THE TWELVE-season 3,episode 13

RWANDA

                 Ken and zodiac decided to visit Lydia and they were accompanied by Shorsha. They left their assistants with the other children at the camp to get familiar with the kids there and get to equally know their stories and experiences. Lydia on the other hand felt greatly honored to have the two members of the group she loved and admired so much sitting in her little mud house. They were surrounded by Lydia’s little ones who were staring at them like some aliens, Lydia was not embarrassed by the state of her house but she felt really happy and privileged to have them visit her.

“We came because we heard of what happened,” Zodiac said. “This is Ken,”

“Saw him once on TV,” she giggled at him and Ken smiled.

“It’s nice meeting you Lydia,” Ken said. “Heard you can sing,”

“I was blessed by the gift,” she smiled.

“You were blessed with the gift,” Ken gently corrected her. “God gave you the gift so you were blessed with it not by it. You have lovely siblings,”

She smiled and nodded shyly.

“So what happened, why did Wangshari send you and your little once away?”

Suddenly she felt uncomfortable and stammered looking at Shorsha for help but she was willing to help.

“Did you do anything wrong?” Ken asked.

“He hates me, he has no empathy….” She tearfully said. “He doesn’t like I and my little ones,”

“Why does he hate you?” Zodiac asked.

“Because I someday stole from him when we were still staying in the camp,”

“Why did you steal from him?”

“My juniors were bitterly in hunger and the time for eating had not arrived, time was taking so long and they needed food badly. I begged him at the first but he pushed me away, see I had no choice because I couldn’t stand watch my juniors die hunger so I went to kitchen and took the rice they had boiled and kept so I could feed them but then they caught me and this man sent me away without pity,”

He story was sad and though Zodiac and Ken knew stealing was bad they could understand why she did it. Her siblings were still very young to sustain that kind of hunger.

“You know we eat in the camp just once a day right? Twice when we are lucky,” Shorsha said. “Things only changed when you came, now we eat twice because they want to buy your favor.”

“We understand what you kids are going through,” Ken said.

“Make us to be like you,” Lydia pleaded. “Please, I beg you take us out of this misery, we want to be like you……. I want to be like you.”

“We are going to take you all out of here someday,” Zodiac said. ‘But you have to help us; we need to make our fellow mates understand that the power to build our dreams and make our lives beautiful lies in our hands, not in the hands of anybody.”

“No….. They won’t even believe you.” Shorsha said. “Where is the dream, people like us don’t dream because this is the end of the road for us. We will grow up in that camp and sold off to any man who pretends to take interest in us. Those on the streets face endless cruelty, our rights have been taking away from us, and they are violated by many adults, many times who were supposed to protect us. In many cases we are subjected to sexual harassment in return for food or clothes or even a night shelter. Often police will detain us and beat us without cause. We don’t have any hope and even our dreams will always just be dreams.”

“There is a world of possibility waiting for you all out there Shorsha, just open your heart and believe it.” Ken told her.

“Is this world of possibility able to stop the children’s crisis all over the world?”

“Yes it is,” Zodiac said. “Only if children like you and I stand up for those who are not strong enough, only if we stand up and bring them to believe in the beauty of their dreams and the chances for its possibility. Both of you are heroes to your generation and the children’s world awaits people like you to stand up for them and fight so join us to fight this crisis and we shall win it with the almighty God on our side,”

“You know God too?” Lydia asked. “I and Shorsha always study the bible. It made us learn English with my little ones.”

“Wow that’s very cool,” Ken smiled. “How did you get the bible?”

“From missionaries,” Shorsha replied.

“Amazing, then we can study the bible together, build our faith from there and learn strategies on how to win this crisis from our great forefathers of faith.”

Shorsha and Lydia became excited about learning more from the bible, even the little ones were happy about studying the bible with Ken and Zodiac and they started their studies that same day.

                      When it was getting dark in New York Jan decided to take a quick tour to Rubel’s house since he had already left the office. She knocked persistently at the front door and Rubel could not ignore it and whoever it was, he was ready to receive. He walked to the door.

“Who is it?” he asked aloud.

“Rubel it’s me Jan,” she said outside. “I need to talk to you,”

He then opened the door and she quickly walked in.

“What’s up Jan,” He asked copiously. “What is wrong?”

“Too many things are wrong,” she sat down without being offered a seat.

“What can it be?” He sat too.

“The twelve, have you heard from them?”

