The Homeland

As I mentioned in the last post, I spent the weekend in Tesso at Immaculate’s home. Tesso is her community, where her interest remains. She goes back almost every weekend to fulfill her role as the chair person of the Chakol Women’s group. I was excited to have a free weekend to get to go see the homeland. After a three hour ride, we arrived at the house and enjoyed the chicken as a visitor must be served chicken here with Beatrice and Edna (an adopted orphan and a niece who stay in the home). On Saturday, I was given a tour of the compound and the chamba (garden). There are two mud huts, the house, a kitchen/chicken coop, a storeroom, a car port, and a shed for the goats. The chamba was very big and when we passed the two cows, Immaculate told me how she must keep cows in case she dies because the funeral guests must be fed something.  I then met Victoria, Immaculate’s mother-in-law, and her two grandchildren Albert and Purity. Victoria was the picture of an older African woman I had in my head. She was very old and quite wrinkled, but held herself with such dignity and peace. Although I couldn’t communicate with her very well because of my limited Kiswahili, I have such admiration for the mother of 8. Her hands hold such history. She has witnessed so much, experienced so much, loved so much, and lost so much. She has lived a humble life, but a life with absolute dignity. I realized that it is the personal history, the lives of such women, that make this the homeland. It is the connections, the family, the sharing of lives. 

                Although the kids were shy, I eventually got them playing hand games and tag with me. Alfie and Lucy came to play as well. They gave me quite the workout, since I couldn’t communicate that they could tag someone but me (or maybe they just didn’t want to). I had such a great time playing with them! I also went to the well and carried water back (on my head of course)!

                After lunch we headed to the Chakol Division Women’s Group to meet the women that Immaculate works with each weekend. They told me about their wealth generating projects and work to empower women in their communities. The women’s group is an umbrella organization that serves 18 smaller groups. They have had a great impact in the area, most notably keeping young women from abandoning their children to get remarried by giving them a business and an income and decreasing domestic violence. The women are dedicated to their cause and work tirelessly, probably one of the only reasons the group has had success despite the circumstances. I was really inspired by these women. I couldn’t help but chuckle when they pointed out their favorite homemade sign: “Abstain from sex. It’s 100% safe.”

                From there, I was lucky enough to take a half an hour piki-piki ride through the countryside into Busia. The countryside was gorgeous, with green fields and rolling hills stretching for miles into the distance. I loved getting to see life in the back roads of the country. We went to the home of Immaculate’s brother who is a member of parliament. It was by far the nicest house I have been in while in Kenya. He had large leather couches, tile floors, and a huge entertainment system. I chatted with his wife Judith and played with their one and a half year old Leroy. When Sospeter came home, we ate and then chatted about politics for a little bit. After the visit, I really didn’t have any sympathy for the MPs having to pay taxes on their allowances for housing, cars, etc.

                On Sunday, we walked to mass, and Beatrice, Rebecca, and Cynthia worked on my Kiswahili with me. It was held outdoors in a pavilion and people were standing and sitting in shade all over the yard. It was Immaculate’s faith community’s turn to do the presentation of the gifts so I went up with her. It was rather awkward. After mass, there was a procession of the Eucharist to two schools nearby. I met Joy and Marian (Immaculate’s two youngest daughters) on the way. We sat with them, chatted about education, and looked at pictures together. All of the girls look so similar!

                We went back to the house for lunch. We were getting ready to leave, when Cecilia brought me a chicken, a gift from Rebecca. The visitor must have a kuku after all. Since we already had plenty to carry back, we slaughtered the chicken and took only the meat back. I was honored to be given a chicken, although part of me felt like it was much too extravagant of a gift.

                We headed back to Busia. Another awesome piki-piki ride later, we arrived and began walking towards to border. I was surprised at how easy it was to get into Uganda. We just walked straight across. In Uganda, we went to fabric stores where I was able to buy 24 yards of fabric for about $30. I can’t wait to make some clothes! I came into Kenya for the second time and headed back to Kakamega. All in all, it was an incredible weekend. Everyone was incredibly welcoming and invited me to come back any time I wanted. Even though I was the only mazungu who had been in the town for the last 4 years, I really felt at home. I guess that’s why they call it the homeland.

Sorry my pictures, yet again, refuse to cooperate. I'll try to post them later.