One Face in a Million Book 1: Mu Shangaaniana. William Bond

      Chapter 6

      Christine returned to the mission station at Tavani and spent several weeks with her mother. During the school year, Mother had said that she might take her furlough soon, and she was hoping that she and Christine could make the trip to America together. Problems had arisen, however. The Davidsons, who had replaced the Rankins, had had to return to America because Mr. Davidson had been diagnosed with cancer, and Ms. Ferguson was presently on furlough in the United States. Mr. Bostwick had suffered a heart attack after his return from the United States, and he was still unable to assume his full share of responsibilities.

      Consequently, with the mission shorthanded, Mother had had to assume even more responsibilities, and her own furlough would have to come at a later time.

      Christine, however, was going to America. Mother had booked passage for her on a freighter called the Tropical Sun, and her scheduled departure date from LM was to be on March 22, 1931. The freighter’s destination was New Orleans, Louisiana, but Christine’s own destination was still uncertain.

      After arriving in America, she would have to decide what she was going to do.

      Although Mother intended to provide her with some money, her financial assistance was not enough to pay for her tuition in any college, so it would be necessary for Christine to find some employment and begin a savings if she intended to continue her education. Although no definite arrangements had been made, it seemed likely that she might look for a job in Michigan as she had several relatives who lived in that part of the United States.

      During the time that Christine was at home, she went through many of her things and decided what she needed to take with her and what would need to be left in Tavani. Many things, of course, could not go with her, and so the eventual disposal of her various things would have to be left until another time—or to the eventual decisions that her mother would have to make.

      Neither Christine nor her mother looked forward to the time when she would leave Tavani, but the time was coming—and so that was that. Christine’s imminent departure from Tavani had been announced in a church service, and on the last Sunday before her departure, a potluck meal was held at the church so that the local people could visit with—and give good wishes to—the departing young lady whom they had always known as Mu Shangaaniana.

      On the day that they were leaving for LM, Joao prepared an early breakfast for them, and then when their things were ready, he carried their pieces of luggage out of the house and placed them in the car. When Christine and her mother came out of the house, they discovered that many of the Shangaan people had risen early and gathered near the house so that they could bid Mu Shangaaniana a final farewell. Christine had not expected anyone to come by to see her off, and she was touched by the outpouring of goodwill and their heartfelt words of farewell.

      Although tears were welling up in her eyes, Christine smiled at them and waved farewell.

      Those present also waved, and said, “Sa laquatsi!” meaning “Stay well”—or words of that sort.

      As they were departing, she saw Joao and members of his family, as well as Carlotta, Rosianna, and many older people whom she had known all of her life. It was a touching tribute that they had risen early to bid her farewell, and tears streamed down her cheeks, for perhaps she would never see these people again.

      As Mother drove along the roads that they had often traveled, Christine couldn’t help feeling a bit melancholy. She didn’t particularly like Manjacaze or Vila de Joao Belo, which many people still called Xai Xai. She didn’t like the ferry ride across the Limpopo River or the long drive to Xinivani and LM, but this had been her world, and it had become familiar to her. There was much about Lourenço Marques that she had liked, but soon, she would be leaving everything that had become familiar, and before long, she would be sailing across a vast ocean to a life that might well be filled with uncertainty as well as loneliness.

      Of course, she knew that her leaving Africa would also be difficult for Mother, for they had been together—off and on—for almost nineteen years. For many years, Christine had been away at school, but she had been at home for all the major school holidays. But now, there was no way to know when, if ever, she would return to Africa. Her heart went out to her mother, for she had lost two husbands and would soon be bidding farewell to her only child.

      She was committed to the mission work that she was doing at Tavani, but the responsibilities there were now almost entirely on her shoulders, and although she had a purpose-filled occupation, she would be returning to a lonely home that held a multitude of memories.

      Mother hadn’t been complaining about a thing, but Christine knew perfectly well that her stoic, hardworking mother was going to have to deal with a lot of sadness and loneliness after her only child had departed for America.

      By evening, they arrived in LM and took a room at the Sintra Hotel. They had dinner in a nearby restaurant, and on the next day, they shopped for clothes and other things which Christine needed to get. That evening, they went to the luxurious Vasco Da Gama Hotel to have dinner in the dining room that offered a lovely view of the city. Although it was an expensive outing, Mother wanted their last meal together to be a pleasant one, and no place in the city offered better food—nor a finer view—than what was available at the lovely Vasco Da Gama Hotel. Mother had said that the occasion was to celebrate Christine’s successful completion of her schooling at St. Mark’s and to recognize her upcoming nineteenth birthday. Moreover, she felt it was appropriate to have a special meal before Christine left Africa to begin the next phase of her life.

      As usual, the tables were elegantly set, the food was superb, and they were served by a young man who was attentive, pleasant, and handsome. The view through the nearby window was as good as they had remembered, and although they could see a number of ships in the harbor, they could not tell which vessel was the Tropical Sun. After dinner, they returned to their room at the Sintra Hotel, and they talked with each other about many things until late in the evening.

      On the following morning, they had an early breakfast at their hotel. Then, Clara drove down to the harbor area, and at a dockside office, Christine confirmed her ticket and went through the procedures that one goes through before making a departure for another country. They then sat on a bench along the sunny wharf for quite some time until an official indicated that departing individuals could board the ship. Freighters don’t carry many passengers, and Christine soon discovered that only two older men would be embarking with her on the Tropical Sun.

      Christine had promised to write to her mother as soon as she had an address through which she could receive mail. They shared a last embrace and kiss, and then, Christine headed toward the appropriate gangplank with her luggage. A courteous crewman saw that she could use some help, so he took her luggage, and Christine followed him onto the ship, and another crew member directed them to the part of the vessel where there were quarters for several passengers. They found the door to Christine’s assigned cabin was unlocked, and Christine quickly saw that her accommodations contained only the basic necessities. The young seaman set down her luggage, and after offering him her thanks, he departed. She noted that her cabin had a single bed, a chest of drawers, a small dressing table, and a stool.

      There was a place to hang clothes, a bedside lamp, and a porthole. The adjacent lavatory had a stool, a sink above which was a small mirror, and behind a long plastic curtain was a small corner area where one could take a shower. She glanced around the cabin again, but there was