The Color Purple Revisited

Do you remember the final scene in the movie The Color Purple? Celie, played by Whoopi Goldberg, sits on the porch of her house. A wretched man who impregnated her twice, her father left Celie the house as her inheritance. The evening she is sitting on the porch, she sees a trail of dust thrown up by a moving car. Soon several individuals spill out of the car. Who are they? After a few seconds one sees they are in their twenties, black, and robed in flowing African dress. Slowly they approach Celie who has come to greet the strangers. Celie recognizes her sister, Nettie, who for some time has been in Africa helping raise children adopted by missionaries. And with Nettie are these two children and their spouses. The children are Celie's, children who were separated from her after their births years ago. I can't watch this final scene without weeping.


Almost as moving is a story I encountered this week. Lily, a friend here in Makeni, was asked by the founder's wife, Wenda Dil, to accompany her to the airport late at night to welcome Makeni visitors. Lily readily agreed and rode with her. Traveler after traveler poured out of the exit doors. "I'm afraid we've missed them, Lily," Wenda apologized. "Let's go over here," she said as she led Lily by the arm to a tall Zambian man. "Does this man look familiar to you?" Wenda asked. At first he looked like her first-born son, now late, or deceased. Within a few seconds, though, Lily began crying and squealing, "David! David! Makwa! My God, my God!"


David had left Zambia with his father when he was fourteen years old and had moved to Guinea. Now, fifteen years later and a grown man, he had returned to surprise his mother who had not seen him since 1995. Accompanying him was his wife with whom he'd been living in Switzerland. Wenda and Lily's daughter were cohorts in pulling off this wonderful adventure.


Imagine, fifteen years since Lily had seen her son! Being separated from loved ones is normal for Zambians. Miles separate them for various reasons~death, divorce, employment, or education. As I heard this story I couldn't help crying, and also realized it would be good to remember this story when I'm pining for my children and grandchildren. Not that my pain isn't valid, but it always helps to have a fresh perspective, doesn't it?