though people didn’t expect that, they clapped and screamed but in their minds they asked, ‘where is the twelve?’ as the screaming and clapping went on the lights on the stage went off and after two seconds the curtain behind the stage was pulled opened with white light focused on the choir only. The girls on both sides were dressed in white robes and the boys in the middle were dressed in red robes. The song started with an intro from the choir:

(Dr……ea…… m hum) 3x

(Dr……ea……. M hum) 3x

After that intro that was done perfectly by the choir in one voice, the piano started playing a sweet melody slowly, then the violins came in, then the rhythm guitar, then the organs and lights shone on them as they played. This instrumental display went on for one minute then a voice started singing:

I had a dream, to see an end,

I had a life, to live for that…….

Before the crowd could make out the voice, the twelve walked majestically into the stage all dressed like the choir, boys in red, girls in white and they stood from Zed who was singing the song to Michael and from Maul who stood beside Zed to Shelly who stood beside Michael. The crowd went wild with excitement; in all they did they saw perfect equality and undivided unity amongst the twelve and the children. The twelve stood in a straight line without shading the choir because they were a step higher than them on the stage and at close proximity.  The song went on…....

Shelly: and now the dream….. To become once again…..

Maul: is now at peace….. In my heart today…..

Michael: I was a boy, with no trace of believes…. (With full instruments)

Larry: doubting every moment in my life…….

Zodiac: and I was a girl, with no hope left in me…..

Ken and Shania: living a life of fear and no believe…….

Lindsay: but now I’m raising my voice…….

Maxwell:  that’s because of my dream……

Ben: and now I’m raising my voice…….

Cindy: because the hope is built in me…..

The entire choir: I had a dream (I had a dream)

To see an end (to see an end)

I had a life (I had a life)

To live for that (to live for that)

And now the dream…To become once again

Is now at peace in my heart today,

And now the dream…….. To become once again,

Is now achieved in the world today…….

The choir sang the four last lines four times and as those in crowd heard it and saw the passion and conviction in which the twelve and the choir sang the song, some had tears in their eyes, some were perplexed and some had their hands glued to their mouth. In that mood Michael stepped forward and the choir just hummed quietly to the song.

“It is with great joy in our hearts to officially launch the operation and functioning of the children’s world,” Michael said and people screamed and clapped. Most of the girls and the boys in the twelve and the choir had tears rolling down their cheeks, they held their hands together and the choir did same.

“You may not understand the toil, the pain, the feeling of rejection and discomfort we have experienced. We had to fight to keep ourselves unspotted from the streets, we had to beg and bow and lick up the dust from peoples feet just to get a meal for a day. Luckily for us we heard the message of salvation at a very tender age and made a decision to believe in it. The bible was the only book we were opportune to read from day to day because we were closed up from other information’s around the world and we could only see how wickedly mankind treats itself. This bible was given to us by some missionaries who came to show their own way of charity but most street children and orphans will not want to listen to them, besides what will a hungry stomach get from you just speaking words and how will they get a bible they can’t even read. Though sometimes they gave us food and a little education but it was never enough, with this bible we read the stories of people whom God picked from the lowest backgrounds, the most insignificant and all he did was gave them a word and their faith in that word built their universe. We looked at people like David, young David was given an extraordinary gift by God and as he stayed focus on God serving him from that tender age God used him to do great things in his time and in his community, he was anointed king at that tender age and though he was being chased here and there by king Saul and other enemies he was a king to the greatest kingdom in the earth. Then we began to wonder, I might just be a king of some great kingdom, maybe the president of a country or maybe a great singer or great pastor though I am here stalking the streets for food and shelter……. Look at the story of the Israelites, from one insignificant man became the source through which all the nations of the earth are being blessed. Each time we look at our fellow mates on the streets being beaten, insulted and abused, each time a young boy gets beaten and arrested for stealing because he was too hungry and no one cared to help we think…… this might be a president or a great business entrepreneur but because of poor orientation and lack of opportunity these intelligent, gifted young people cannot achieve their dreams or become what they were meant to be. We were given the opportunity by God to survive, so we could help others survive, we were led to know the truth so we could tell it to the others in a way they will best understand.

