Sopai!

I send greetings from Eastern Africa.  This is your friend, Joseph Ole Tepelit Jukawe, writing.  Hope this finds you and your cattle well.

Me, I'm taking care of the cattle, providing for my family.  We've moved on to different quarters, as it is very hot, dry here; we haven't had a decent rain in months; it's getting harder to find food, provide for our cattle.

Several of our cattle have died, and I have started composing songs for them, in their memory.  I especially miss my favorite, Mgele; she died a while back, but the pain still runs deep.

School has let out, I spend my days working the cattle, taking care of the family.  Since I am one of the oldest children here, I feel I have been given more in the way of duties, responsibility.

I don't have much time for play.  My friends, they stop by, ask if I can play football, but Father usually tells them no, I have too much to do.  It makes me angry; I wish I had more freedoms!

There is some sadness, too:  my baby sister, Esi, died a month ago; she died of malaria.  She was not even one year old.  She suffered most horribly; I saw her die, and it still aggrieves me.  I cannot talk about her without becoming wet in the eyes; sometimes I cry so hard I think my heart is going to burst.

I haven't smiled since Esi's passing; she was my light, my joy.  She may have been just a little babe, but she was so happy.  Then a mosquito carrying the malaria illness bit her, and she got sick, then died, despite our efforts to help her. 

Esi is buried in an unmarked grave at a makeshift cemetary not far from here.  I go to see her every day, if not, whenever I can.  As I said earlier, I don't have much free time; am too busy with cattle, chores at home.

Well, that is all that is new with me.  Don't know when I will write in here again.   Until later, this is your friend Joseph signing off. 

Kwaheri!

~Joseph T. Ole Jukawe. :( >tears!<