Now the trick was to hold their attention as the clouds blanketed the area in eerie darkness. The children chattered away in Swahili. Some gestured toward the sky. I asked my interpreter, Philistina. The storm frightens them.
Bad things happen when the big rain comes.
Philistina explained the children's fears were based on real dangers. Flimsy grass huts or nearby trees provided the only protection during the monsoon. Bush animals would frantically scurry around looking for new shelter when their burrows flooded. As Philistina talked, I remembered seeing a four-foot puff adder stretched out across the dirt road. The thought of the venomous brown snake hiding under my bed sent chills down my spine.