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.

THE TWELVE-season 3 episode 9

                                                               

                                                                NEW YORK

                  Jakes walked into his office that evening, he was devastated and didn’t know why he couldn’t go back home, maybe because he hasn’t been able to sleep since the twelve left and his thoughts were always negative and he couldn’t stand the idleness he was feeling, in that mood Benedict walked in.

“What the hell is wrong with you jakes?” He asked. “You’ve been absent minded lately, what’s happening to you?”

“Pray for me and I’ll pray for you,” Jakes replied. He spoke like a drunk.

“Are you drunk?” Benedict studied his gaze.

“No I’m not,” He stood up. “I am just sick and tired of this place, not feeling its groove anymore.”

“You can’t quit Jakes, just because the twelve left.”

“I’m feeling frustrated here Benedict,” He mourned. “I don’t have any reason to be here,”

“What about us Jakes,” He yelled. “What do we do without this company?”

Leon and Harrison walked in.

“What’s all this yelling about?” Leon asked.

“Yes we heard you shouting,” Harrison added.

“The thing is…..” Jakes said.

“Jakes wants to bounce us out; he is quitting the company,” Benedict loudly interrupted. They all stared at Jakes; the countenance on their faces was a clear indication that they needed answers from him.

Jakes took a deep breath. “Listen guys I know what this means to you but I need to restart my life. My father’s decision in handing this company for me to run almost messed up my life.” He slowly explained. “I need to restart, go somewhere else, keep trying to help the twelve with their dreams and make my own family, so do all of you.”

They were all startled.

“Jakes,” Leon said. “I know this is hard, very hard…… it is for all of us. The spice, the twelve were the back bone behind this company and with them gone we feel like our dreams and aspirations went with them. But we can begin again; we can sign in more artists and work with them,”

Jakes had never heard Leon talk that way, it made him feel worse.

“Jakes,” Harrison told him. “Shutting down this company will be a very big mistake and you will regret it. Our lives, hopes and dreams are built here. Closing it will be closing our lives.”

“I know but I want to forget my past, every evil thing I did or said to anyone. This place will always remind me of it; it’s just like a memory.”

“Jakes, if you do this, if you shut us out I will never forgive you.” Benedict said and he meant every word.

“I’m not shutting you out.” Jakes told them.

“Then what are you doing?” Leon shouted. “What! You get up one morning feeling lonely and bored then you place your emotions into our business, deciding to close up a company we’ve worked so hard to build for ten years,”

“You are despicable,” Harrison said and walked out

“You wrecked our lives Jakes, you just ruined us,” Benedict said and walked out.

“Leon,” Jakes felt weak. He prayed Leon will understand him but he didn’t and just like the others, he walked out.

 

                                                                 KENYA

                  The next morning in Kenya, Shelly met the owner of the camp Miss Hemi. She had come to check on the orphans at her place. She went to the room where the sick once were kept and some few nurses were administrating their medications that morning.

“Hello miss,” Shelly said after a short watch at the door. “Good morning,” she walked to her.

“Good morning Shelly, how are you doing?”

“Very well,” she smiled.

“Hope you all are enjoying your stay here?”

“Hmm yah, we are. How are the kids?”

“Well they are just the way they are….” She looked at them lying helpless on the bed.

“How long have they been laying here sick?” she was curious.

“Some of them have been here as long as I can remember and some, not so long.”

“Is it that they don’t have their proper medications or what?”

“Some of the medical supplies come from other donors and charities and some I and the head doctor manage to buy but we don’t have all it takes to keep them really healthy. Some of them need sophisticated hospitals and professional doctors to handle their cases.”

“And that cannot be accessed here,” She nodded thoughtfully.

“Some of them are just mentally traumatized,” Hemi said and they started moving from bed to bed. Shelly waved some the children and smiled at the ones who were awake.

“How old are they?” she asked. “Age range,”

“From three to seventeen, some of them were raped while parading the streets and some got really infected by different illnesses like HIV, meningitis, polio, cholera.”

