Glorious children’s home, a name forever etched in few a person’s memory yet for the few it remains an unrivaled privilege, a recollection that still mellows the heart days past the D-day. If personal emotions are anything to go by, then days shall resemble seconds for this one Saturday shall be an experience worth the fabled flashback as I lie lifeless on my death bed treading towards that white light. For one intending to watch his great-grandson fall off his first two wheeled bike, that’s saying a lot. Perchance he’ll be named Lincoln, as my mind wanders back to this enthusiastic little boy whose laugh gave away his vain attempts at hiding his missing front baby teeth, or have a sister named Stella, a bundle of joy whose smile left both Kawira and Orerah dazed for hours on end. It’s unimaginable to visualize our very own PR (Kawi) contemplating a felony yet this one time she joined the masses; including Sally, Felix, Eva, Sandy Sue, Janey and the likes, in conspiring to take home the little angels. Such was the divine nature of these kids that kidnapping at the time was an acceptable evil, a social responsibility to some.

We are constantly accused of thinking too much, always wanting to be in control, planning every little detail to perfection or whatever is nearest to it. We shove our gut feelings aside, cannot lay trust in our hearts for they defy logic, they disobey the norms and lead us to uncharted waters (“people fear what they don’t understand”, was it not Nas, in his song ‘Hate me now’ who said this?). But for this one afternoon we abandoned all rationale. Our hearts played and we danced to their tune forgetting all else and awakening the little child inside. This was their moment. To say we had fun would be a massive understatement and an insult to the day’s events in every sense of the word. “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”, this was our Vegas yet I cannot help but spill a bean or two about the day’s proceedings. The games raved aplenty; that Eva summoned the courage to deem and call herself a “cucu” before her peers is testament to just how hard the little rascals pushed us. I for one found myself embroiled in a fierce battle of mchongowano with a battle hardened crew breathing fire and spitting venom, but the little child inside held his own giving as much as he received. Regurgitating Lehninger may be a gift but raw talent is hard to come by as Hannah, Benson and Kiva showed. They gave the house a comprehensive demonstration on how to get down to Olomide’s Ndombolo tune leaving the roof creaking as it struggled to contain the roars of the masses. Even the aspirants Magare Magara and his rival Githinji could not contain themselves (they say “only a fool laughs at the king” so for fear of retribution, I shall hold my tongue).

Dusk came too soon on 14^th march 2015. It was joy and gloom in equal measure. The kids could not let go and we didn’t want them to. Tears almost rolled (I use the word “almost” lightly; and yes Kawi…, you were spotted). For some of us, Pato included; the age old “something in my eye” line was used to good effect.

Gratitude goes to NUBSA and the entire Biochemistry fraternity for making the visit a reality, but most of all, gratitude goes to Gloria and her team for in the midst of all the chaos in these children’s lives they managed to find them peace, they managed to put a smile on each and every one of their beautiful faces, they managed to make them a blessing to us, they managed to find them a sanctuary! To this I say…, may the Lord bless their souls!