THE TWELVE-season 3,episode 10

                                                                ZIMBABWE

             It was almost sun set in Zimbabwe and Shania was not back from the walk she took. It left Larry and the others worried. They had searched around for her but got no result and now they were back in the house waiting and praying nothing bad happens to her. Out of a sudden, Shania walked in and she looked okay.

“Shania,” Larry stood up and hugged her. That was strange to her,

“Where have you been? we’ve searched all over for you.”

“Yes Shania,” Ruby said. “We were really worried.”

“I went out for a walk,” Shania sat. “Sorry for making you worry,”

Larry took a deep breath and sat beside her.

“Where did you go?” He asked.

“I don’t know the place exactly; I was just walking around,”

“Alone, what if something bad happened to you?”

“I know I shouldn’t have gone alone but I wanted to defeat this fear I have,”

“Calm down Shania,” Larry robbed her back.

“I never ever thought this whole thing will be this difficult.”

“I think it’s because we are not familiar with some things here,” Paco said.

“Not some things Paco,” Miguel said. “Everything is so strange here but we love this people right, we love our fellow mates here, we have spoken to some of them and they are fun to be with, they are humans too and they have needs just like us.”

“Those needs have been neglected for so long,” Soledad said.

“I saw them,” Shania softly said. “I saw how weak, hopeless and wasted they are. Sitting on the streets with no confidence in them, they are completely dependent on the one passing by or riding in a car,”

“You shouldn’t have done this on your own Shania,” Larry said. “We should have gone with you,”

“I saw this woman struggling to feed some children in front of her little house. I think they were hers and I was so scared to go to her.”

“We should go visit her tomorrow,” Soledad suggested. “Get to know her and her kids.”

They all thought about it and it was a good idea.

“I agree with Soledad,” Shania said. “We should visit her.”

Larry smiled, he was glad Shania was putting efforts in trying to relate to the people they came for.

                      

                                                                     RWANDA

             Ken was strolling around the camp with Mr. Wangshari who was the sole owner of the camp of solemnity as he called it. He gave Ken a summary of the history of the camp and why it had only forty eight children living there with him. Ken found his story interesting and he loved the fact that he was getting information that will help them begin their mission there. The children were all busy doing clean up at the camp, mopping, cleaning windows and weeding the yard, Zodiac and their four assistants were helping them with the work even though the other elderly workers had refused them from joining the manual labor but they insisted, the work was a little tedious for them but they tried so they could make themselves equal with the other children. As they were all working they could not stop laughing with all the fun they were getting from one of the black orphan boys. Zodiac went over to where Shorsha was standing.

“Hey Shorsha,” she smiled at her. She was struggling to uproot the grass in front of her.

“Hey Zodiac,” she said and gave a final pull and the grass came off almost pushing her to the ground.

“Be careful,” Zodiac helped her and Shorsha laughed because she found her present falling funny.

“I didn’t see your friend Lydia here yesterday, what happened?”

“She came alright,” Shorsha stood. “But she was driven away,”

“By who,” Zodiac stood with her, she was wearing a working glove, they all were who were doing the work for their first time.

“Him,” She pointed at Wangshari as he stood in front of the pumping tap with Ken.

“Wangshari,” Zodiac was surprised.

“Yeah, he drove her away. He had never want Lydia in the camp,”

“I was surprised when I found out she was an orphan with three sisters and yet she didn’t live here and she’s so young,”

“I pity my friend Lydia and her young ones, they have suffered a lot.”

“Can you tell me what happened?” Zodiac became very much concerned.

“I can’t, she only can tell you. She had always dreamt of becoming like you girls. Go and ask her, I’m sure she will tell you her story,” Shorsha said, then she carried the pile of dirt she had made from the grass she weeded and left Zodiac standing there wondering. Zodiac looked at Wangshari, she thought of going to confront him about sending Lydia away but she thought getting the full story was the best thing to do.

                                                             

                                                                   SUDAN

                  Maxwell and Cindy sat on the grass field they found just beside the house they lived in. The sun was setting and the weather was conducive for them.

“Do you think we have a chance here in Sudan?” Winnie asked. She was a black girl at age seventeen.

“Winnie I will be lying if I tell you that I know,” Cindy said. “This is the most difficult phase of my life,”

“We need a platform,” Maxwell said. “We need a foundation to build on, that’s what we should be looking for.”

“Where do we go from here?” Britney asked. “What are the things we have to do? The children on the streets are so scary; they look too hostile like they won’t even listen to us.”

David stood up for a stretch then he saw a crowd of young black children and teenagers matching towards them.

