Ahh!
The smell of freshly baked bread
Coming from the kitchen as mommy prepares
Home baked bread for her children
Dad walks in and though never stepping into the kitchen, ever
He cannot resist the smell of the home baked bread
Mhhhh
Susan Waigwa
Written by
Susan Waigwa  55/F/Johannesburg, South Afric

She made hell for my mother
You see she left her husband because he was too poor
He climbed on top of buildings with a bottle of water
A dry loaf of bread in his hand
Roaming the streets in the day looking for work
Opting to repair watches to get a meal

She couldn't stand this man she had married
So he went in search of another woman
Then he met my mother, married her brought her home
Pregnant with my eldest sibling, the other woman returned, bringing her jealousy and envy, making my mother's life a living hell

Then I was born into a home full of conflict
Witchcraft was the weapon used against my mother
At only one month old, my mother left home
Leaving us in the mercy and madness of an insane woman
Instead of feeding us with good milk, she would dilute it to 10% water, dump us in cold water, hoping that all these would **** us as she didn't want our blood directly on her hands

Was it not for our paternal grandmother, we would have died, but when she heard of what we were going through
She came and rescued us from this deranged woman
She raised us with love and care as though she was our mother

After our primary education, we had to move back in with our dad and his insane wife
Worse times filled with every kind of abuse awaited us
...to be continued. ..

when you go before kings, humble yourself
Learn to kneel or bow in respect
And in your ignorance forget not you are a subject

The king has power and has been placed in his office
To exercise the law and govern the land
To punish the lawless
And will not show partiality

Be silent unless asked to respond
For kings do not put up with foolishness
Approach the throne at the kings request
And do not walk with arrogance before the king

In humility learn to learn in all situations
In tears learn servitude
In silence learn to hear the inaudible
In pain, learn gratitude
When in doubt, learn to have faith

Searching,  seeking, looking
As my heart would break with pain
loneliness ******* the life from me
Clunched in foetus position
Drenched with tears as each hot tear
Ran down my cheeks

Praying in the middle of the night
Seeking the face of the Lord
To take away this longing
To remember me and come to my rescue
Rescue me o Lord, I prayed, give me a man
One that will love me truly and with no reservations

Lord, my husband, you have taken away
Where do I begin to look? I am simple and don't like drama
The club's and social places are not for me
I would never give myself to any man, except my own
Where do I find my own, one that is like me
Who can make me laugh so hard

Ahh! Then you came along SMW, and I SNW
You filled my eyes with tears, not of sadness but laughter
So alike did I find you. Could this be true?
Joy, happiness and gladness, so filled my heart
At the thought of you, my heart would leap in joy

We are seas apart, continents separate us,
I long to be in your arms my love, I long for that day
When two hearts become one, as your body touches mine
With fire and passion so filled with longing, hunger

Tell me, are you here to stay? Are you the answer to my prayers?
Will you ever leave me? Can you assure me that you will
Always be there for me? Do you long for me as much as I long for you?

Be careful what you say
Be careful of your words
Tame your tongue
Let it speak life and not death

You can think anything
Imagine anything
But the words you speak create
With your words you can tear down
With your words you can build
With your words you can curse
With your words you can bless

When words leave your mouth
They go out to create
Life or death
Think wisely
Speak wisdom
Make your choice, I have made mine

Gripped with fear and terror
Her feet ran as fast as she could
Into the thickets of Savannah grass
Scared of her attackers that were ready to tear her apart
Than she was scared of the slithering snakes at her feet
Nor of the wild animals that could be lurking behind the thorn bushes

They'd told her it was time for her to become mature by undergoing circumcision. Woken up by the singing that announced the hour that she dreaded, there was only one thing to do. Run for her dear life. She had heard of the pain that her 15 year old neighbour had endured.

She ran as fast as her small feet could carry her. Deep into the bush, panting, praying that someone might find her and be kind enough.

Rustling, then suddenly two men stood in front of her.
Filled with fear and despair, she wondered, had they caught up with her? Those that she dreaded, had they found her. With tears and terror filled in her screams, she felt a firm grip on her shoulder. "I am finished, I am dead" she thought.

The grip on her shoulder softened as a calming voice came from the older of the two men. With a piece of cloth, wiping away her tears, he told her that she didn't need to explain the fear and tears and screams. He'd rescued a girl a year previously in the same situation.

Into his home the stranger took her, his wife and daughters welcomed her as one of their own. Hiding her, the stranger, kept her safe. Six months later, she was safely sent to a foreign land, in a place of safety for girls like her.

She'll never see her family again. Though she was respectful, obedient and hard working, they only saw her as a means to wealth. After her circumcision, she'd have been married off to an old man.

It hurt that she'd never see her family again, but she was glad that she would never be subjected to what her friends had endured.

The night was quiet except the sound of the night owl
Sniffles in the main room of the manyatta
Where the chief of the masai lay
Covered in the familiar cloth clad by warriors
Of this hermite tribe

Tomorrow morning he will be laid to rest
His body covered with cuttings from trees
With a skin of a cow freshly killed
The wild animals will smell it from miles away
Soon to shred the body and gorge themselves
You see, there are no graves to bury the dead

Ah! The memories of growing up as we moved
From place to place, seeking fresh pastures for our herd
And new experiences for everyone

True love, so rare to find
Those that findeth it, are they that are a match made in heaven
These, rare like a gemstone of class A
Are unselfish, compromise, care
Share what they have and give without expecting anything in return
They feel the pain of their partner, and laugh at silly things
These are forgiving and always ready to lend a hand
They make it easy to live with and are not ashamed to show their feelings
They smile when hurt, and don't count the wrongs
Nor do they hold grudges
Are not bitter or angry
They are supportive and pray for their partner
They encourage, challenge and criticise with love
They don't look down or think better of themselves but in humility acknowledge that they themselves are weak
They are like an oasis in a desert
Like a cold glass of water given in a heat wave
They are like a rare Ruby, Green garnet, Amethyst, a gemstone of highest quality
Who findeth?

I would rather live in the fear and love of God
And die and come to know that there was no God
For I will have lost nothing
Than live like there's no God, live recklessly,
Self satisfying, filling my cravings, hateful, vengeful
And die and come to know that there is a God
For I will have lost absolutely everything
And not another chance to redeem myself

She looked at me, tears filling her eyes
With sobs, she whispered to me with her heart breaking
He said I am not good for him
He said that I was cold, a housewife material
But not the kind of lady he would show to his friends
My crime was from my belief, I would not expose myself
To any man unless my own husband.

I comforted her and told her the Lord has a way of sorting out things

After 3 month's, he comes back, calls and writes her
She now asks, why does he call, why bother to write
He ended it all didn't he?
He failed to find that dream lady, who he can show to his friends
He now wants me? I've moved on with my dignity intact

Girl, I told her, the good Lord has a way of sorting out things. Hang in there friend, your Prince is looking for you and he will find you, with your dignity intact