After the perfect day (with some minor glitches) we had a few more celebrity engagements. By 8 am we had checked out of the Kindu and were on our way to an early childhood development centre near Mulala, where some of the funds from our tickets – about $50 a head – had helped the people there to install a water tank. This was in the Kamba tribal area rather than the Maasai, and we were treated to a welcome by the women, who ran alongside the vans waving branches and trilling. When we got out of the vans to walk down I joined in with the branches etc. (a few other people were a but more reluctant) which was fun.
Once we were seated we were treated to some songs, and then the usual: prayer, introduction, then speeches. The children at the centre came and sang a song about the water tank, which was really cute. Then we were given the opportunity to look inside their classroom and take pictures with them. Finally it was time to ‘present’ the water tank and Paul did a very ok job. Then they presented all of us with gourds for drinking water (which I hope we can take back into New Zealand!). The generosity of these people is very very humbling.
The water tank - the people were so happy
Our final engagement was back at the CCF office to see our sponsored children one more time. Tom and his mother and father were all there and it was great to see them all again (his father was going to a pastors’ meeting afterwards). We had a few minutes to eat and drink and talk. The previous day Tom’s father had said they had given me a Maasai name because Tom had difficulty pronouncing my English name, so I asked what it was. Jacinta wrote it down for me: Naserian, which means a person of peace.
We had a group photo and then all filed inside for the very last speeches and once again were showered with gifts: bags for the women and ceremonial walking sticks for the men. Ian got up to say a teary word of thanks and so did Paul. Then it was back outside to say our final goodbyes and get in the vans. By this stage I was really starting to lose it, and apparently to cry is a sign of deep mourning in African culture. Tom just kept softly saying, ‘Goodbye, goodbye’ as I hugged him and blubbed something about growing into a good man. Then I gave Jacinta a big hug and told her, you are my sister, we will see each other again, if not in this life then we will in the next in heaven. She replied, amen. I said amen, then that was it – into the van, wait for the stragglers, then our driver Lucas took off with a hiss and a roar. I am glad he did actually; to have just driven off slowly would not have been good.
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