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Saturday 24th/June/2023: Off to adventure!

 




(Photos courtesy of Mary/Pen Adventures)

Parkie! In full, Parklands Baptist Church, Westlands. Pen Adventures, a marketplace ministry under the Ministry Identification and Leadership Development (MILD) Department. The morning is chilly, but it will give way to bouts of sunshine. At the gate, I am directed to the tent where the day’s event is taking place (in English too, which means I need to be formally attired more. Or, perhaps, the spotless Oxfords were the game changer.)

I am there on time, five minutes past 10am. For an event slated to begin at 10am, I am five minutes late. In true Kenyan fashion, though, I am early for the event. As often happens when I am early at an event or meeting, which is most of the time, I think of time. As a resource… of our (Kenyans’) relationship with it. Of the European’s relationship with time. That, though we appear to be late, our time is full… work, business, family, relations, shopping, handling an emergency… all bundled up in one continuum of a specific time frame. There is even a name for this phenomenon which I forget.

The European, meanwhile, neatly compartmentalises his time… the phenomenon has a name, too, which I am too lazy to look up. Anyhu, I have long since learned to carry a notebook to jot down thoughts or write down lines or ideas for a poem, a song, a comedy sketch… else, read a book on my smart phone… Really comporting myself (and familiarising myself with the ‘stage’ – a carryover from my acting days) as I wait for other arrivals. Again, advantageous when it comes to matters networking. You should try it sometimes.

The set-up is now complete. More people arrive. A quorum is now arrived at (in true peculiar Kenyan fashion, it seems rather random as there is no set number of expected participants to the event, or so, it seems… still, where two are three are gathered in His name…) The chairs are arranged in an expanding circular theme, giving the event an informality to it… something to be savoured leisurely. Tributes (to a doyen of Kenyan Literature, the late Prof. Chris Wanjala), poetry readings, short story readings… critique of the latter two. Soon enough, spirited debate.

Lunch is served. Ok, there was tea too… how time does fly when you are enjoying yourself. More poetry recitals, a couple of songs, sharing of literary events and opportunities, more networking… the sun is now out and about, lending a feel good credence, a joviality, to the happenings. 4pm comes swiftly and we have to depart.

Recall that I told you I was on time for the event. So was another participant classified as a guest just like yours truly. In true Kikuyu fashion, ‘Ciakorire Wacu mugunda itiamukorire toro.’ French for that saying about the early bird and the (unfortunate) early worm caught. Anyway, there was consultation by important people and it was agreed that we be rewarded with a copy of ‘Unfurling’ – a collection of 16 stories, 26 poems and five tributes… a vision realised that is a labour of love for Pen Adventures.

Note to self: read and internalise that parable about the virgins, their lamps and the wedding.

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