“I think we might be in trouble,” he said and they all saw the children matching towards them.

“What is going on?”  Wendell asked.

“How did they find us?” Cindy started shivering and the all were scared. They were too surprised to speak as the children approached them.

“Hi,” a girl said, she was black and she looked nineteen. “My name is Samantha and we know who you are, Cindy from spice and Maxwell one of the street boys,”

They all took a deep breath and eased themselves from the fright they were feeling.

“We saw you patrolling our street the other day, and then we followed you.”

“Samantha,” Maxwell called.

“You must thinking what we are doing here, we came to talk, we are so happy you came to our country.”

“We are glad to meet you all,” Cindy said. “Who are they?”

“This be some of those children who hail you,”

Winnie and the others smiled. Funny ascent but it sounded beautiful.

“Hi,” the children waved them.

“Hi,” Maxwell and his crew waved back.

“Do they understand English?” Cindy asked.

“Yeah,” They all nodded.

“What will you like us to do for you?” Maxwell asked.

“We came because some of us can sing and some of us love to play the instrument. We want you to learn us,” Samantha said and they felt so happy knowing that God had just given them the opportunity to start building a foundation that will clearly spell out the dream they had and the future that was been built for the street children, less privileged and orphans.

“Of course we will teach you,” Cindy said. “Come and sit with us.”

The children did as Cindy said. They were about fifteen of them. Some of the guys who wanted to learn the instrument came with their instruments, flutes, drums and some of their traditional instruments.

“We will first of all do a song for you all to honor your visit,” Maxwell said as they sat with them. She and Maxwell started singing a soft lullaby and the other children listening felt so happy just listening to them. As they song went on they were surprised to hear the flute join in the melody and the drums flowing to the beat. They song became even more beautiful when some of the children joined in the chorus singing in harmony.

“Wow you guys are good,” Cindy said when the song was finished and they all clapped feeling really happy.

“What’s your name?” Maxwell asked the guy who did the main flute.

“Jimmy,” He replied.

“How old are you Jimmy?”

“Fifteen,” he said.

“Where did you learn how to play like that?” David asked.

“Nowhere, my sadness and my joy always make me play things I don’t even know,”

“Wow you are talented,” Winnie said. “You all are, I was amazed at how you all just gave the song the sweetest melody ever,”

“Pretty amazing,” Britney agreed.

“So will you teach us?” Jimmy asked and all the children were smiling at them.

“Of course we will,” Maxwell replied.

“You sure have to teach me how to play that flute,” Wendell said and they all laughed.

“The world needs to hear you play your flute Jimmy,” Cindy said. “The world needs to hear you all do the things that make you feel great, a contributor….. Do you understand?”

“We will,” Samantha smiled.

“Yes you will,” Cindy said.

“First of all,” Michael stood. “Before we start anything we will like to know you all by name and your dreams. Where you will like to be if you were given the chance to chose,”

From their response they seemed to have a lot to tell and as they were given a chance they expressed themselves in the way they knew best. Some were shy to talk but Cindy and the others encouraged them by creating a very comfortable atmosphere which made them feel at ease to talk and interestingly the dialogue went on.

              By Friday, Jakes Company was getting even more disorganized. His focus was on planning a new life out of New York and he chose Canada. He made a decision to call all his workers to give his final words and tell them he was finally closing up. He was nervous and all his workers were present waiting for him to speak. Finally he said. “I know this is totally and absolutely not right to you, but I want to give each and every one of you a chance to start a new life.”

“Jake, how are you?” Rooney asked.

Jakes was embarrassed.

“Yes,” Ro went on. “You don’t look fine to me at all and that is why you are knocking off.”

“No, no I’m fine Rooney, can I have a minute to talk please,”

“We already know what you want to say,” Lester said. “Why Jakes, are you closing up finally today?”

“This is hard for you all to understand I know,” Jakes said, he wanted so badly for them for them to understand. He looked at his three partners. “I have to do this and I’m already doing it. Money has been transferred to your accounts, you can start with it.”

“That’s interesting,” Johnny said. “But why does it sound so stupid? Jakes you were never too bright. You four were never just too bright.”

And all the other workers started cursing him and then left.

“Man oh man,” Ro said. “It’s a good thing we resigned earlier,”

“So we are not part of this whole mess going on here,” Jo said.

“Good luck Jakes,” They both stood up and left, leaving him with his partners.

“I’m……” he started.

“Don’t even say a word,” Leon interrupted. “It is over,”

“I don’t think you will get very far with this.” Harrison said and they all stood.

“I hope you fail seriously,” Benedict said and they all left him.

Jakes felt terrible. He knew he had lost the people.