“oh my God,” Shelly felt sad.

They stopped at a bed. She was only twelve years old.

“Twelve years old,” Hemi said. “Her name is Carmen….. I found her on the street one night all soaked in blood. She was raped by God knows who,”

“Why will people be that heartless?”

“It happens Shelly, when the edge is broken the serpent is bound to bite.”

“Let us help you here please,” Shelly looked at her. “We came here so we can offer service to helpless children like this…..”

“How will you help?” She asked. “I know you are famous kids and you have a lot of influence but how can you help….. Them,”

“Just give us a chance to be friends with them, talk to them and let them know they have hope they can rise out of this situation.”

“Ok,” Hemi nodded. “Do what you can,”

“Thank you,” Shelly said and they went about looking at the kids and Hemi narrated their story to her. She couldn’t stop weeping because the things she heard hurt her so bad, she imagined how hurt the children must be. Shelly returned back to their room, she met Michael and their assistants who were beginning to worry about her.

“Where have been?” Michael asked as she walked in and sat.

“I was at the clinic side with Hemi,”

“Oh Hemi the assistant doctor," Tyler said.

“Yeah she came to check on the…… children,”

“You look emotional, what happened?” Michael asked.

“I was at the clinic with her and the things I heard about the children really got to me, their stories are so sad.”

“What do we do to help them?” Tracy asked

“We have to see the doctor who is in charge of the clinic, I only saw the nurses there.” Shelly said.

“So what are we going to do with the doctor?”

“We will ask him to let us help,” Michael said. “We have to know the children on a personal base, hear their story and then we will know how to help.”

“You are right Michael; those children need real companions like real friends.”

“I just pray God will help us because I don’t even know how we are going to start this whole thing and how we are going to end it.”  Harry said.

“Can we pray,” Michael said. “Let’s just go down on our knees and ask God for help.”

They all got down on their knees and prayed.

 

THE TWELVE-season 3,episode 8

                                                         

                                                                 RWANDA

                  The next morning at about ten, Zodiac took one of the orphan girls in the camp who could fairly speak English to give her a tour around the area.  Her name was Shorsha, a young beautiful brown girl of sixteen who had lived like an orphan since she was seven. She told her story to zodiac as they went around strolling.

“How did you become an orphan?” Zodiac asked.

“My parents died when I was seven,” she replied with no pain of the past.

“Oh, were you actually there, did you experience it?”

“I was, saw them put under six feet right before my eyes,”

Zodiac looked at her, strange kid, she thought, she narrated the story like something she had heard from a passerby.

“So what killed them?”

“They both got infected with HIV/AIDS,”

“How,”

“My mother was born with it,”

“She gave it to your dad; they got married and had you?” Zodiac was continuously stricken by what she was hearing.

“Yes but I didn’t get infected.”

Zodiac took a deep breath, which was a slight relief.

“You were spared, God spared you….. Wow,” Zodiac smiled at her.

“I was but I ended up being an orphan. Lost my parents in two months,”

Zodiac started seeing the pain of the past arising in her but Shorsha quickly brushed it away when she saw her friend Lydia washing clothes in front of her small hurt.

“Hello Lydia,” She waved her with a broad smile and totally forgot Zodiac rushing to meet her. Zodiac took herself to meet them as they exchanged words in their dialect.

“Hello,” Zodiac announced herself.

“Hello,” Lydia replied, she was friendly. “Who is she?”  She asked Shorsha.

“Her name is Zodiac,” She held Zodiac’s shoulder like they were best of friends. “You don’t know her from that famous group we use to watch on the street?”

“Yes I remember,” She jumped in excitement. “Spice,”

“Yes it is spice but we are now twelve,”

That didn’t matter to her, she knew of spice and she was sticking to it.

“My name is Lydia and you inspire me a lot, because of you I learnt how to sing.”

“Oh really, you sing?”

“Yeah she does,” Shorsha replied. “Like an angel,”

“I’m so happy to have finally meet you, where are the others, please can I see them?”