“No I haven’t and yes that borders me too,”

“I really don’t know why we can’t contact them….. I left them several mails but no response.”

“Did you forget so soon, they didn’t travel with gadgets, just cell phones and I’m sure the network that way is hindering our communication with them.”

“But is it that way?”

“It’s Africa Jan, what do you expect?”

“The more reason why I’m so worried.”

“The good news is, Moscow and Lennon went over to Botswana to check on the progress of the camp.”

“It’s already in construction?” her anxiety was replaced by a fresh delight.

“Yes,” Rubel proudly said. “A hundred and fifty expert builders flew into Botswana and laid the foundation in two days, one hundred other expert builders flew to Botswana yesterday to start the full construction and as I’m talking to you right now, every building material has been supplied, the workers are extremely enthusiastic to see the camp put in place and they are working on a fair discount as their own way of support. In five months time, the biggest house in the world must have been complete.”

Jan smiled, she could imagine the expression on the twelve’s face when they finally see their world and all the children living in it as they dreamt.

“Wow, I can’t wait to see how this whole thing ends up.”

“Gloriously I bet you because we are all praying hard for that to happen and God will answer us for sure.”

“Moscow should try calling them from there since he is in Africa,” Jan said.

“He said he will and if things work out well he will get back to me and I will let you know,”

Jan took a deep breath and relaxed.

“Please don’t forget,”

“I won’t,”

“What are you up to now since you left Randy?”

“I and Chris are planning to start a label of our own with Duncan being our first signed artist.”

“Wow that will be great any way I can help just let me know.”

“But we have decided to wait till the twelve’s return.”

“You sure about this,”

“Of course, we still need to stand on guard for them till they arrive safely our lives will never go back to normal,”

Rubel was amazed at their commitment to the twelve and he was no doubt a part of it.

RWANDA

                 Later that night, Zodiac and her team where laying on their beds, some were reading and others were desperately trying to call home but the lines were still not going through. After so many tries others gave up but Zodiac kept on trying with Ken just admiring her efforts, she tried few more times and she didn’t even realize when the phone started ringing because she was already use to the beep that comes before the voice telling her the lines are busy.

“Zodiac it’s ringing,” Ken told her then she realized it was ringing…… she screamed and then hut her mouth with her hands. Maul was almost closing her eyes when she heard her phone ring beside her, she jacked up from the bed and quickly pressed the answer button and when she said hello all the others woke up.

“Zodiac,” She screamed.

“Maul…… oh my God I’m so happy to hear your voice,” she was on loud and so was Maul.

“Me too, me too Zodiac…. How have you guys been?”

“Hey Zodiac,” Zed said through the phone.

“Hey Zodiac,” All the others said.

“Hey guys, I missed you all so much. How are you all?”

“We are doing ok,” Zed said. “How is Ken?”

“Pastor Ken,” Maul added.

“I missed you Maul,’ Ken said. “Hey brother, hey guys we are all greeting.”

“We’ve tried calling to no avail,” Zodiac said.

“I guess it’s a general network problem,” Maul said. “We tried calling you all several times but the lines keep failing.”

“That means you’ve not heard from the others?”

“No but I’m sure they are alright, since you guys are right?”

“Yeah I too, how Is Sierra Leone?”

“It is ok; full of street children and we are surrounded by Muslims here. Got into a mosque earlier today,”

“What?” they all exclaimed.

“Zed’s idea but it turned out great though, we were given a chance to talk to the children and that will be on Monday.”

“Wow it’s a great thing you are making progress,” Ken said.

“How is Rwanda?” Zed asked.

“It’s full of street children too; the cases here are so complicated. We live in a camp with some orphans, nice place.”

“Really, we live in a nice house too. We just have a room with a bathroom and a small parlor but it’s conducive. We don’t even know how to begin sharing the dream; they hardly understand anything we say,”

“Here too,” Ken said. “But we just have to start with the opportunity God gives us, stay focus and keep leaning on his direction.’

“Thank you pastor Ken,” Maul said. “So glad we could talk, I feel boosted right now,”

They all laughed.

“I’m serious,” She said.

“We all do Maul. My phone credit is expiring, I will have to refill and try calling the others.”

“Yeah we will do same,” Maul said. “We all will try calling from here and our assistants can also try calling home, let their parents know they are doing ok….”

“Sure, talk to you later. We love you all,”

“We love you all too,” The group from Sierra Leone responded and the lines were cut.

