Friday, January 18, 2013

A Poem, a Hundred Points of Light, and a Puzzle

Today, while Sandy and I visited the village, David Ashmosi, a 2011 CLOUT Cares funded high school grad, sat in our hotel lobby and used my laptop for research about the Kakamega Forest.  He left this poem.  I share it without his permission.  I hope he understands.  He lost his dad in 1998 to AIDS.

Precious dad

I wish could see you one more time

Come walking through my door

But I know that is impossible

I will hear your voice no more.

I know you can feel my tears

And you don’t want me to cry,

Yet my heart is broken,

Because I cannot understand why

Someone so precious had to die.

I pray God will give me strength

As I struggle with this headache

That was caused by losing you.

 

There’s magic in a father’s touch

And sun shine in his smile.

There is love in everything he does

To make my life worthwhile

I can find both hope and courage

Just by looking into his eyes

And grows stronger each day.

His honor still lingers

Though his life has slipped away.

I miss the sound of his laughter

And his stern peace too.

He fought a good battle

To rest in Jesus’ arms.

What a beautiful sight

In my heart his memory remains.

                Copyright ©2013, David Ashimosi Iteyo.  All rights reserved.

With the help of our friend, David Gakule, in Nairobi, CLOUT Cares has begun to help young David Ashimosi on a his lifelong path, assisting him with his first steps in learning what doors may open ahead.

Today we delivered 100 points of light (actually 100 boiled eggs) to the women along with 100 sausages.  33-34 of the 45 widows attended a hastily called meeting.  Attendance was good at this impromptu meeting, perhaps because we emphasized its urgency or perhaps because we let it be known that there would be food.  All eggs and sausages were consumed with vigor (or in some cases squirreled away for a trip home)  at the end of the meeting along with bread and soft drinks.  We met to assure that all understand that they share responsibility for funding their children’s high school education.  CLOUT Cares pays tuition and fees (the lion’s share of the costs) but the parents are responsible for books and uniforms.

 

And finally, as we waited for the meeting to begin about 8 children took one hour to put a 100-piece puzzle together.  Not one had ever seen a puzzle, and fewer, if that’s possible, had an idea how to start or proceed.  But they finished it with pride.  The western world does not reach as far as we might have believed.