Chapter 18

            “We are about to land at a Nairobi International Airport,” the voice came out of the speakers in the plane, “Please place chairs in the upright position and stow away your tray tables.  And fasten your seat belts.  Please remain in your seats with seat belts fastened until the aircraft comes to a complete stop at the terminal and the captain has turned off the seat belt sign.”

            The standard wording was very familiar to the entire group, all having flown on many occasions before.  This however was the first touchdown in Africa for the Americans.  After the hustle and bustle to leave the plane, there were immigration lines to go through and then baggage claims and finally customs.  Once Charles had cleared the customs and waited on the others in his party, he looked around for his wives.

             Two women moved rapidly toward him.  One was about 5’ 8” tall weighing about 150 lbs.  A stout woman yet well proportioned.  The other was a diminutive 5’3” approximately 115 lb. lady.  They both wore very colorful African dress attire which came down to the ankles.  The sandal type shoe had two inch heels and their heads were covered with a beautiful scarf type wrap.

             “Welcome home Bwana OKinyi” said the smaller of the two.

             “Yes, welcome home Bwana” said the other.

             Charles nodded his head to each as they did a type of curtsy bow and then kissed each on both cheeks.  He then began making introductions.  “This is George and his wife Juanita, and this is Aaron” he began.

             “Welcome, brethren” the larger of the two women said.

             “Yes, welcome to Africa” said the smaller.

             Charles put his arms around the shoulders of the smaller woman first as he introduced her.  “This is Rachel my first wife.  And this . . .” he continued as he moved to place an arm around the larger woman “is Elizabeth my second wife.”

             “Hello, glad to meet you” the others in the party responded.

             “Bwana, where are the others” Rachel asked as she looked at Charles curiously.

             “There were some last minute complications.  We’ll explain later.”

             “Elizabeth, would you and Rachel go get the van and bring it up closer so we won’t have to carry the bags so far?”  Charles asked, although, all present could clearly tell that it was a directive even though placed in the form of a question. 

             After the African wives began to hustle away, Aaron leaned over towards Charles and asked “What’s Bwana mean?”

             “It means Lord,” came the reply from Charles.

             “Lord??”  Aaron questioned, being taken aback by the response.  Don’t you think that’s a little blasphemous, letting them call you Lord?”

             Charles smiled, “I don’t force them.  They know it is scriptural and they do it out of respect for me.”

             “Scriptural?”  Aaron mused as he mentally searched the Scripture for a reference. “1Peter 3”.  George offered.  “Sarah called Abraham Lord.”

             “Right, ”Charles said approvingly.

             Juanita kept her thoughts to herself.  But she was surprised that the women were quite beautiful, not the images that she half way expected.

             The van rolled up and they piled as many suit cases as they could get into the back and tied a couple on the roof.  The group of six now climbed in the back seat, with the ladies in the back seat, while the men crowded into the front.  Charles took the steering wheel and they were off from the airport and through the city of Nairobi.

             George and Aaron were amazed that the city was very much like an American city with stores and gas stations and some tall buildings and restaurants and so on.  It wasn’t at all like the Africa they had pictured from the Tarzan movies.

             As Juanita sat in the back with Charles’ two wives, she thought of many questions she wanted to ask, but was besieged by questions from them.

             “What is America like?”  Rachel asked.

             “Yes, tell us,”  Elizabeth added.  “Bwana OKinyi has told us some things but tell us from a woman’s perspective.”

             “Well . . .” Juanita coughed as she began “there are many poor people who make less than $20,000 a year.”

             Rachel and Elizabeth’s eyes widened as their mouths dropped open.

             Juanita went on.  “We are fairly well off since we make several times that but we wouldn’t consider ourselves rich.”

             Rachel could no longer hold her shock and surprise in.  She grabbed Juanita’s arm to indicate she should say no more until she clarified what she had just said.

             “You mean people who make $20,000 are considered poor?”  She questioned, not able to believe what she had heard.

             “Yes,” Juanita answered tentatively, wondering what was so shocking about that.

             “Do you know” Elizabeth began “that the average per capita income for a Kenyan is $334?” she asked.

             “Well, yes, I can appreciate that $334 a week is not much and believe it or not there a few people in America that make only that much.

            “No!” Rachel exclaimed, uncharacteristically raising her voice a little.  “That is $334 a year!  Anyone making $334 a week here is a wealthy person.

            Now Juanita was shocked.  How could people survive on $334 a year?  She and George usually spent more than that for dinner at one of their favorite restaurants.  This was one shock for Juanita but there were still others to come.