#4: The people sing

A true story.
In 2000, the Limpopo river in Mozambique flooded.  Within hours the entire country was flooded.

Many, many years ago in the land of Mozambique it started to rain. It rained and rained and RAINED until the land was gone! There were no more roads, no more precious
( با ارزش ) crops, no shops, no more homes!    

Zor basha photo.

The people left their homes. Quickly! They climbed the trees. They brought ( آوردن ) their loved children to the top of the trees. They brought their loved grandmothers to the top of the trees. They brought their chickens and goats and all their hopes ( امیدهای آنها ) to the top of the trees. And all day they waited.
     The night came. The children cried. They were wet and hungry. They were afraid. The wind, she was so angry! The rain was so cold. . . . 
    But one woman, she was not afraid! She was an old grandmother. She was strong and brave. Her name was Simiao. She looked at the sky, she looked at the rain, and she started to sing! The people listened. Above the wind, above the rain, they heard a voice singing!
     Old Simiao sang and sang. Her songs were prayers and the people prayed. When she stopped, some- one new began. He sang and when he stopped, someone else started! The mothers were not afraid. The children were not afraid. The goats and chickens were not afraid. For the people were all singing. All through the night, the people sang. The next day came and the people sang. The people sang for eight nights, songs—until nine days were gone. And the people sang.
     The people waited in the arms of the trees —and in the arms of hope.  Hope was holding up the branches, it was holding up the children, it was holding up the goats! The people waited in the arms of hope.

Zor basha photo.

       The people waited until the sunshine came. The sunshine came and the water went away. The people they began to rebuild their homes. They sowed their seeds, they made new roads. And the people sang.