“You will be able to see them I promise you but not right now because they didn’t come with me, I’m here with my other partner…….”

“Ken,” Shorsha interrupted. “They are no longer spice but the twelve. We didn’t know that right?”

“Yeah maybe the news skipped us. I have three sisters and we will like to visit you please,”

“Wow of course we will love that. We live at the camp with Shorsha.”

“When I’m done with what I’m doing we will visit…..”

“Sure,”

“I’m taking her on a small stroll, we come back soon.”

“Okay,” she giggled. Lydia felt like heaven had visited her as they both left, she continued washing and wished she could be faster in doing the laundry than she was.

                                                                       ZIMBABWE

             “Are you alright?” Shania asked Larry as she walked into the room, he was reading one of the books they brought to get them inspired. News of their coming had spread across that area and some of the children had come to see for themselves. Even though they didn’t recognize them as the twelve, they got attracted to them by their color and how different they look.

“I’m fine,” Larry replied. “Has the children left?”

“No, still there with Paco and the rest,”

“I’m trying to get something from this book,”

“How to fulfill purpose,” she read the book cover. “You want to know how to fulfill this purpose?”

“Yes Shania, how do we go about it?” he looked at her.

“I guess that is one mistake we all made.” She sat beside him on the bed. “We should have planned on how to go about this.”

“We didn’t make short term goals. For example we have a goal to reach every month, we only have six months and we don’t even have a clue on how to start.”

“I don’t know, just from the little walk we had yesterday I realized that hunger is strangling so many people to dead, poverty is like a disease, children are hopeless and we can’t just go preaching of a promise land if we can’t relate to them.”

“You find it hard to relate to them?” Larry asked.

“Honestly,” Shania looked at him. “I do, it is going to be a process for me. I have compassion for them but their atmosphere and their presence……..”

“Disgust you,”

“Don’t make it sound that way,”

“No Shania it’s not your fault, I completely understand.”

“You grew up amongst people like this all your life, though I’m an orphan I grew up differently and getting use to them will be an acquired thing for me,”

“You know what will help?” Larry asked.

“No,” she shook her head.

“You want my advice,”

“Of course I do,” Shania craved for it.

“Put yourself in their shoes, what will you do if someone had to look at you the way you look at them, how would you have loved to be treated if you were in their place?” Larry stood up and kept the book. “I’ll be outside.” He left. Though he made it easy for Shania, she still felt horrible. She never knew how difficult the mission will be until now and she wasn’t the only one feeling that way, all the other girls and some of their assistants. The life in Africa was tough for them and they easily got irritated by the things they saw each time they went out on the streets, even at their lodging places, things were never the way they were use to and the boys bared with them hoping that with time, they will be able to close their eyes from the things that easily irritated them and focused on the real reason for why they came.

                                                                    

THE TWELVE-Season 3,episode 7

In Rwanda, Ken and Zodiac lived with their assistants in a camp like Michael and Shelly. They were accepted into the camp by the owner Wangshari who treated with respect and ordered his few staffs to feed them well. But they noticed that their English was not being understood by the people around them and most of people were Islam. In Rwanda, some of the elderly people were educated but the children could barely speak in a language Ken and his team could understand. They had one dominant religion, Islamism. It was only in Rwanda that some of the people recognized Ken and Zodiac as the twelve.

In Sudan, Cindy and her team had succeeded in convincing Samar to let them stay in his house for the time they were going to spend in Sudan. Samar was an old bachelor who didn’t marry for his own reasons, he had a three room flat which he inherited from his late parents, they opted to pay him every month and equally to take care of their feeding and other needs. Cindy was sitting on the step outside the dusty yard, feeling worried about something. Maxwell met her outside.

“What’s going on?” Maxwell asked.

“I’m worried,” she said.

“What about,” he sat.

“Can’t get in touch with the others,”

“Yeah, couldn’t sleep well last night just thinking about it.”

“I wonder how they are doing right now, were they welcomed well.”

“We just have to keep trying. I’m sure they are also trying and worried about us.”

She took a deep breath. “What are we going to do in Sudan?”