THE TWELVE-season 3,episode 12

                                                               SIERRA LEONE

The prayers at the mosque had ended and nothing was as horrifying for Maul even though they didn’t get into the mosque because they were not properly dressed for it. She had urged them to go severally but Zed wanted them to wait till the prayers were done so they will get a chance to talk to the children. As the thousands of people started streaming out, Zed and her crew realized they wouldn’t get a chance to talk to the children that way, nobody even noticed them, they just discussed in their language as they passed them.

“Let’s go in and have a look at the mosque inside,” Zed said.

“What, Zed are you going crazy?” Maul retorted.

“I am not going crazy ok, trust me you will love it in there. I and the boys use to sneak into mosque like this and the view inside is amazing.”

“What if we get caught?”  Marshall asked.

“The world will come for our rescue,” He smiled at her. “Common guys,” He ran through the few people who were still leaving the mosque, Maul and the others followed him. When they got into the mosque, there were no chairs just a few mats spread across the huge hall. They had an alter but no pulpit, Maul and the others were a little scared but Zed confidently led the way, it was a life he was once used to. In their minds they knew they were all alone but that thought was quickly erased with great fear as they saw an alahadji leaving from the door at the altar. They thought of going back but it was too late, he had already spotted them.

“Imposters,” He yelled and his voice echoed in the hall. He came down from the altar with his hands wrapped behind him and approached them, they were shivering and Maul couldn’t stop blaming Zed in her heart.

“We are not imposters,” Zed managed to speak and luckily for them the man recognized them as part of the twelve.

“You,” He pointed at them both. “I know you, aren’t part of the twelve?”

“We are,” Maul said hoping that will help.

“What are you kids doing here?” he asked.

“Well sir,” Zed hesitated.

“Omar, call me Omar… no sir,”

“Okay, we came for……”

“Vacation,” He interrupted. “Why will you choose Sierra Leone of all the countries in the world?”

They didn’t have an answer.

“Though I’m not a huge fan,” He said. “But I enjoyed your story as the twelve, how you boys fought to make your dreams come through…… almost getting yourselves killed, was there any truth in that story by the way?”

“Everything you heard was the truth, I am a black Botswana boy, grew up in the streets just like you heard.”

“And the meeting in the middle of the sea?”

“All true,” Maul was finally calm.

“Excellent, then God has just blessed the nation of Sierra Leone with your coming here, where are the others?”

“We separated,” Maul said.

“Separated,”

“Not like that,” Zed told him. “They went to their own place of vacation,”

“Understood, I will like you to come and share some of your experience with the children here.”

That was a delight for the children hearing it.

“Though some of them don’t understand English I will get you an interpreter. How long will you be here?”

“Six months,” Nora said.

“Good, that’s time enough to transform the mindset of the Sierra Leone kids; I will be expecting you here on Monday 5:00pm.”

“We will be there sir…… Omar,” Maul smiled at him but he didn’t find anything she said funny.

“Leave the mosque,” He said and went back to the room he came from. The children ran out of the mosque jubilantly because of what had just happened and the opportunity they had just gotten.

ZIMBABWE

                   Later the next day, Larry and his crew went to the house Shania had told them about. The entrance to the house was more like a dungeon, dark, cold and wet. The door was opened but they could not see anything inside the house because it was dark and shielded with a white blind that had turned brown. The young woman who had the place met them outside while coming to throw the dirt she was holding. She looked stressed and pale and she was very welcoming and friendly just like every good mother should be. Though she was not sure of what the six beautiful and handsome neat young teenagers wanted with her that late afternoon, she still attended to them.

“Good afternoon,” Larry greeted and the others smiled at her. Shania was not comfortable yet.

“Good afternoon,” she replied. “How may I help you?” she asked.

“We came to see you,” Larry told her.

She became nervous. “Why? I heard some rich kids were around our area are you lost?” she was polite.

“No,” Shania managed to speak. “I passed by here yesterday and I saw you taking care of some children…. Are they yours?”

She smiled. “No but I consider them mine, I took them in because they had nowhere else to go.”

A little boy came out from the house and whispered loudly to her.

“Edna, Memphis is dying. You mustn’t let her die,” He wept.

The woman smiled hopelessly and fearfully. “There is nothing I can do,” she looked away from that desperate gaze clouded with the pain of losing a child. She attended back to Shania and her crew who were staring at her.

“You know, don’t you Edna,” Shania said. “You won’t let her die right?”

Tears brimmed in Edna’s eyes; she bit her lips and shook her head glancing at the boy going away in tears.

