I love getting out of the house and riding to the farm. Sometimes I’m struggling with something, feeling tired, or maybe I’m worried about our impending immigration visit, but when I get out the door and start seeing the students heading to school, the workers heading to their jobs, I get out of my headspace and I can feel my anxiety and attitude change. I can almost feel how my attitude changes from one of looking inward at my worries and problems to one that looks out and sees others and it reminds me why I’m in the middle of nowhere in Africa. I’m not there to worry about myself and whatever I’m going through, I’m there for others and greeting everyone I see is a great reminder of that for me. I love that Shona people acknowledge others, that they tell each other that they see them, that they aren’t alone.
One Saturday I decided to work on the path and make it safer for people riding bicycles. I found a wheelbarrow, an ax, a pick and a shovel and I worked my way down the path digging out the small stumps and sharp rocks. During the rainy season the path gets eroded so I filled in ruts and holes. The wheelbarrow got filled with stumps which I took home to burn. I worked for about 4 hours on the path and got a few blisters on my hands from the pick and ax. The whole time people were using the path, I’d step out of the way to let them pass, and everyone thanked me for what I was doing. Some would stop to talk to me, some wondered why I was doing this, while others just wanted to talk. Some were surprised to see a murungu digging with a pick while others who know me just said hi and smiled and weren’t surprised at all.
I also make a point of picking up litter on the path. People just throw candy wrappers, bottles, papers, cigarette packets, anything on the ground without a second thought. I will often take a shopping bag and walk to the farm to pick up litter. When I get close to the workers’ village the little children will run to meet me and one boy in particular runs at top speed and leaps at me every time, so I have to drop my bag of litter and catch him. I throw him into the air and catch him and he squeels and then everyone has to have a turn. They are the grubbiest kids I’ve ever seen, but I love to pick them up and hug them. Then they help me pick up litter, making a game of it. They are the only ones who ever help me clean up the path. I never give them anything for helping, except a toss in the air and a hug, but they love to help.
If you missed the previous instalment click here.
