Head thrown back, laughing, I slip further into the cool, cool water, so refreshing in the dry season. Our river!!
The Nyahuka River runs right behind our house. And all day long a parade of locals walks by on their way down the steep hill to gather water, or wash clothes, or bathe. Then back up the steep hill with 10 liter gerri cans, or large basins of wet clothing on their heads. Have I mentioned that they Africans are STRONG!
But for now, on a quiet Sunday afternoon, it is only us and some neighbor kids, frequent friends. We relax into the relative quiet of their shouts and calls and the comfort of their familiar stares.
David and Quinn take to piling rocks on top of each other to form a structure, then competing with the neighbor kids to knock the structure down with rocks. We find places where the water runs quick and ride the current a little bit. We dig blue clay out of the banks and mold it and decorate with it. We jump into the deepest bit of the river, still only to Naomi’s neck. I splash Babwisi children - they laugh with delight.
We all begin singing spontaneously, one of the English songs they sing in churches here;
There is singing today in the house of the Lord There is dancing today in the house of the Lord There is jumping today in the house of the Lord There is SPLASHING today in the house of the Lord (okay I made that verse up - what fun!)
Etc.
We sing, we dance, we laugh, we shout, we splash, we drink in their dark African beauty and they are refreshed by our surprising lightness. And all around us water glistens and bubbles and runs. Foot long white blossoms from some tropical plant, put forth a good smell. Bamboo rises tall and straight beside us. Greenness glows from every side, mixing with the golden early evening sun.
I am so thankful to live in this beautiful place and with these beautiful people . . . . Despite the mild earthquake last night. Did I mention that we live near the Western Rift? There is Africa for you again, the thorned yet gorgeous flower.