Life in the streets of Nairobi for homeless people
I hurriedly walk towards my bus stop. It is 9pm EAT (GMT +3) and I have to catch a bus home. Unfortunately there is no bus to ferry me home, I join several other passengers stranded waiting for a bus as other people move around and about. I decide to take a seat and as soon as I sit down, my attention is drawn to this man who is sleeping on this bus stop metallic seats his tummy facing down, his head is covered with a scuff and I can barely see his face.
As I stare at him my attention is shifted to an approaching bus and I quickly remember that I have to dash home, as I struggle to stand up, the bus is already filled up and am forced to sit down and wait for next one. As I sit down my attention is drawn back to this man, he keeps tossing and turning on the cold metal sit and finally decides to sit up. I give him a closer look and I realize that one of his jaws is swollen and he seems to be in pain.
On another glance I realize that he has a swollen leg which is heavily wrapped with some piece of cloth, I feel sorry for him because as I look around the environment is not too conducive for him to have a nap , there is a bright security light illuminating so much light for him to sleep, buses driving in and out with roaring engines and hooting to attract passengers and people making noise as they move about their schedules makes it impractical for him to fall asleep, in my heart I am already feeling pity for him and a thought comes in my mind to start recording him on camera, this I do discretely as sometimes people can turn violent if they notice you are recording them without permission and at some point am forced to zoom the camera in and out, as I am busy recording I notice another middle aged man that appears from nowhere wrapped in a blanket, immediately I start to capture him on video as well. He is tall and dark and he looks like he is not of sound mind as he keeps talking to himself.
I notice that the two gentlemen are homeless and my heart really bleeds for this two gentlemen who after enquiring from around am told they sleep there on a daily basis. Here is a video of the two men.
On top of being homeless one of the men looks like he needs urgent medical attention because of the injuries on the leg and jaw. I am compelled to run into a nearbuy café and buy the gentleman who looks so sickly some food. Inside my soul am like meeen I wish more people would notice their plight and help. I was so compelled to share this video on this platform to encourage us to do good to such people when we encounter them in our communities. Touch someone’s life today by doing a good deed.
Apologies- the video is not so clear because it was a dark and i also didnt want to be noticed as i recorded but we can get something out of it.
Enjoy the video!
I leave you with this quote by -Charles de lint
Every time you do a good deed you shine the light a little farther into the dark. And the thing is, when you're gone that light is going to keep shining on, pushing the shadows back.”
Luke 12:33 "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.
I can only say a short prayer for the ninjas.
One of the many reasons you may not ask for help no matter how sick you are on the streets, many people still got the mentality of 'this-gotta-be-a-criminal'. Sad. I hope the perspective gets coined around we-all-humans.
Well said brother. We all humans and we need each others backs