Sisters

On Tuesday Mama Kweka and I (along with our driver Albert) left for Mwika, Mama's childhood home.  We loaded up a big basket that held our lunch and several boxes with a kilo of sugar for each of her sister's families.  It was about a 30 mile drive once we reached the main highway, add about 10 miles of bumpy, gravel, mountainous roads before that to reach the highway and about the same 10 miles of bumpy, gravel, and mountainous roads once we left the highway to head up to Mwika.

Mama only visits her sisters about once every 3 or 4 months.  Not enough, but as often as time and resources allow.  She said that her family thought it so strange of her to marry and move to a place so far away.  But this is clearly the life she was meant to live and so she goes back home as often as she can.

We visited Elyisia, whose name means "God is my delight", Martha-Lwise whose middle name means "shepherding" and then we visited Richilyrakoke Rasiel whose name means "a refuge for help."  Mama said to me on the drive home "you met some strong and confident women today."  She didn't have to tell me that, I could see it in their faces.

Mama got teary twice during these visits.

First, when we stopped at her childhood home, she took me down back behind the home to see the place where her own mother is laid to rest. As we stood near the grave she said "here lies a very strong woman." Her mother became a widow when her 7th child was just weeks old. She worked hard and put those kids through school and made sure that they were taken care of. She lived to be 91 and passed away in 1998. Mama said "its been so long, and yet it can still get to me."

The second time was when we visited the last sister. Her sister Richily is wheel chair bound with something like arthritis. She is in a difficult situation with children who don't always know how to care for her. She and mama are so close and when they spent just this short time together today they both had tears in their eyes.

I got teary twice today too, once when we were talking about how strong mama's mother was and I thought about my Grandmothers Ann and Esther and my own remarkably strong mom. Then again when I saw mama's tears with her last sister and I thought about what a gift my own sisters are.

Okay, everyone else has probably stopped reading by now - but with tears in my eyes for a third time - here's to my mom and my sisters Mary, Martha, and Linda. I can't wait to see you in August!