CHAPTER TWO THE 12: The Vision Made Plain (Episode 9)

“How are you feeling,” He asked him when he was done.

“I don’t know,” Duncan slowly replied.

“Your vitals are normal, you are getting better.”

“How was I brought here?” he asked.

“I don’t know how but I can tell you when.” The doctor replied.

“When,”

“Two weeks ago,”

“I’ve been unconscious for two weeks?”

“Yes and some few hours,”

“Who came for me?”

“Jan and Chris but mostly Chris…… the twelve was here once too,”

That surprised Duncan. “The twelve,”

“Yeah, they want you to recover badly. They will be here again.”

               Duncan was thinking greatly as the doctor left him with the nurse to finish up the checkups. Why will the twelve want him to recover badly, was it to take him to jail? Maybe they wanted to bring him to jail to join Randy. He thought of a way he might escape if he was strong enough but he couldn’t for he felt like his feet couldn’t carry his body at the moment.

    

            The twelve sat to take breakfast with the same people they met when they got into Moscow’s house, the meal was delicious and they twelve enjoyed it.

“How is the search for the land coming along?” Ro asked

“The people we asked help from to search for the land told us that they got two lands,” Zodiac replied.

“Equal sizes,” Maul added. “One in Gabane and the other in labotse,” she got the pronunciation correct and her colleagues smiled.

“Where are those places found?” Lennon asked.

“Botswana, our country,” Zed replied.

Everybody was okay with it but only jakes felt like puking.

“Sorry,” he said chocking, and then he served water for himself and drank.

“Which of the towns did you chose?” Moscow asked.

“Labotse,” Larry replied.

“But why Africa?" Lennon asked again.

“We don’t really have to answer you that question,” Cindy reacted “Do we?

Lennon was almost forgetting the fact that the twelve won’t trust him again that easily. He lowered his head.

“The dream was born in Africa,” Shelly replied. “So it should be established in Africa,”

They all understood their point and found it brilliant.

“When are you going back twelve,” Chris asked. “So I can hitch a ride with you.”

“We are leaving this night,” Shania said.

“So soon,” Moscow asked.

“I really have you to talk to you twelve,” Lennon beckoned.

“Sorry Mr. Lennon, we have a lot to do and we left an unfinished work behind, Lindsay said. “Maybe after our launch before we take our separate ways to the different African countries we’ve chosen to explore.”

“You are going to Africa?” Leon asked

“Yes, we are going to bring the street children and all the orphans to the camp.” Maxwell said. “That’s how the world will learn of the new world,”

“Plus we need to see Duncan,” Ken said.

“Why must you see him?” Jakes asked.

“W e had an unfinished deal with him,” Cindy replied.

“The concert,”

“Yes Mr. Jakes,” Ben replied. “The concert but he will be staring as a guest artist for the launching program.”

Jan and Chris loved the idea, they smiled at each other.

“That will be a wonderful thing to do,” Rubel told them.

“This might probably be another surprise for you,” Moscow said. “Budget for the building of the camp is available.”

The twelve’s eyes widen in surprise.

“I and Rubel organized a fund raising program for the camp, we showed the sample to as many people as possible and their response was really positive and there the budget is complete. Right now the building plan is in the hands of professional three architects and info has been sent to builders in and out of the country so they can get themselves prepared to take the contract.”

The twelve went speechless, the joy of that news overwhelmed their hearts and those watching at them had a delightful smile for they loved seeing them that way, happy and satisfied.

            The twelve were back to New York with Jan and Chris who followed them in the helicopter, Ro and Jo had to stay back because they needed to bring Moscow and the architects to Labotse Botswana to survey the land and confirm its spatial features to contain the camp. Immediately the twelve arrived their home, washed up and got into something clean and good they headed for the hospital because they had received a voice mail from the doctor that Duncan had regained consciousness. Few minutes later, the twelve were at the hospital surrounding Duncan who couldn’t stand the sight of them. He wished they didn’t come to see him.

“Duncan,” Ken called.

“What are you doing here?” Duncan asked, he was harsh,

“Duncan……..” Larry called.

“What do you want from me,” he interrupted. “The concert has been canceled right? What else now?”

“You knew about that paper signed by our lawyer and Jakes right?” Cindy said, her words were attacking,

“And so what if I knew? You want to send me to jail?”

“That was the initial plan,” Shania told him.

“W e are not going to send you to jail,” Ken told him. Calming the tension. "Rather we have an invitation for you. The twelve will like you to be a guest singer at the launching of their organization, the children’s world.”

“You own that organization?” Duncan asked with a glassy eye.

“The one you donated to,” Larry said. “Yes,”

Ken dropped the invitation beside him on his bed where his hand could reach.

“We are free now,” Maul told him. “Just so you know our lawyer showed up and signed us out completely. We hold no grudge against you Duncan, join us.”

               The twelve didn’t plan on staying with Duncan for long, they left when they had delivered their message to him.

             A day to the launching, the twelve and all the children gathered together for their final rehearsal. It wasn’t as intense as the former days because they were doing some sort of warm up just perfect what they had already practiced and to equally have a bonding time before their different performances which was to take place the next day. They were surprised to see Duncan visit them at the hall that evening, the twelve knew he had come for them so they excused themselves from the other children and attended to him. They watched the dance group perfect their styles and they found their moves perfect.

“They are doing great,” Duncan said.

“They have been practicing for close to a month now,” Michael commented.