Then this dream was born in our hearts, from all what we studied in the bible we realized that God is mostly interested in very small things. He uses the smallest things, the foolish things and the weakest things to make something great and something beautiful out of them and that’s why we want to tell all our fellow mates come and discover for yourself what you are capable of, give God a chance to turn your stupidity into the greatest invention that has ever been. We took a very big risk trying to get to the spice because we believed without any doubt that together we can make this work, we were not coming to join the spice so we could be superstars, we were coming to tell them about the dream and as blessed as they are, they made the dream a part of them, it became their dream as well and that’s why we are here together like this……………

As he spoke the sample of the camp was being projected on the big screen behind and everybody could see.

“See how far this street boys have come, if you doubt any testimony believe this one today that God does turn people’s mess into a great message, a message that will be heard from generations to generations if you only give him a chance. Life could be so bitter but you must believe that it also gets better and this will be the children’s world, it is not going to be the best place to be in the world because of its luxury and beauty or because you will get free access to meeting the spice and interact with them, it is going to be the best place in the world when the ignorant get in there and find knowledge, wisdom and understanding, when the hopeless finds hope, when the deaf, dumb, blind and lame gets there and begin to hear, speak, see and walk, when total starvation comes to an end and the sick receive their health, when dreams become a reality and purposes fulfilled. Then that will qualify this camp, the best place to be and we don’t expect to achieve this in one day for we have learned throughout our experience that it is with patience and consistency that a great lasting work is being achieved and only in continuity can you get strong results. Parents join us for we will need you, we will need your expertise in raising responsible children and we will need your prayers and blessings to keep moving forward. Thank you all and may the lord bless the operations of the children’s world in this camp and around the world.”

There was a great round of applause as Michael joined back in the line and the choir continued singing. On that day the children’s world was launched and many people believed in the beauty of that dream for they saw its future and were ready to invest in it any way they could.

                Jakes visited Randy in prison. When the warder brought him out, he was pleased seeing him there, though Jakes did not recognize his presence. The warder left them alone.

“What are you doing here?”

Jakes heard his voice, and then he looked at him

“Randy, it has been a long time” he finally said.

“Yes it has” he said as he sat down, “and I’m getting used to it”.

“You are not blaming anybody for this. Are you?”

Randy looked at him and smiled.

“Anyway, I came to tell you that the twelve had reconciliation with us and their lawyer. They just finished launching their dream children’s world and Duncan was the guest artist at that grand opening,”

Randy became tensed. “Damn it. I knew those kids were up to something”.

“And we just found out that you were planning to rob a vision, something that might save your own children, that is, if you will ever have one. That is a cruel thing to do.”

“You speak as if you are on the righteous side. Listen to me Jakes, you and your men will always be a part in the lives of those kids…”

“We just had reconciliation”. He interrupted.

Randy looked at him. “Tell me Jakes, what is your next plan for those kids? What?”

“You know, if I were you I will look for a perfect way to reconcile with my own self. I’ve got no plans for the twelve Randy. This is what I did to make peace with myself; I set them free, destroyed the contract and let their relationship with Duncan flow”

“What about the company?”

“It’s none of your business. I’m asking for your release Randy, not for you to come and hatch more of your evil schemes on the twelve or on anyone else, look for something better to do with your life.” Jakes stood up and walked out. Randy thought through alone.

  The next day, the twelve sat again with the children in their hall to talk less and plan more.

