You Nurtured It Yourselves—Now Bear the Burden

Adeladius Makwega – MBAGALA

This is August 1st, 2026—the first day of the eighth month in Tanzania—here where your fellow, Mwanakwetu, is.

 

There was an unusual silence that day. When I tried turning on the electrical sockets, nothing responded. I assumed there might be a power issue at my place. When I went to ask my neighbor, their house was also quiet; my knock went unanswered. I returned home and decided to sort out some of my clothes that needed tailoring.

 

I noticed that three of my shirts needed their sleeves shortened, as they were long and no longer fit me well. Some had missing buttons. Also, one pair of trousers had torn seams that needed stitching, while another had a stain I needed the tailor’s advice on.

 

I left home and went to a tailoring shop. I was welcomed by three tailors: an elderly woman, a young man, and a tall dark-skinned young woman. Their workspace had about ten sewing machines, including an embroidery machine, all busy at work.

Among them, I chose the young man. He received me well, took my clothes, and assured me that all the work would be done properly—except for the stained trousers, for which he had no solution.

 

“If you were younger, I’d patch it with another piece of fabric. But now—black trousers with a red patch? People will wonder!”

 

The young tailor quoted a price of 8,000 Tanzanian shillings (about $3.20 USD). I asked him to reduce it to 5,000, but he refused. I raised my offer to 6,000, and he finally agreed. I gave him a 10,000 shilling note, and he accepted. Then I asked to sit on a nearby couch, and he allowed me. I sat as he finished sewing a dress before starting on my clothes.

 

Later, the elderly woman remarked:

“Samweli, are you really letting Mama Hillary sew this dress for such a demanding client?”

 

Samweli replied:

“I’ve guided her well, Mama Hillary. Even now, I’m supervising her step by step.”

Near my feet, a small child greeted me repeatedly with respectful “Shikamoo.” The young female tailor said, “The child is greeting you.”

I was surprised—so this little angel was greeting me! I responded warmly. That’s when I realized the relationships: the child was Hillary; the young woman was Mama Hillary; the young male tailor was her husband—Hillary’s father; and the elderly woman was Samweli’s mother.

 

Hillary was quite restless—at times trying to grab scissors, disturbing her mother, touching the sewing machine wheel, or saying:

“Mom, I want to sleep… take me to bed.”

Work continued, accompanied by the sounds of sewing machines, Hillary’s noise, and distant traffic.

 

Suddenly, an older woman arrived, greeted me, and approached the elderly tailor, saying:

 

“The dress you made for me seems too long; please shorten it. It’s also too loose at the waist.”

 

The elderly tailor agreed. The customer added:

“I thought you were Seventh-day Adventists—you don’t open on Saturdays. But you are open. Where do you worship?”

 

The tailor replied that they were Pentecostal. She added:

“I’ve received your dress, but today there’s no electricity. If I shorten it, I’ll need to use an overlock machine, which requires power. When you return, it’s better you try it on so we can see the issues.”

The customer responded:

 

“You mean I have to undress completely just to try it on?”

The tailor said:

“That’s why there’s a changing room—it’s meant for that.”

 

The customer refused to try it on and told them to adjust it anyway before leaving.

As she left, she said she would return the following Saturday, August 8, hoping electricity would be back, since power issues are unpredictable.

 

The sewing machines continued humming, along with distant vehicle and motorcycle sounds. Hillary kept fussing:

“Mom, take me to sleep… carry me… I can’t sleep unless you soothe me.”

Mama Hillary stopped sewing, carried her child, and took her to the changing room to put her to sleep. The elderly tailor remarked:

 

“You spoiled him yourselves—now deal with him.”

Mama Hillary put Hillary to sleep and returned to continue sewing.

The elderly woman added:

“Samweli, look at how she’s sewing the armpit area—it must be firm and well done.”

Samweli gently instructed:

“You need to stitch it properly as I showed you.”

At that moment, I realized Mama Hillary was Samweli’s wife, the elderly woman was her mother-in-law, and Mama Hillary was still learning tailoring under close supervision—yet she accepted correction without complaint.

Later, a pregnant woman came in and was carefully measured by Samweli—from the chest, over the belly, down to the full length.

 

Eventually, my clothes were finished. I received my change of 4,000 shillings and left.

When I got home, there was still no electricity. It only returned in the evening. That’s when I decided to write this piece—a summary of August 1st, 2026.

What lessons does this article carry?

In the quiet of the morning and the noise of the day, life teaches us in subtle ways. This article carries the following lessons:

First, patience is a pillar of life. Challenges like power outages do not stop life—they teach us to wait and adapt.

Second, work defines dignity. The effort of the tailors shows that a person’s value is built through their hands and dedication.

Third, family is the first school. In that small workshop, we see parenting, learning, and relationships growing together—work and love moving side by side.

 

Fourth, learning never ends. Mama Hillary reminds us that every expert was once a beginner, and success comes through patience and humility.

 

Fifth, ordinary life has its own beauty. In small, unnoticed moments, real-life stories are found.

 

Finally, the statement “You spoiled him yourselves, now deal with him” is a voice of wisdom hidden in everyday humor. It reminds us that what we nurture with our own hands grows into a reality we must face. It is a gentle but powerful warning—that unchecked indulgence can lead to consequences not only for the family but for society as well. What we do today shapes what we experience tomorrow.

 

Mwanakwetu, are you there? Remember.

“You Nurtured It Yourselves—Now Bear the Burden..”

Have a good day.

makwadeladius@gmail.com
0717649257