The road had been dusty and long, even the tarmacked highway was uncomfortable. Despite the magnificent mountainscape we traversed out of Freetown I was glad to have the end in sight. The roads in the town of Makeni were covered in large rocks and so I was thrown about inside the now empty four by four. The sunset had been a glowing orange but as we reached the city limits dusk turned the sky, grey to black. We drove down a quiet track in front of an impressive looking building, the sky was looking ominous, large mushroomed clouds were backlit by the remainders of day light giving their edges a ghostly translucent glow. “This is St. Joseph’s Sister Mary announced”
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| Creepy crawlies come out to play after the rain |
We stopped in a spacious courtyard surrounded by the main school on three sides. Before Sister Mary had even turned off the engine there was a multitude of children surrounding the vehicle begging to be allowed to help. Unusually the scene was next to silent, only the occasional excited squeal being heard- these children were deaf and St. Josephs the school where they lived. One tiny boy insisted on carrying my daypack- it must have been at least half his size but he skipped merrily along in front of me before depositing it on the table in my room. I was hustled in by the large group and made to feel welcome; I don’t remember a time anyone being so happy to see me!
Suddenly there was a noise, at first a humming, we stopped and listened as it grew to a roar. The children knew exactly what was happening but it took me a few seconds longer to look out the window and understand. The clouds were beginning to crack and the wind was picking up. Gallons of rainwater were being battered onto the tin roof. I was so dusty and sweaty from the journey that I thought what could be better than an open air shower. However I resisted, what would the elderly nun who had brought me here have thought? I grinned inwardly and instead stuck my hand out into one of the waterfalls that was cascading over the balcony. It was cool and refreshing, I stood there for a second allowing it to cleanse my soul.
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| Sunrise after the rain |
The treat was not over as the shower continued, thunder grumbled close by while the horizon transformed into a dramatic lightshow; lightning bolts flitting from one end of the vast expanse to the other.
The roads had turned to muddy rivers making traveling a treacherous affair so there was nothing to stop me standing on the verandah watching the storm move away. When it was over, a calmness descended onto the sleepy town, the cool air a welcome change from the close heat of the previous week in Freetown. Many a shaking head commented that this was too early for monsoon rains but for me it was just the perfect welcome to Makeni.
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