My fun-filled visit to the village was silver lining to Covid crisis
These file picture shows to bulls that were captured in a fight in Nchiru, Tigania West.
What you need to know:
- My brother and I were excited to go to the village. It had been long since we were last there.
- We travelled to the village in Migori County, where my grandmother and my cousins live.
The first Covid-19 lockdown found me in Nairobi and it was quite boring. There was nothing to do and nobody to play with. Before the second lockdown, my father invited us to join him in the countryside.
My brother and I were excited to go to the village. It had been long since we were last there and I was quite excited to see my cousins again.
We travelled to the village in Migori County, where my grandmother and my cousins live.
It was a very long journey and we spent the whole day travelling almost non-stop. We arrived in the evening. We greeted each other, talked and then slept.
I was relishing my first day there. When morning came, I decided to spend time with my cousins.
I helped them in the shamba and went with them to the market. It was a lot of fun although the work was hard.
Then one day, on a warm Saturday morning, my cousins and I decided to go and learn how to make a rope.
Raging bull!
Sisal rope has many uses in rural areas; it’s used for tying animals, weaving baskets and hats.
We took a narrow straight path through our shamba. We followed the trail and it led us to a dead end. We finally arrived and we realised there was only one way in, and one way out.
So, as we were making the rope, something happened. I saw one of my cousins run as fast as lightning from something. I didn’t see what it was. So I figured it was something dangerous.
Panicking, I ran into the maize field as fast as I could. My shoe came off but I continued running. Suddenly, I realised that if I continued running through the field, someone would eventually see me since it was not our farm.
At the same time, there was a dog that lived there. If it found me, I would be as good as dead.
So I stopped to see what was chasing us. Oh my, it was a raging bull! Luckily, someone managed to calm it down but the memory has stayed with me.
While I pray that Covid-19 ends, it is teaching us to discover new things every day. I miss the beauty of the countryside.
Joshua is a Standard Six pupil at St Mary’s School, Nairobi.
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