We went with our friend Paul in a borrowed car to firstly Maseno, on the escarpment to the west of town, and appreciated the cooler weather at the higher altitude. The Equator sign was a big draw for my colleagues … and many photos were taken !
Then into Maseno School, where we used to live in the 1970's, and where daughter #1 lived as a baby and toddler. The school is very much the same, but now has 1200 boys. The house we lived in has been divided, and the school librarian lives in half. Our drive has gone, but the jacaranda outside is still there. I remember #1daughter sitting under it, sucking thumb, clutching teddy and watching the ants on the path ! 'Going home' was obviously somewhat emotional for me, but it was good to see the school is thriving and winning awards for international rugby and basketball. The sports field we created is looking good.
After Maseno, we drove on to Ng'iya, which was Joseph's home. We stopped in the market and made some enquiries; a man called James Ogutu came up to us and said he knew how to get to Joseph's home, so the three of us in the back of the car squeezed up, and he got in (always room for one more in a Kenyan vehicle !) He guided us through the market and along a deeply rutted road between banana plantations and shamba's, until Paul managed to hit a bump ! We stopped and got out, and out of nowhere appeared a man I knew from years ago; it was Richard Ogutu (no relation to James) … it was good to see him ! He shook my hand and we hugged, and smiles all around … he walked with us into Josephs compound, which to my eyes looked very run down and almost abandoned. There was no-one there, not even a chicken wandering around. Josephs house has gone, but I suppose that was to be expected … the Luo demolish a man's house when he dies. We heard that his #1 wife, Margaret was now living with her parents family in Ng'iya market. Josephs mothers house was partially collapsed, but the grave of Joseph and his brother Churchill were there, next to their mothers house on the left hand side.
There being no-one to see, we returned to the road, and found the car wouldn't engage gears ! Oh dear ! Marooned 40 miles from Kisumu down a steep and deeply rutted red road. But this being Africa, people appeared, and a man knew a man in the market who was a mechanic. So Paul hitched a lift with him on his motor bike, and we hung around and waited, chatting to the bare foot children, and having our hair stroked, and white arms felt … and an hour or so passed pleasantly enough. The mechanic and Paul returned, three on a motor bike (always room for one more) and started work on the gears.
Then there was a shout … and up the road came three women … I recognised Margaret, Josephs first wife, and her companion, the lady with no teeth who danced for us all those years ago ! I ran down the road towards them, and they ran towards me, and we had shrieks and laughter and hand shakes and hugs ! They had heard (jungle drums !) that we were there stuck on the road, and had hurried along to see us. The strangeness of travelling from Wales, and then going to somewhere in the African bush, and meeting several people I once knew, with no prior arrangements to meet them, wasn't lost on me. I think it would have been strange if Stanley HADN'T found Livingstone in the wilds of Africa ! And the serendipity of not finding them at home, and then the car breaking down to give them time to find us ! Some things are meant to be ...
It was good to see Margaret again, and especially Felista, the toothless lady, who was now around 70+. Margaret had grown into a mature woman, yet I was disappointed when within five minutes she had asked me for 1,000 shillings … and later changed her mind and asked for 5,000. It soured the lovely reunion somewhat, especially as I had taken her an enormous bag of groceries as a gift … tea, sugar, rice, biscuits, etc. My concern after Joseph had died was that his sons may have ended up on the streets, but all are well; they have poor jobs or no jobs, but they have food, decent clothes, somewhere to live, and food enough, so I'm happy they are OK. I feel I don't need to be concerned any more. That part of my life is now somehow closed.
The car being repaired (500 Kenya shillings … about £4) … we sent Paul to drive it very carefully up the rutted road, and followed on foot, with Felista and I holding hands as we went … she was chattering to me in Luo, and I to her in English, and we got on like a house on fire. More hugs and laughter, and we departed … I know I won't ever see them again, but that's OK. My friends, my Luo family are OK.
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