Our good friend from Zanzibar, Juma, whom we've known since 1999, and who our son Juma is partly named after, came to Pemba to visit us. (And his parents, who also live here.) He's been here for the weekend, and we've gone with him on some adventures in villages to visit family.
Today we took a local bus to Vitongoji, in the east of the island, then got on bikes to go the last 2-3 miles. Juma's parents live on the very edge of the village, there's nothing but farmland and bush beyond their house. We had a nice peaceful walk around the farm, finding cassava, mango trees, millet, corn, coconut trees, along with cows, ducks, goats, and chickens, and avoiding their droppings along with way. It was also a very rainy day, so we were variously stuck inside waiting to leave or getting our feet really muddy.
As it turned out, Juma's youngest sister who came to their parents' house to give birth (as is the custom here) had her baby last night, in the house, with no help. The proud grandma is a midwife herself, so she could have helped if she needed it. The little boy is her second child.
On that note, I'm waiting to here news of my youngest sister's first baby. Is it here yet?!?
1 comment:
Tell Juma (the older) that wqe recall him with fondness--he's a great guy and I still want to buy him some soccer shoes, so let me know what kind and where to send them.
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