“Finally, we are done with our launch.” Larry said. “Now is the time to work. We are going to explore Africa and bring out all those children who, because of them, we have the children’s crisis. We will get the governments authorization to bring them to the camp, train them and teach them how to fulfill purpose. We have chosen six countries to explore. You know the twelve cannot be in one place, so we decided to share ourselves into six pairs; Michael and Shelly to explore Kenya, Shania and myself to explore Zimbabwe, Cindy and Max to explore Sudan, Ben and Lindsay to explore Liberia, Ken and Zodiac to explore Rwanda and our babes Maul and Zed to explore Sierra Leone ”. He smiled.

“In a while,” Michael continued, “this is called missions and we will have four of you go with each group while the rest of you will stay back to pray, Anastasia will be your leader for the six months we will be away and we’ll always make sure you know everything happening with us that way. Thank you all for your efforts and keep up the good work.” They all smiled.

The next day, the twelve had a meeting with all the elderly people they now had in their lives. They sat in Rubel’s meeting room to talk about their departure which was the next day.

“So you’re leaving tomorrow?” Moscow asked, he also acted like a father to the twelve and it gave him great joy for all he had been blessed with in this life, there was an emptiness of not having a child in him but ever since he met the twelve, it felt to him like the void had been filled.

“Tomorrow is that day,” Shelly said.

There was so much sorrow in the hearts of them all but they could not express it.

“What are the things you will need for the journey?” he asked again.

“Nothing for now Mr. Moscow,” Ken replied.

“I should run some errands for you,” Lennon pleaded. “As your lawyer……”

“Formal lawyer,” Shania interrupted. “As it is now, we don’t have a lawyer,”

“Common Shania,” Ro said. “Even so, you need people like him to prove to the government officials that whatever you’re doing is legal and that they can trust the welfare of the street children and orphans in the camp,”

“We understand your point but thanks,” Cindy said. “It won’t be necessary.”

“It is necessary,” Rubel told her. “For a lawyer to or lawyers to back you up in ventures like this,”

“Mr. Rubel, we understand your point,” Maxwell said. “But believe me we don’t need that right now.”

“If we ever need help in that area,” Michael said. “Mr. Lennon will be the first person we will call.”

“I’m so ashamed of myself,” Lennon said. “You kids have grown up already; you now know how to handle your affairs all by yourselves,”

“Why won’t they?” Jakes asked him. “You left them and they had to survive with or without your council and as you can see they did survive, they are over you.”

“No, no, Jakes,” Chris said. “That’s not a very nice thing to say.”

“What, I said nothing but the truth right?”

“Stop picking on him Jakes,” Jan said. “That’s not the reason why we are here.”

“Twelve,” Leon said. “I am sorry for whatever wrong I did to you. I am so proud of you kids, glad I was a part of your life,”

“Thanks Leon,” Lindsay said.

Benedict and Harrison were still feeling embarrassed to talk so they kept quiet all through.

“What about your ride?” Moscow asked.

“I booked tickets for them on different planes,” Ro said. “They all will be leaving tomorrow afternoon.”

“What about accommodation?” Rubel asked.

“W e will take care of that when we get to our destinations,” Larry replied.

“You know I still would have loved if somebody elderly could go with you,”

“They can’t.” Maul told Moscow. “We are going to be fine and we don’t want our fans to know about our departure, we don’t want a crowd at the airport please Mr. Harrison and Benedict,”

“Why do you think we will tell the fans about your leaving?” Harrison asked.

“I don’t know,” Maul replied. “For some reasons you always do,”

Everybody else smiled except for Maul and Harrison.

“How will you handle the ones in the plane?” Chris asked.

“W e can bear that,” Zodiac said.

“Ok,” Moscow stood. “With all said, we will meet you guys at the airport tomorrow.”

“What time?” Chris asked.

“2:00Pm,” Ro replied.

“Thank you all for your support,” Shelly said. “We lack words to express our heartfelt gratitude.”

They all smiled and nodded. The twelve stood.

“We beg to leave you now,” Ben said. “We still have things to pack.”

All the gentle men and the lady stood as well, as they gave their goodbyes with much sorrow in their hearts knowing that by that same time tomorrow the twelve will leave them for a land that is so unpredictable.