“Its break time kids.Go to the S..,” the teacher said but we couldn’t let her finish.
“Go to the Sand Pit! Go to the Sand Pit!” we stormed outside singing.
This song, was one of my best. If only I could have focused more on my singing career…ningekuwa mbali.
Anyhu, that song characterized most of my childhood memories. If someone randomly asks me to describe the word ‘play’,that’s the only thing that will come into mind.
You see the Sand Pit was that only place where a five year old could and still can play out his or her wildest fantasies. One day, you are the Emperor/Empress and the next you are the village most wanted bandit.
The sand pit was the epitome of creativity. Nothing could come against fun. Nothing! Even your Mum’s senseless beating in the evening (the day mostly ended with sand everywhere-even in places where I can’t write on this blog) couldn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves.
Then the school installed(installed?Yes.) a slide! Jackpot! Sweet dreams are made of this. A six foot tall slide of awesomeness. Was six feet too tall for 5 year olds? I certainly think so but who cares? There’s no getting hurt in fun.
The slide became an important component in our fantasies;we even wondered how we survived without it. We used it as a watchtower to check on your ‘Kingdom’ in the Sand Pit. When you sight the enemy, you ‘slide into action’ and have your moment of fun.
But this ‘epitome of creativity’ was short-lived. A villain entered into our Kingdom. The number one enemy against fun…Introducing…the school bullies 😦
Who loved the school bullies? Who? Even the Pastor’s Kid couldn’t tell us otherwise. They spoilt everything.They made our lovely song to become like that of the Israelites “By The Rivers of Babylon”(Psalms 137).
We all dreaded going for break. For some of my classmates, the Sand Pit was the only reason why they attended school.The only source of joy and fun in school was now no more. These guys monopolized fun.
What irked us most was how the school bullies used ‘The Mighty Slide’. Instead of going up the slide the right way(using the rungs) they came up the slide bed, jumped the line and went down the slide leaving us at the queue. (One doesn’t need to setup a Commission of Inquiry to find out where overlappers come from. They start at kindergarten. In fact, the Traffic Department should team up with teachers and stop this vice at once).
We vowed that we would have our revenge.
Our lunch breaks were converted into a ‘high profile meeting’ session. Everyone was welcomed. Everyone except the cry babies of our school. Only kaushas could sign up. (What is kausha in English?)
However instead of plotting, we became more ‘spiritual’! We said stuff like,” Mungu anakuona”(God is seeing you). We prayed that for a single week the bullies would have called in sick. We even prayed good prayers like their parents would have gotten a promotion and could now afford a better school. It didn’t work.
We had everything we needed to win,but we lacked a plan. The many hours spent watching super hero cartoons didn’t pay off. We needed a plan.Be it plan A,plan B,C,D,E,H,I,O,J,U…( we hadn’t learnt our alphabets so well) we just wanted something that could work.
Then we realized that the bullies were not thaaat clever.They forgot that the same smooth,sloping,slide bed they used to climb up with(they had dirty shoes btw), would be the surface they used to slide on. Talk about cleaning up their own mess.
We didn’t even plot our revenge mission. The parents to the bullies punished them on our own behalf. The beating they got for having dirty shorts and dresses was punishment enough.
Now, some will say that God revenged on our own behalf. It may be true. I know it’s true that God does revenge. He says it in his word.”Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”Romans 12:19.
But why would God tell us not to revenge? Is it because revenge is too sweet that it can cause ‘cavities’? Is it because man is not capable of seeking revenge that is pure in heart? Is it because man cannot seek revenge in the way God does it(full of love and wisdom)? Yeah I think that’s why. You see He says,”Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” James 1:20.
In the Book of Romans, the words ‘to the contrary’ are used. Take a look-“To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:18-21.
‘To the Contrary’ means out of the norm or doing what isn’t expected.So
in short God is telling us to hang our boxing gloves, exit the ring and invite our enemy for a cup of tea.(Don’t poison the tea btw).
♦♦♦
Someone once told me that I only post once a month(mostly at the end of each of month) cause that’s the only time I have money to access the cyber cafe…
Okay… No one has told me that, but I believe there are some who are thinking about it. I’m here to dispel that thought. So…
Ladies and Gentlemen, I unveil to you, ‘2 articles a month extravaganza’..lol 😉
Internet is free in Africa. Okay, not free but its cheap, so we can do this.
I'mapasserby 
waow! bravo!bravo!what a nice article.kip it up Ngatia.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much…Don’t you poison the tea.
LikeLike