Tracking My Father's Python Trail: Birth of His Legacy
I was exactly 20 days old when my first photograph was taken on November 10th, 2009 in uncle Timothy’s house in Bamenda, Cameroon. It is extremely difficult to have a photograph taken in the area due to unsustainable levels of crushing poverty. Dad’s first photograph was taken when he was about 6 years old. I weighed a healthy 3.2kg (or 7.32 lbs) when I was born.
My affectionate hyphenated middle name is Kouh-Fien, named after my dad’s mother and grandmother. Grandma is about 79 years old and is considered very old in Cameroon. I pray and hope to grow up and meet grandma again before God calls her home to his presence. Grandma walks with a cane but when she heard that mom was pregnant with me she quickly got up on her feet and started dancing uncontrollably. Grandma was obviously overwhelmed with the news of mom’s pregnancy.
Dad also elected my first name. Alexis is his favored American name because it is not old-fashion and also uncommon. Contrary to most men, dad preferred to have a female child first as a tribute to grandma while she is still alive.
Mom and AlexisSince dad lives about 5,000 miles away in the land of his boyhood dream, the beautiful and great country of America, he has unfortunately not been able to see me in person yet. He lives in the small vibrant city of Portland, Maine along the north-eastern coast of the Atlantic ocean about 6 hours from New York City and 2 hours from Boston.
Dad is currently waiting for a decision by the United States Department of State to allow mom and I to go and live with him in America. His long-held dream has always been to marry and settle down with his family. I know dad is eagerly waiting to see me and to celebrate the beginning of his new family. I also look forward to meeting him as well as his American family and friends.
Uncle Timothy introduced my parents on January 20th, 2009 when dad came home on a short vacation. They first met in St. Louis Polytechnic Nursing Institute in Nkwen, Bamenda and mom enthusiastically agreed to dad’s sweet marriage proposal. On Saturday, January 24th, dad, mom and Uncle Timothy visited their families in the villages to ask for their blessings.
My parents both share some similarities. They hailed from the same village. They are both strong Baptist Christians and attend Church regularly. They were both Baptized in Belo Baptist Church and attended Belo Baptist Primary School.
Alexis closeupSoon after, my parents were married on January 27th, 2009 in Bamenda Urban Council and presided over by the Lord Mayor of that municipality. Dad returned to the United States in early February and was told by mom two months later that she was pregnant with me. Dad was immediately dissolved to tears of joy. He had waited so long for this moment to come.
Though my parents are both happily married, dad still feels something important missing in his life because the marriage did not take place in a sanctuary. When dad first started attending Church as a young boy, he saw married couples gracefully walk down the isle and thought that it was the right thing for Christian couples to do when they marry. As a result, dad developed an insatiable love affair with Church weddings and has always wanted to walk down the isle just once with his beloved wife. I look forward to the day when dad and mom would majestically and lovingly walk down the Church isle together.
No doubt, dad has had interesting life experiences in both sides of a dream and I hope to grow up and see the trail that has led him to this moment and place in his life. I love my parents very much. They mean the world to me.
As mom and I prepare to reunite with dad in America, I want to thank all of those who cared for me during this difficult transitional period, particularly my uncle Timothy for bringing my parents together. I will remain forever grateful to him.
God’s richest blessings.
