Luocome the kids for school, the whole village of them.

When I was growing up and at Kwoyo Primary School in Karateng’, there was this lady who used to wake us up at dawn. Her name was Teresa Chimba. She lived about 2 – 3 miles to the east of us, and she had this mean horn made out of shiny sheet metal. It was about 2 feet long,  3 inches cylindrical shape, with a handle in the middle. On one end was soldered about 2 feet round cone to give it volume. The mouth side had a much smaller cone, just enough to cover her mouth. She would be with her horn on top of a rock reverently  every morning at 5am; piping  some gospel about a man called Jesus till 7am. Her house was way up the Mbaka Oromo hill, in between boulders as large as her house. She would climb up and settle herself on top of one of these boulders and start her sermon, which could be heard 5 miles in every direction.
            About this man Jesus, she would pray, sing, plead, cajole,  and often threaten all in one morning. A lot of us kids thought she was mad, or at least very unfair, especially waking us up and the whole neighborhood this early in the morning. But none of the adults could stop her, not even her husband. And I know they did try.  I know my mother for sure kind of liked her. She would wake up as soon as she heard her horn which meant I also had to get up and  start for school.

            Many, many years later, after I had been to many, many places, I went back home to visit my mother and my village. And Lo and behold, at exactly 5am I heard that familiar voice from the distant past again! This time around, I was curious. I woke up fully to listen.  Her message was very good! This man Jesus is indeed a good man! We would be just fine if we emulated him. There was also something familiar going on at our house. My mother was up, and so was Joram and Leah, the two orphans living with her. It was time for the kids to set out to school again. Then everything was suddenly made so clear to me. Poor Karateng’ had been gifted with a human alarm clock! Day in, day out, year in, year out, a natural human clock, not once getting  sick,  not once failing her!

Leah talking to me on satellite phone. Notice Joram up on the tree

I have recently learnt that Teresa Chimba has moved on to her maker. Now that I know who she was, I miss her sorely.  I am sure your village has had your own Teresa Chimba. He/She may not have had a shiny sheet metal horn like ours. She may not even have been as confrontational as ours. But your Teresa made you get up in the morning and go to school. As a result, you are a successful person today.  What about these children, our children? What about the orphans in your village? They still have to be woken up to get to school. Your Teresa and mine have now passed the button down to us; just you and me. Let us all together now luocome the kids for school. Shall we?

Odundo jaKarateng’.