Hello All:

Besides the stubborn characteristic I inherited from my mother the only other thing I inherited from her are the ugly feet. I didn't know that my bunions would be used to identify me....

24 hours after Tracey and I arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone, tens of family members, friends, acquaintances, etc started streaming to our temporary residence. I have nearly 60 nephews and nieces. When one of the nephews called my sister in the village (the miracle of cell phones) to tell her that I had arrived she did not believe her son. She asked her son to find some physical similarities my mother and I had in common. Of course it were the big bunions. Only then did my sister believe it was me. Many people in the village including my mother believed that I died a very long time ago. Who could blame.......

Tracey and I left Vancouver on February 8th for Uganda and Sierra Leone. We had eight suitcases plus our carry on luggages, backpack and a huge purse. Six of the suitcases contained clothes, books, shoes, etc. to be divided between Uganda and Sierra leone. One suitcase was donated by our good friends, Chris and Nancy Clark. They bought the suitcase, filled it with clothes, and paid the excess charges. They also sponsored eight children in Uganda. Another suitcase was given to us by Tracey's Ugandan friend, Jasca to take to her village in Uganda. Jasca now lives in Vancouver. The other suitcases where filled with clothes that Tracey bought and those donated by some of her friends. Chris and a gentleman who I had met 10 minutes earlier drove us to the airport. The gentleman is of Lebanese origin and was born in Senegal. Most of his family still lives there....

We arrived in Uganda on the 10th. after 18 hours in the air and 10 hours waiting at airports. The first order of business was to visit Tracey's nursery school. She pays the teachers and any cost associated with the school. There are 130 kids in the school. Tracey also raise funds to pay school fees for 50 elementary school children. The two of us personally sponsor four of the 50. Since the school is located close to lake Victoria I was keen to visit the lake. We went there and dipped my feet in it. We were in Uganda for about two weeks. We did the usual tourist things, ran almost everyday at an altitude of about 4000 feet. Because of the hot burning sun we started our runs at about seven. Tracey will go to the gym at 5 p.m.. I could not stand the heat at that time....

On February 23rd we left Uganda for Sierra Leone with stops in Nairobi and Accra. We were not allowed out of the plane in Accra. We arrived in Sierra Leone on the 24th. My late cousin's son was waiting for us. Outside the airport we changed U.S.$100 from one of the money changers that carry bundles of money around looking to buy or sell American dollars, Euros, and Pounds. The money changers give better rates than the banks. The exchange rate initially was US$100 for 435,000 leones (Le). It is easy to become an instant millionaire...

After four days in Freetown we left for the village. A cousin of mine who is a city counsellor in Freetown volunteered to give us a ride to Eas close to the village as possible. I filled the tank. About halfway in the journey the rear left tire blew up. The tire was scattered all over the road. We tried to stop a few cars and trucks. One eventually stopped and lent us his jack. We put on a very used spare tire. The tire started peeling of the moment we started moving. We eventually arrived at Makeni.E

I went to high school in Makeni. While the counsellor and the driver went to find a rethreaded tire, Tracey, Emmanuel (one of my nephews) and I Ewent for a walk to my high school. The boarding houses are now the high school and the school is now a university. The university did not have a running water. I was told the pipe had broken about a month prior to our visit. In 1980 the president of the country had instructed the chief of police in the Northern Province to arrest me while I was speaking at a teachers college about the lack of water and electricity. We were on strike at my university. Anyway, I was never arrested. The students would not allow. At the time one of my cousins was member of the cabinet. He never asked me about incident and I never told him about it. That was our relationship. I paid for the rethreaded tire....

We eventually arrived at Kamabai where we spent another night before embarking on our 12 mile hike to the village. The counsellor wanted me to buy him new tires. He informed me that it was the law in the country. I gave him more than enough money to take him back to Makeni where he had access to a bank. That was the last we saw each other...

Seven nephew and nieces went with Tracey and me on the journey. We each took as much clothes, food, etc. we could carry. It was a very hot day. Uganda was hotter but Sierra Leone was more humid. Tracey who didn't sweat in Uganda even when we ran was sweating profusely in S.L. without running. After about three hours of walking we arrived at my mother's village. It was wonderful to see my mother. She was crying as is the tradition. Many others were too. Of course I was. Almost everyone in the village came to see us. My mother is the oldest survivor in the family. Her late mother was the only grandparent I ever knew. My dad died when I was in grade 11... Tracey took a photo of my mom's feet and mine. Mine are much uglier.

After about 40 minutes we left for my sister's village. It was hard to see my sister and not cry. She cried. Many others did. They were tears for my return and for those who have died. It was overwhelming for Tracey. Her comfort level was pushed beyond limit. The most frustrating thing for her is that she did not understand any of the languages. After 30 years I still understood my native tongue. Sometimes my sentences were disjointed. But I felt at home. After a short visit with my sister we left for my village, and final destination, Kateneh.

Here I was born nearly 60 years ago. Everyone came to see us. There are only 15 huts. EIt was great to be back home....

The only change in the village is that there is a community school. The grades are from one to three. There were only 13 kids at the school when we visited. The school fees is very cheap by our standards. The following morning we gathered everyone in the village, Tracey and I advised all the parents to send all their children to school from five years of age on. We promised to pay all the fees. Before we left S.L. there were 30 kids in the school. But when the farming season starts I wonder how many kids will still be going to school...

At daybreak seven strong men were sent to Kamabai to collect the rest of the goods and clothes we could not carry the previous day. I hated carrying things on my head when I was in elementary school. I was not very strong. Many a time I cried. My father would often help me even though he did like to do it. I was supposed to be strong. I was not. I empathize with people who carry stuff on their heads...

When the men arrived with all the goods we lined up all the children. Tracey gave out all the three suitcases of clothes. Each child received at least two items of clothing. Then it was the adult women: they were all given jewellery... It was an historic visit.

I paid examinations fees and school fees. Everyone wanted money. I gave away all my money. I ran out..

I will have to send more money to pay for more fees, private lessons. That is the least I can do. Sometimes there are no teachers in the classroom hence the need for private lessons....

Tracey doesn't understand how I got out of the village. I don't either. I was just too lucky. Even when I used leftover paint in high school to paint my shoes because I could not afford shoe polish. I was lucky. I still consider myself lucky today.E

The only slight disappointment was the fact that Tracey was sick. She had stomach problems because she liked the food on the streets in Freetown. She is fine now...I hurt my foot when I was going to the village. The foot and lower leg were swollen on the day we left to go back to Uganda. As a result I was so sick on the plane that the pilot had to contact the Kenyan Airways dr. to be on standby at the Nairobi airport. He gave me the same medication I was supposed to be taking. I had accidentally put the medication Ein my suitcase instead of my carryon. I am also fine now.