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Imani Nala | An African Village

Imani stood with her mouth open wide. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. A metal box stood at the edge of her little kenyan village. And it was pouring out clean water. She looked around her at all the villagers who were doing the same. Her mind wandered to the countless hours she had spent trekking for water that was often barely drinkable- of her family struggling to cook food and her little brother getting sick from an infected woud- she watched as the machine spilled water on the floor from abundance. And she began to cry. A‌ light green paint covered the box, with the word SOLACE‌ printed over the front. Above, a logo of a black pheonix. She watched as a few strangers to the village poked and touched the machine, but her mind was somewhere else entirely. What did this mean for her family- for her village?‌ What did this mean for her. Her life, until now, revolved around water. And now… well, she couldn’t even think of any alternatives. It was all she’d known. One of the box men began walking toward the village center, and she saw the elders facing him. She ran to get a closer look at what was happening. He looked different than most people Imani knew. His skin and hair and eyes were all lighter, and he was big and muscley. He opened his mouth to speak, and she expected english. But to her utter astonishment, he spoke perfect Kikamba:‌ The mother tongue of her village. “Thank you, again, for allowing us into your village. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve your people, and we are grateful for your willingness to teach us about the heritage of your village. The Evanescent Society team will be here tomorrow to set up camp.”‌ The man smiled, offered a hearty 2 handed handshake, and after offering a farewell, loaded in the jeep and drove off.

The next day, just as the man said, the village was bustling. Workers of every shape, size, look, and sound arrived at the village and began setting up a beautiful camp made of bamboo and fabric. Massive temporary structures at the edge of the village, housing many types of old looking instruments and boxes. The worked long after the sun fell. And when she woke up, they were still moving. Finally, the elders called a meeting in the village square, and a woman in soft red and white clothes stepped up to speak, this time in english. “Hello everyone!‌ My name is Dr. Amelia Campbell. To keep things simple, I’m here with The Evanescent Society. We exist to intervene when an area of human development is threatened with extinction. We document, immerse ourselves in, then revitalize those practices, ensuring they are preserved in their original state for generations to come. Your village is known for it’s unique construction style and decorative clay sculptures. We’re here because your village is the last one to still practice these traits. I’m looking forward to working with all of you in these coming weeks. We have much to learn, but we also have much to teach. And I am confident that if we move foward in respect and kindness, this can be the beginning of a beautiful partnership.

“The rest is history.” I‌ saw the work they- we- do. I‌ wanted to be a part of it. I‌ formally went through the Echoes of Humanity Curriculum the following year, then the Threads of Time course the year after that. Now, I‌ largely get to do what I‌ want. I‌ chose steelhead trout because… well… that a creature that spends her life looking for good water.“ Imani smiled at this, and John simply said,“‌Wow.” Just then, a Project wander bus pulled into the outpost. John let out a big sigh. “Welp. Looks like we’ll have to catch up later, ladies. It was great meeting you both!‌ I’m looking forward to the next 3 months you’ll be with us!” He and Caleb walked over to the bus and began talking to a middle age white man who could stand to lose a few pounds. But the smile on his face made Imani think he was happy how he was. “That was a beautiful story, Imani. I‌ can’t wait to hear the rest one day.” A buzz on her watch beckoned her away. She let out a sigh. “I also have to go… but we can hang out later, right?” Chloe looked with beaming eyes. “Of course.” Imani waved Chloe goodbye, and once she left, took a look around her. All this, for the betterment of mankind. It was too good to be true. And yet, here it was. She thought back to the days of water. And as the clouds began to release a light drizzle, she let go the last tears of her own.

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