Spark!

Modupe Once there was a village in Nigeria, West Africa, where the people made their living by farming. The village lay in a large green valley lined with palm trees and bushes. Surrounding the village were fields dotted with crops of yams, corn, and other vegetables. Just beyond the fields was a deep river the villagers called Baba, which means father. The river was a friend and a provider for the people. The men used it for fishing, the women washed clothes on its banks, and the children played in its waters. In the rainy season, the river overflowed and the people were fearful of its power. Thus, in a place where the river wound beyond the fields, they built a strong dam to hold back the water. There was a man in the village named Modupe, which means, “I am grateful.” Modupe was a shy, quiet man whose wife had died and his children were all married. After his wife’s death, he had moved to the top of the mountain overlooking the valley and lived alone. There, he had built a small hut and cleared a small piece of land to grow his vegetables. The people did not see Modupe very often, but they loved and respected him because he had the gift of healing the sick and because he was one of them. One year at harvest time, there were unusually heavy rains, but the crops had done well and there was much to do. No one paid much attention to the heavy rains. As Modupe stood by his house on the mountain, he noticed that the river had become swollen from the rains and was straining the dam. He knew by the time he could run down to the village to warn the people of the flood, it would be too late and all would be lost. Even as Modupe watched, the wall of the dam began to break and the water started to seep through. Modupe thought of his friends in the village, their crops, their homes, their very lives were in danger if he did not find a way to warn them. Then an idea came to him. He rushed to his small hut and set it afire. When the people in the valley saw Modupe’s house burning, they said, “Our friend is in trouble. Let’s sound the alarm and go help him.” Then, according to custom, men, women, and children ran up the mountain to see what they could do. When they reached the top of the hill, they did not have time to ask what had happened. A loud crashing noise behind them made them turn around and look down into the valley. The houses, their temple, and their crops were being destroyed by the river, which had broken the dam and was flooding the valley. The people were, understandably, upset at their loss. But Modupe comforted them, “Don’t worry,” he said. “My crops are still here. We can share them while we build a new village.” Then all the people began to sing and give thanks because they remembered that in coming to help a friend, they had saved their own lives.