“We can’t know until we’ve gone around and see the people, get to know them a little.”

“I’m glad you are here, you know a whole lot of African culture.”

“Yeah but not on all African countries, we just need to get acquainted with the place and the people, know their needs and know how to serve them.”

“Can we do that today?” she asked.

“We can do that right now. It’s the dry season here and the sun is usually hot.”

“You mean we can’t walk in it?”

“Just preparing your mind, wear something long to avoid burns. I will get the others.”

“Please get me something long,”

“Okay,” Maxwell went inside.

Back in New York, Jan was resting in her apartment with the joy of being a part of the lives of the people she had always dreamed of. She had left them couple of mails awaiting their reply with great anticipation that they are doing fine. She had a long swim that afternoon and was now resting on a white arm chair beside the pool. She was most surprised when she heard the voice of a man she had come to despise. She opened her eyes to see Randy standing next to her.

“Randy,” She called as she sat up.

“I just greeted.” He smiled.

“What are you doing here?” she became defensive.

She saw him smile, his cheeks widen and then he laughed.

“Get out of my house,”

“Not so fast Jan,”

“Randy I won’t hesitate to call the cops on you,”

“And what will be my crime, visiting an ex employee?”

“What do you want?” she didn’t shout but her voice was firm.

“I didn’t come to kill you as punishment for what you did so don’t be scared.”

“You know maybe I’m scared, I’m terrified. If you can threaten kids with a gun what’s to stop you from killing me? Is it worthy Randy, for me to just welcome you into my house, you want me to run and hug you, pour you a glass of champagne and celebrate your freedom?”

“You are glad I lost everything right? So you finally became a loving mother to the twelve,”

“I’m glad they got to trust me, not at your favor,”

Randy looked into her eyes, she was beautiful but nothing compared to what he had to do with her.

“It’s not yet over Jan because Randy is not completely fallen. I came to ask you to come back and let’s work together; I forgive you for the betrayal.”

“Sorry Randy, I’m already hired.”

“Who hired you?”

“None of your business so get out of my house now,”

Randy looked at her again and said. “We will see,” then he left. Jan knew he was up to no good, she immediately thought of meeting Chris to warn him about Randy.

Duncan was with Chris in his house; they had settled their differences and were more like brothers now. They shared coffee together.

“I met Randy the other day,” Duncan said sipping his coffee slowly.

“You did what?” Chris dropped his cup.

“I know shouldn’t have gone there but he helped me at least get to where I am today, if he never took me in I might never had met the twelve.”

“Yeah but we now know who he truly is so we have to keep a distant relationship with Randy, very distant one.”

“I know,”

Jan walked in on them, she looked terrified and provoked.

“Jan, are you okay?” Chris asked as she sat down.

“You look like someone was chasing you,”

“He came to my house,” she said.

“Who did?” Chris asked.

“Randy,”

“What? They both exclaimed.

“What did he want?” Duncan asked. “Did he come to hurt you because of what you did to him?”

“No, he came to ask me to work with him,”

“And what is he planning to do, what kind of work?” Chris asked.

“I don’t know but I sensed something very fishy about him. Randy is planning something bad again.”

“He said he was going to sell the company and pursue his dream.” Duncan said.

“What is he dream?” Jan asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied.

“I remember him telling me he wants to get his hands on the twelve’s treasure, he thinks the twelve has a hidden treasure somewhere.”

“Is that why he went after them that night?” Duncan asked.

“Yeah, maybe he was thinking that’s where they hid the treasure.” Chris replied. “I hope this is not the dream he was talking about,”

“We need to keep an eye on Randy,” Jan said.

“I will do that, don’t worry about it.” Duncan said and sipped his coffee.

“You sure,” Chris looked at him.

“Yeah, I won’t want him trying to hurt the twelve again.”

Jan felt relaxed. “Can I get a cup?”

“Yeah sure, go serve yourself,” Chris told her. “You are no stranger to this house are you?”

“I know my way around,” she smiled, stood up and headed for the kitchen.