“You have to save her,” Paco told her.

“I can’t save her,” She shouted tearfully. “I’ve tried all I can to save her and no one wants to help. They keep starving to dead; Memphis will starve to dead because I don’t have anything more to do.”

“Where are they?” Shania asked.

“In there?”

“Can we see them please?”

“Yes,” She led them into the house and they were shocked by what they saw. Ten children, four girls and six boys lying on the floor mat. Their eyes had become very white and they almost looked like skeletons, they saw the boy who had spoken to Edna outside lying beside the girl Memphis who was dying. Shania held her mouth with her hand and tears was streaming down their eyes, they were stricken with compassion and pity for the dying and hopeless children they saw.

“Paco,” Shania whispered, her voice was shaking. “Go with Miguel, run and get….. The supplements we came with, the juice and the water. Get money and buy whatever fruits you can find and then bring it, you will go back for food at the restaurant we always eat.”

They both nodded with tears in their eyes and rushed off.

“I have water in my back,” Ruby said. “And some supplements we can give her to hold on till they get back.”

“Yes Ruby, bring it.”  Larry said. Edna gave them space to do whatever they wanted to do, the other children watched as they raised Memphis to sit up with Shania holding her bony self to her chest sitting on the mat. Shania forgot about the awful scent that was oozing from her body, all she cared about was to see Memphis revived out of that situation.

“You are going to be fine ok, God please don’t let her die…… God won’t let you die,” She spoke to her ears as if she could hear her. Ruby fed the water into her mouth and she managed to drink it struggling with life and dead. The children started sobbing; they had less energy to cry. Larry and Soledad went about consoling them, fitting into their mouth the supplements and vitamins Ruby had given. They sweetness of the supplements and vitamins made them stop crying and they like what was in their mouths, it helped them regain energy and Edna was relieved, she helped all the children up with the hope that something good was about to happen to them. Few minutes later, Paco and Miguel brought all the things they were asked to bring. The children were served with good drinking water, some fruits and more vitamins and supplements were given to them, Memphis life was saved though she was still weak but she was not dying anymore. The children had been sustained while Paco and Miguel had gone to buy the kind of food Edna had suggested will be good for the children at that moment. Memphis was one of the youngest kids in the house and Shania was carrying her and feeding her, Larry was proud of her and so were the others.

LIBERIA

                  Lindsay, Ben and their assistants were going through the books they had brought with them.

“You know I think we over estimated this children,” Barbra said.

“How do you mean?” Lindsay asked her.

“I mean look at the books. Big topics, large chapters with words that can confuse your mind, giving these books to these children will be like giving a toothless baby an apple to bite.”

They all smiled.

“We can’t give them these books, at least not just yet.” Ben said. “What we need to do is make them know they can recover from whatever situation they are in now, make them know there is a big possibility for them to be free from this slavery they were put in.”

“But how do we do that?” Annabel asked. “They just think we are here to flood them with gifts and food or maybe create a connection between them and the rich world.”

“If we keep asking ourselves that question we might not even find an answer for the next six months we have to be here.” Lindsay said. “We have to start anyhow with any little opportunity we find and that is why we won’t stop going out till we get the children’s attention.”

And that’s all they needed to hear. They nodded in agreement and repacked all the books they brought.

THE TWELVE-season 3,episode 11

                                                         

                                                              SIERRA LEONE

             On that Friday Maul and her crew noticed that majority of the people around that area were going somewhere. They stopped some of the children passing by to ask what was going on but the ones they asked didn’t understand their English. They decided to try the elderly and they got an answer from one of them, he told them they all were going to the mosque for Friday worship.

“I think we should go to the mosque,” Zed suggested and it was not all well accepted.

“What will we be doing in mosque?” Maul asked. “Are you going to join Islamism?”

“No Maul but can’t you see, majority of the children are going there both the Christians and none Christians.”

Their assistants allowed them make the decision.

“So,”

“So that’s where we can get the child, that’s where we can get access to them.”

“No,” Maul shook her head strongly. “This is too much,”

“We have to do the too much to be able to accomplish our goal for coming here within just six months.”

There was silence for a while.

“Common Maul,” Zed held her hand. “We have to do this. Let’s go,”

She looked at him and the others staring her and from their looks she knew they were with Zed.

“Okay fine, let’s go worship at the mosque,”

“We are not going to worship at the mosque; we are not even a part of what they are doing there. God knows that.”

“Sure he does, sure he does.”

