The gift

The Gift

by Georgene Summers

By the time I had become an adult of a certain age, I understood the real meaning of a Gift. It was something that the Receiver wanted or needed, given with unconditional love and without the Giver having an expectation of getting anything in return.

The year was 1996 and I embarked on a dream of mine, to go on a Safari in Africa. That dream became my reality after seeing the movie “Out of Africa” and hearing “I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills…” Now, I was on this dream trip alone with my Guide.

That day I was visiting a Boma in the Masai Mara, and little did I know then that life as I knew it would change forever. A Boma is a cluster of cow dung huts surrounded by brush stacked together to keep the wildlife out. During my visit, I chatted with some of the Masai children and their parents.

Two boys stood out and I began to talk to their father who told me that he could no longer afford to send the boys to school. I had a bag of Kenyan shillings, so I made an offer he couldn’t refuse. If he would promise to send the boys to school, I would give him the shillings.

I can still see their father, a wizened man, younger than he appeared and bent over from the exhausting work he faced daily. He was grey long before his years and wore the red plaid traditional Masai outfit. He promised to send them and I handed over the princely sum of $150.00 in shillings.

Fast forward to the year 1997 when I received a note asking about plans for the boys continuing education. I failed to think about anything beyond handing over the shillings to pay for that previous school year. There were no bank accounts held by Masai Tribal people and one couldn’t send cash, so what now? I always say there is a solution to every problem, so I reached out to the owner of the Safari company, and asked for help. He agreed and each year I sent Steve money for the boys’ schooling, uniforms, books, and other expenses and one of his Guides would take it to the school.

Georgene Summers

Over the years I received notes from the boys and was kept abreast of their progress. In 2002 I lost track of the boys when I moved alone to South Africa, however, I continued going on safaris and helping with the schooling of other children. In 2010 I received a message via Messenger from Pilot, one of the young men I initially put through school. It began “I Leperes of Masai Mara n Symon Kisurkat wonna hear from You since lost ur conctacts 4 many years.” It connected us in a way I never thought possible.

Pilot had become a Guide in the Ambroseli and wanted to thank me for giving him the gift of school. I was speechless. Over the years that followed I have been witness to some amazing things; To the growth of our relationship; To the gift Pilot has given to me, to us; To the number of lives my small donation touched; To the gift that Pilot and his wife give to others every day; To the unselfishness of this young man; To the dedication and love for his family, which now includes two young boys.

I have a family in Nairobi; A young man who calls me Mum and my husband Papa, two adorable little boys, and his wife Seleina. These two amazing people are paying it forward, with their small Foundation that educates Masai girls. Donations come from clients he serves on safari and us.

Recently, they used some of the donations to buy three water tanks and mattresses for the school. Once a month I receive a call via Facetime from Pilot, dressed in Masai garb, which is brilliant. He is a gifted Guide who takes incredible photographs he shares regularly with me. Nearly every week we text each other on the smaller treasures and happenings in our lives. Pilot: “More than kisses to you & Papa. Memusi doing good. Your saw cute kiss dear” On Mother’s Day I got this tome: “Happy Mum’s day. Ur my Hero” I replied with tears still running down my cheek: “Thank you honey. You are so sweet. Oxoxoxxo” When I told him I was sending a little money to him: “He replied: “Don’t worry Mum, u might give much with no love is not helpful, but give penny with love is helpful Yours always very very helpful and not small in my heart it’s big. I will b Grateful Mum.” The tears ran like a broken faucet that day. (Posted exactly as written hence some spelling and grammatical errors.) Yesterday after seeing some pictures Pilot had taken I decided to name him the Wildlife Whisperer because that is what he really is. Over the years, through our many texts, there have been the “God Bless You’s” and the “Kiss Honey” followed by the “Thank you Mum” and “Jambo Mum” (I used honey as a term of endearment and of course over the years Pilot picked it up and I don’t have the heart to tell him it is probably not appropriate. I find it innocent and actually lovely. There have also been tears of joy and heartache; Times of gratefulness and sadness; Times to be thankful and those to just pray and hope. Through it all, I have learned the most important lesson and that is the gift I have gotten from these amazing people is so much greater than any gift I have given to them. I have learned so much about giving, loving, and hurting; About sadness, pain and sacrifice; I have learned that abundance comes from the heart and that when you have nothing and can still give something, you are truly blessed. I often think back to that fateful day in the Masai Mara 24 years ago, when I noticed two young boys and a hunched over, wizened man with a large walking stick in his hand. What if I had not gone over to him and started to talk? What if I had never been interested enough to ask questions? What if I had never offered to send the boys to school? What if I had never even noticed him at all?