Moment Meditations

“Hapa, Hapa.” The woman mumbles while pointing to an Acacia. The crowed daladala jerks to a halt. Within seconds the door opens, people shuffle about and the lady gets off.

Onward only to stop 25m from the last place. A toddler is placed on my lap. He doesn’t protest that he’s placed with a stranger. Not even a look of confusion posed to his mother. Glistening eyes watching. He never complains but waits patiently.

The breaks squeal. A heard of long-horned cows block the road. They give off an aurora of ownership while remaining indifferent to the bellowing horn. The driver shouts out of the window. A man wrapped in a blanket comes bounding like a golden retriever from behind a tree. He’s muttering in a tribal language. He picks up a stick and the cows run.

The daladala swerves, people jerking into one another. Finally it’s my turn to get off. Within seconds men offering taxis surround me. They push each other, grab my wrist, and holler words that are inaudible. Within the chaos I select one. He takes a minute to gloat before driving away. We start with the introductory greetings. “Habari?” “Nzuri.” “Salama.” “Salama.” After answering we reach the point of silence, where I’m uncomfortable speaking in his language and he’s uncomfortable speaking mine.

We turn down a dirt road where children run up shouting, “Muzungo.” The driver laughs them off. I encourage the driver onward. Finally it’s my turn to shout, “hapa hapa.” The car halts and I thank him.

I walk along though the bush arriving exhausted. I change from my sweat-sodden clothes and make the trek onto a beach. As I step into the reflective lake the coolness brings welcomed relief from the African sun. As I melt into the water the adventures of the trip blow free like a leaf caught in the wind. I forget the tiresome journey. I forget the struggles of living in a developing country. I forget the language barrier that prevents me from conveying my thoughts. As I gaze out into the vastness of the lake, Africa shows a glimpse of her glory. Overwhelmed by her beauty I forget everything. I don’t care to remember how I got here. For now this is my ‘hapa hapa’.

Watching the golden sun fade into the horizon I forget the poverty and adversity faced by all who roam her plains. The sky turns a brilliant shade of amber and I’m left speechless like the boy. I will remain in this bliss until I venture back. As the stars emerge a thought crosses my mind, I wonder what the return journey will bring.