And they came…

Last night as I was laying down my head for another night of rest here in Kibera, the rain began. It was no ordinary sprinkle but seemed more like torrents and sheets of water falling upon us. I fell asleep to this noisy downpour and awoke several times during the night to hear it continuing. This morning upon waking the rain was still going strong and the thought struck me that it would be a very muddy day here in the slums. However, in the back of my mind was a curiosity as to whether the termites alluded to a week or two ago would make themselves known.

In walking from our house to the community house I noticed there were several termites in the mud, obviously beaten into the ground by the rain. Their wings were too matted together and I thought they posed no threat. However, not half of an hour passed until I looked out to see columns of their vast numbers pouring out of the ground. They were finding escape in the smallest of holes and subsequently became airborne to fly wherever any good termite would fly.

I can’t say that it was of plague-like proportions all over the slum, but it just so happens that we live nearly atop one of their underground lairs. As they came forth in their vast hosts, some of the street boys came and were catching them. Knowing they were the ones who ate them I asked the best way to prepare one for a meal. They said it was important to take the wings off so they would not get caught in the throat. I thought that made sense so I pulled the wings off and ate the little thing to truly embody the Kenyan spirit. In my mind I was thinking, after all, ‘when in Rome.’ Perhaps that saying is a more secularized version of Paul ‘becoming as all men.’

Regardless, I shall not try to make any excuse for eating the small morsel; curiosity was the ruling factor more than anything else. The termites didn’t taste bad but I couldn’t agree that they tasted good either. One of the young lads nodded his head as I ate one saying, ‘very sweet.’ I nodded back in agreement but inwardly could not support the statement. After all was said and done I have concluded they are not so bad eating but if one was to make a meal of them it would take a whole lot more rain and a large net to capture the ones from the nest!