A Shyira Valentine

Since Valentine’s morning fell on a Sunday this year, we spent the beginnings of it at the Shyira church. Caleb preached a sermon on love- what it is and what it isn’t. Since the crowd is a mixture of English speaking Africans and a few Americans, he began telling about some of the customs of this celebration in the States. He began to describe the Valentine being given in anonymity to one you’ve liked for a long time. Then, he went on to contrast the sort of love associated with Valentine’s Day with love. It is patient, kind, keeps no records of wrongs. The message was an honest love is a difficult and beautiful one. It is not cheap and there is loveliness in the investment that towers above passions that are fleeting. 1 Corinthians 13 is a light that illuminates the holes of my heart.

Miriam, Katie, and I spent the rest of the day lunching, writing, resting, visiting with the pastor’s wife, walking the dog, and reading. We tend to ebb and flow from each other throughout the day. From six o’clock to eight o’clock each evening, we have electricity and –hopefully- internet. So, around six, we meet together on the King’s porch to check e-mail. Last night, Katie and I headed up to the house around 6:15 to see if the internet was working. It was! However, it only lasted for about fifteen minutes. So, we headed back to the apartment that she and Miriam live in, to make supper. We fixed a delicious meal of scrambled eggs with herbs, a side of tomato and avocado salsa, complete with basil, vinegar, and pepper.

Throughout this week, we have acquired the habit of watching an episode a night of a D.V.D. that Louise let us borrow. It is a T.V. series called “The # 1 Ladies Detective Agency,” and is set in Botswana. It is about a regular woman with good instincts that sets up an agency in Gaborone, and each episode she solves about three mysteries. We’re unashamedly addicted. There is something about being in Africa and watching a show set in Africa that we love. Although, we are living in a different country, the show picks up aspects of the African culture that are hard to name but fun to see captured. I told the girls last night, I will miss these evenings with them so much when I return.

We had some leftover cake from earlier in the week, and I decided to run next door to get some Refresh tea to go with it. By, this time, it was about 7:15, and my mind was winding down, in preparation for a quiet hour of good humored TV. It was dark and I didn’t bring my lantern because the lights were still on in my apartment. I got to the front door and began unlocking it, and realized there was paper scattered on my porch. My light is out on my porch, and so I thought maybe Caleb Jr. left papers out from homeschooling. I grabbed them and set them on my table, heading off to get the tea. Then, it hit me. Caleb hadn’t been out there since Thursday morning. I would have seen the papers before then. Then, I thought maybe someone left me a note, but the only people I know aside from the girls are out of town. By this time, I was in my kitchen grabbing the tea and scrambling back towards my open door, grabbing the papers. I looked down at them. There were three. The first read, “Kate;” then, “Elis’ teacher;” the third read, “And You.” I was getting very nervous. I locked the door and hurried back to the girls with tea and notes in hand.

I handed the “Kate” note to Katie, and the “Elis’ Teacher” note to Mir, since she home-schools a girl named Ellie. That left me with, “And You.” Miriam read her note first:
“Still have faith
In Jesus one day
You will se the answer
read: Philips 2:1
as you smile
on the problems being solve,
never become angry
From: X-man”
It was strange but kind and sweet, encouraging.

Katie read hers next. It went as follows:
“Hi evry morning when I see the sun shine your beautifull
Face better than. Angel come closer,
Your lips is sweet than candies
Your eyes white black and make my heart come down,
If I dont see you my heart heavy as vehicles engines
And my face become troubling.
It was X-MAN”

Then, I read mine:
“For so long without happy
But you can find it in Allymighty
As peace with us
You will see what you want.”
Mr. X-MA

We were all a little touched in different ways. I think katie was a little concerned as to who is infatuated with her. Miriam was left wondering what it all means. What problems? And I was left wondering who thought I looked like I’d been struggling with sadness. There is something truthful, dear, and hilarious about these letters. There is also something sort of amusing about seriousness being lost (and perhaps found) in translation.

We have spent the last week watching a show on African women detectives. Surely, that couldn’t be in vain. Let’s just say, we found ourselves motivated to figure out who these Valentines were sent by. We have deduced that it is someone Katie sees frequently, that has met Miriam, and has probably only seen or perhaps briefly met me. Katie teaches an English class of ten guys, and she also works at the hospital with many men. It could be any of these men she sees daily. We began to take out attendance papers from the English class, and look over them, trying to figure out who X-man is. This is what we do know:
-The writer has a very sharp cursive “y” and “j”
-The writer has a very delicate “p”
-The writer is assumed to have been at the church service and prompted by Caleb’s sermon

At this point, we have a pretty good lead. We know, but we’re not telling. Why?
Detectives are smug. Everyone knows it. Nobody says it… because we’re detectives.