The Struggle Of An African Child 5 Chapter Five

The first night in another person's house was not easy for Kamsi. Despite sleeping in a comfortable bed that was better than the one in her parents' house, but Kamsi did not sleep well; thinking about her brother and her parents also contributed to it. It took Kamsi time to become acquainted with her new environment. The first three weeks the woman took her for the maid. She pampered Kamsi in order to win her heart. She took Kamsi shopping and changed her wardrobe. Kamsi felt in her heart that there was where she supposed to be, but each time she remembered that her parents and brother were still suffering, her joy would not be complete.
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Kamsi could eat three times a day. It was her first time that she drank such a rich tea. Her madam allowed her to take enough milk and bread in the first three weeks, and she always had her breakfast in the dining room but as time pa.s.sed, her mistress started giving her att.i.tude. If her children made a mistake, she would lay the blame on Kamsi and even punish her for it. Kamsi did not believe that the woman who treated her kindly would later become a monster. Kamsi kept wondering where she went wrong. What made the woman change so quickly. In order to display wickedness, she told her to stop sleeping on the bed. She gave her the mat she bought. Any time she saw her sleeping on the bed, she would pour her cold water and would abuse her.

Her children did not like the way their mother was abusing Kamsi but they could not help. The husband travelled abroad while Kamsi was there, if he was around, things might not be like that; even Kamsi had no one to complain to. Whenever she beats or flogs her, her children would also be crying along with her, but their mother would look for a way to poison their mind against Kamsi. The love they had for Kamsi was greater than the hatred their mother had for her.

One Sat.u.r.day morning, she brought out their dirty clothes to wash including her inner-wear. She instructed Kamsi to finish was.h.i.+ng the clothes before taking her breakfast, after telling her what to do for the day, she left. As Kamsi was was.h.i.+ng the clothes, her children wanted to help but she tried stopping them and when they persisted, Kamsi allowed only the eldest, who was five years old, to wash her stockings and her sibling's own, Kamsi did not know her mistress would come back unannounced.

It happened that she forgot something at home and when she came back to pick it up, she saw her daughter was.h.i.+ng. Filled with anger, she flogged Kamsi mercilessly. Kamsi was trying to explain to her how it happened but she did not want to hear her out. All her pleading to stop beating her turned a deaf ear. Looking infuriated she said, "I don't blame you, I picked you up from the poverty-stricken home and you are not grateful. Lazy girl. If I show you what to do, you will tell my children to do it,"

Because of that incident, she told Kamsi she would deprive her of breakfast as a punishment. But depriving her breakfast was no longer a new thing to her because she was used to it. Her children didn't like the way she treated Kamsi and when one of them tried to explain to her mother what happened she shunned him. Little children have a way of helping each other. When they noticed that their mother was still starving Kamsi during lunch, they contributed food and secretly gave it to her and when she asked them why they finished on time, they told her that the food was sweet but she did not know what happened.

The woman wanted Kamsi to work extra hard, but she would not let her eat. Every morning Kamsi would wake up as early as to prepare the children for school and used the remaining hour to do the house ch.o.r.es. Kamsi would be the first to wake up and the last to sleep. Any time there was soured soup in the house, she would order her to eat it and Kamsi would continue eating it until she finished. She could not protest because no one would hear her out.

When Kamsi's parents asked to know if their daughter has started school, the report they got was that she has not been acclimated with the new environment, and before they knew what was happening the term had almost ended. The next term, the woman gave another flimsy excuse why she has not taken her to school. When they asked her again she told them that the section was almost half as she might not cope and so she was waiting for fresh time to resume.

Whenever they have an opportunity to speak with the woman, they would want to talk with Kamsi but the woman would not let her talk with her parents. She would either tell them that Kamsi was sleeping or she would give them any old excuse. Her fear was that Kamsi might open up to them and tell them how she treats her. Kamsi eats different soup from the one they ate. Any day she cooked new soup, she would like to make her own watery.

Kamsi did not know why that woman chose to be treating her like that but she had no one to complain to.

Kamsi only felt relaxed whenever the woman was not at home but as soon as she comes back things would change. One night as she was sleeping, the woman woke her up to go and mop her bathroom and when she finished mopping it, she ordered her to wash the clothes in the laundry basket. The woman used to wash with was.h.i.+ng machine but when Kamsi came the woman stopped using it. She packed it and wanted Kamsi to be doing the laundry with bare hands. Most time she would beat her for not was.h.i.+ng clothes well and would order her to wash them again.

Kamsi was no longer comfortable staying with them, but there was no way she could reach her parents. Whenever the woman was not around and her children had gone to school, one of the male tenant who was living in the "Boy's quarter" would intentionally send Kamsi errand to help him buy snacks and drinks, and whenever she gave him the balance, he would tell her to keep the money. Any little chance Kamsi had she would use the money to buy snacks. The man was doing it with an ulterior motive. As time went on, the man started molesting her and when she complained to her mistress, she did not take it serious.

The incident continued until when the man wanted to **** her, if not she was rescued by another tenant who was living upstairs, he would have his way. Whenever Kamsi was not around, her mistress would start searching her bag; there was a day she saw money in her bag; thinking it was her own money, she accused Kamsi of stealing, Kamsi was trying to explain when the woman poured her hot water, but managed to escape it. She was was.h.i.+ng plate one night when one of the breakable plates fell from her hands. The woman sent her out that night not minding the danger she was exposing her to. It was from there that she left not knowing where she was going.

When the mobile police on patrol saw her walking alone crying, they took her to the station. Kamsi narrated to them how the woman had been treating her and when they wanted to take her back to her, she pleaded with them to take her to her parents. Trying to locate her parents was difficult for them. Her parents had no phone and so contacting them was difficult. The little Kamsi gave them their pastor's phone number which they used to contact him. Kamsi and Sam were well known in Sunday school because they always take part in the children's quiz.

When they took her to the pastor, he told them that the parents had gone back to the village because of hards.h.i.+p. He commended the police for their effort to rescue Kamsi. With the help of the other church members, they trained her in school when they later contacted the parents and told them what happened and the decision of the church. Kamsi stayed with pastor and his family and they trained her in school.