Miracles again...

Abnormal as a depleted ozone layer frustrating earth with heat and acidic rain, thriving regardless but quite a shock the heavens gave no rain, the Earth has given all it's juice to sustain plants as drought comes forth, the rivers in a squeeze to dry out so soon, the stench of famine around the corner as animals relocate into the thick forest for the fear of death by hunger so the hunter returns home with no catch but stories of how carcasses dominate the forest, what a futile mission with nothing to bring home the tired Hunter returns home before the first light of the morning.

Gradually the family adjust to a meal without obstructions in our soup pot, the teeth misses it's flex of crushing muscles on well prepared bush meat but not enough anymore to reduce our protein intake, now the leaves loose it's green and wether because of its high intake of sun rays and no water to regulate osmosis, the law of photosynthesis is faulted and now they're left to die with the questions on our lips " when will it rain"

The calmness of the evening is gradually a tale as the Earth remains hot to lay down, so we get clay beds for new borns, dig out earth surface to find a little spot to cool off like the chicken would. Mother's with akupe(hand fan) putting the kids to sleep. Young men and women lie by the roots of tree seeing a little breeze, father's sleeplessly in meetings finding solutions to this problem. The earth is against us again, we need to appease them before hunger turn us to cannibals.

The greatest of hunter, my husband the only man that has never missed a catch now is left with his reserves counting down to when his meatless meals begin, returning yet again from the forest with no catch but a bright face to receive a warm hug of welcome from our little boy just like it always have been, unseemly receives a cold hug as he feels strength leaving his child from hunger. Another troubled night for my husband. Things are not the same anymore. I feel the difference too in my husband because he no longer shouts and screem for us on his way back, neither does our child shout and scream to welcome him home. Down to rationing of water and trading with cowries to get a pot for as much as 50 cowries for a water pot, only the rich can afford it. The poor yet again left to die.

After countless spoils and carcasses, miles of walks toward the next village territory, successfully my husband returns with a bush meat,. A 2 days journey of hunt and he returns home falling on the mat and repeatedly demanding water for his thirst, for compassion of the love of my youth I gave him the last of it to when quench his thirst and lo, he comes back to himself.

 If the earth have forsaken us we don't deserve to die this way, hunger, thirst, famine we're common stories same as theft, convulsions and death of old and young is now a calendar check on punctual repitition in numbers. If the heavens have a drop to spare it might now quench my thirst but definitely would save our village. Communism all over again as we try to keep the remaining of us alive, everyone working together. What next? Who next? is the new deliberation as we wake up to the news of the death of our neighbor's daughter what a way to greet my consciousness, are we living in fear or counting down to another death toll if this continues. As faces can't give hope because of the pain inscribed on it we all say "Quo Sera Sera" but for me I must take care of mine, I have a pot of water to make a meal. My family survives another day.

Water is gold and only Kings eat meat and that's how it works around here so we trade meat for water. My husband is out into the forest again to try again, I pray he doesn't die of thirst before getting home. Repeatedly warning my child about the use of water but I'm not sure he has the heart to understand that as a cheerful kid, he follows his heart just like his father, I always have to repeat myself again because he misuses the water again.

Trying to prepare the evening meal in my kitchen, adding my spices and waiting for it to boil before I add the rest condiments I noticed stamping footstep in a haste, my consciousness is awoken but for the fear of burning my pot I remained calm, another occurrence, so I put down my pot from the fire, still as I was reducing the fire yet again the recurrence so I swiftly approached the back of the kitchen, quietly following the sound and purposefully stride not to scare it away before I see it, I saw my son holding a cup of water and reaching out to a dying baby antelope to help it's thirst, compassion in an explode... I shed tears, just like his father I felt soaked and goosebumps from my tears but seeing him look up pointing and smiling, I regained consciousness of my environment, the heaven gave rain. I looked up into the sky, it really is rain. I closed my eyes to contain my joy and tears mix with rain. What a miracle. through and through miracles still happened

Back into the house for the fear of cold we fill our pots and containers to store water but no more space to store water, my husband back under the rain shivering so I made a fire place. It's been a week of rain, the crickets chipping at night, birds sing in the morning and I can only imagine how they survived. Warmth from each other we make out as our child is asleep, I missed the touch of a man. Emotions dripping and vigorous bumps as I feel him worshipping my body.

Our neighbors who lost their daughter grief in silence and developing an anti social attitude from the pain after months of their daughter's demise. The village celebration at the market square reflecting on our survival brought joy and warmth to everyone but our neighbors. The healing process for them would take longer than we expected, they feel the earth punished them unjustly. The heart break is fresh, the bleeding won't stop, the scars are forming but the memories is for every morning they see.

On the last day of the celebration, just in time for the feast, they showed up to surprise everyone, the husband, his wife and the uncontrollable barking dog they have, some say the dog did the convincing as they said each time the party started the dog would bark until we finish. The wife revealed she sees her daughter in the dream dancing in white with other kids in the market square each time the party started, she felt it was a healing process to be among other women in the market square, we all shared our stories and sang to the God as we share tears and smile at the end of the day. Remembering the significance of our gathering we created a bond to heal together. A perfect way to sleep with pain at night and wake up happy again. through and through we believe in miracles again.