“This is our dream Duncan,” Ben told him. “To raise a generation of great young people who has their faith built in God and believe in the gift he has placed in them. Children who will live with a sense of responsibility and understanding that someday they will have to answer to this God who created them.”

“And with that understanding they will fulfill their different purposes on earth,” Larry added.

“I pray they won’t end up like me,” Duncan said. “Who discovered his purpose and yet keeps failing to accomplish it.”

“Maybe because you haven’t been given an opportunity on the right platform,” Shelly said. “I bet you Duncan if you will turn your back from your pride and accept this platform tomorrow,” she pointed at the stage. “You won’t regret it. This is where dreams come through.”

Duncan thought for a while.

“I will accept it,” Duncan said. “I’m still alive and the talent is still in me, maybe it’s high time I begin to appreciate God for giving me a gift rather than always complaining about it.”

“Now that’s the spirit,” Ken said nodding his head.

“Common,” Zed stood up. “You need to rehearse your song for tomorrow. The instrumentalist will work with you and if you need backups, we’ve got really good ones.”

“Won’t you guy’s duet with me?” he asked.

“No Duncan, we want to give you your spotlight, this is your time and only you should be seen.” Shania replied him.

“Come with me.” Zed said

And he followed him to the stage, Duncan got introduced to the kids and he was amazed that his instrumentalists were going to be young kids from age sixteen to twenty. He laid out the song and they were able to pick the lines and flowed with it.

                 The next day at 3:00PM  the hall began the fill up with parents, grandparents, guardians and some abstract people who got the news and the invitation through social media and on TV and radio stations. Many young people came to actually see what the twelve was up to again, though the population was not up to that of the twelve’s concert but the hall was filled to the brim with people like Moscow, Rubel, Jakes and his men, Lennon, Chris and Jan who came to support the twelve. For Chris and Jan, they were very happy to have known that the twelve gave Duncan the chance to make his dream come through on a day like that. The program was being aired on the main stream media’s and some people who didn’t have the opportunity to be  in the hall at that time just watched on screen but for Randy, he only heard of it and with so much regret wished he could have been patient enough for that was the treasure he had been obsessing about. At 5:00Pm sharp the program started with a young girl of about eighteen properly and decently dressed. She walked to the stage that was well organized with a broad smile on her face; she was the only one on stage with the microphone in her hands. All the other kids were back stage praying and asking God for his help and guidance.

“Parents, grandparents, guardians, friends and neighbors a good evening to you,” she said with a lovely voice and the response was positive.

“I welcome you the official launch of a great vision and a great dream called the children’s world. We are not here to entertain you; rather we are here to open your eyes to see the beauty of a future that has been termed impossible by us humans. Just like the bible says write the vision and make it plain so that those who read it will run with it, we are here to make this vision plain to you so that you all will hold our hands and run this vision with us for no matter how intelligent a child is he or she will always need the instruction and guidance of a good parent either blood related or not.”

There was applause.

She went on. “Thank you, right now we are going to be calling on the one who makes all things possible, the God above all gods, the one who gives us life and the one who made this possible. Rise up on your feet as I invite Pastor Nelson to come lead us in prayer.”

Immediately the pastor walked to the stage as everybody got on their feet. He was pastor to the church the twelve attended.

“Bless you,” He said as he was handed the Microphone. “Almighty God, father of our lord Jesus Christ who is lord of our lives and possessor of our souls, lord Jesus we hail you this moment for this is the day that you have made for us your people to rejoice and be glad in it. We crown you master of this ceremony as we are here minister to our spirit the truth that will make us free with every passing activity on this stage, open our eyes to the reality of this dream and open our hearts to believe in its possibility. Let your angels minister to us I pray thee father, let them minister to us the same mind set you have given to these kids concerning this dream so that we all can unanimously run with it for the expansion of your kingdom and to the glory of your most holy name. In Jesus name we pray amen,”

And everybody else responded. “Amen.” And with a round of applause they took their sits.

“Thank you pastor Nelson,” the girl said. “We have a surprise package for you all and he will be singing for us live. Please make welcome with a round of applause Duncan steech,” she left the stage and Duncan came in as the audience clapped for him.

“Thank you all very much for coming,” He said. “I am must honored to be here on this platform today. Before I begin, show some love to my young instrumentalist……..”

People started clapping when they saw the young boys and girls take their position on their different instruments. Most of the girls played the organ and the violin which they loved and some parents could make out their children on the stage as they smiled back at the waving hands, some of them were going to see their children play the instrument for their first time, the parents were touched and they felt so good about it.

“They are not my instrumentalist actually,” Duncan said when the children were settled. “They were trained and polished here and they are great.”

There was applause.

“I am very grateful to the twelve and the children’s world for giving me this opportunity and this song I will be singing is dedicated to the children’s world and to every child who have lost something precious, it will be alright just believe and hope for a better day.”

The song started with the violin and the organs, then the entire crew joined in. The lyrics of Duncan’s song was talking about those kids who had lost their parents, their purity, their dignity and their anchor for life. He was telling them it will be alright for salvation was coming their way. Duncan was blessing the children’s world and at the same time fulfilling his dream of singing in a crowd of thousands. His song was great and inspiring and the people loved it. When he was done people were standing up and clapping, some had tears on their eyes and even Jakes could not deny the fact that he was touched. The young MC came back on stage to continue with the program.

“Thank you Duncan,” she said. “Amazing song, right about now we have a dance and I believe some parents will be seeing their children for the first time doing what they love. Make welcome the children’s world dance crew…”