“Let us go with this people so we don’t miss our way.” Zed said and against Maul’s better judgment she followed them.

                                                               KENYA

                   “If we fail here, what will be the consequence of our failure?” Michael asked Shelly in the room. They were both fixing their dresses perfectly into their bags.

“We could die if we don’t follow the steps God is showing us,” she replied.

“So death is one of the consequences?” Michael asked.

“Death is the only consequence if we fail here,”

“Excuse me,” Tyler came in. “The head doctor wants to see you both.”

“The head doctor,” There was some delight in Shelly.

“Yes,”

Michael smiled. “This is what we were waiting for. Tyler get the others, we are all going there.”

“He is at the refectory,” Tyler said. “We will meet you guys there.”

“Let’s go,” Shelly completely forgot the dresses, Michael kept the one he was holding and followed.  Few minutes on they walked into the refectory with their assistants following behind. The head doctor was surprised to see them; Hemi had spoken to him about her discussion with Shelly and their opting to help.

“Good day sir,” Michael greeted and so did his crew.

“Good day kids,” the doctor replied then he turned to Hemi. “Hemi how do you expect kids like this to raise kids like that out of depression?"

“Sir…..” Shelly said.

“Doctor Chris,” He swiftly interrupted her.

“Doctor Chris, we just need a chance to help.” Shelly went on. “There’s nothing difficult in helping people like them.”

“There’s nothing difficult,” He folded his arms and nodded. “I have given all I ever had to see that these children have a better life even if it is not all so luxurious like what you have enjoyed. I’ve worked hard, begged for assistance of which I’m always ignored and just by chance I get a few people who care to join me support this children either by supplying meds, food, good water and this shelter you see today. I left my country and everything I knew to come here and establish this and I’ve been doing it for ten years thanks to Hemi who partnered with me. We have given our all for these poor orphans and I won’t want some spoilt brads who got tired of their mommies and daddies over protective attitude running into my sweat to make a mockery of it.”

Michael looked deep into the doctor’s eyes.

“Do you have children?” he asked.

“Yes and why do you ask?"  he replied.

“Where are they?” Michael asked.

“Schooling abroad where I came from,”

“No matter how much love you have for these poor children here it can never take the place of your own children and that is why you can send your children to school and this ones you just manage to nurse them from the excess you have. Not that I’m judging you, you have done a great work in the lives of those kids just by providing security for them. I grew up on the streets….”

That was a shocking truth for those hearing it for their first time.

“From my very little age, I remember I was just about four when I became an orphan…… I slightly knew my mom and my dad I had no idea of who he was. Thank God for the great friends I met on the streets and together we grew up like brothers, fighting for our survival. When we got to a certain age, we decided to stop sleeping on the streets because we had had enough of the brutality and maltreatment we were getting from the police and other men. My story is too long and time will fail me to tell you how we squeezed our way through education but in all this just one thing kept us, we had a dream, we always believed that we are no different from those children abroad, we knew that God made us equal as them, he gave us a destiny to fulfill and it was all wasting because we are never given the opportunity to become. We are either used to make others rich and wealthy or used to clean the floors for some people to come walk pass through. We fought and our faith in the destiny God had made for us gave us hope, our faith in God gave us strength and then we found ourselves living the dream, our dream life. So doctor, we can never make a mockery of your sweat because more than you we understand what those children are going through. We can help not because we are capable but because we know where this road leads to and we know how to come out of it.”

Hemi and the doctor went cold and speechless.

“No amount of food and medicine can truly help those children in there,” Shelly said. “They need to know and feel they are better than their present situation, they need to know this God who loves them unconditional, who is their father and their protector, they need to know someone cares for them so much that he gave his life so that they will live a more better life, they need to know that their future is much brighter than the sun they see outside. They need to know Christ and his love that can make them free, free from their pain and the disease, and the sickness that has infiltrated their health. That is the help we want to render.”

“What is your mission here?” The doctor asked.

“She just defined it,” Tyler replied.

“How will you achieve all this?” Hemi asked.

“We ourselves don’t even know,” Michael said. “But we believe in the God who called us and sent us.”

“I still don’t believe in what you kids are up to,” the doctor said. “If you fail at this you will be dead.”

“Don’t worry sir; we already passed from dead to life just by coming here.” Joy said with a smile.

The doctor left with Hemi. Michael walked and hugged Shelly and they all knew she deserved that because she had clearly allowed the Holy Spirit define their mission in Kenya through her.

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.