JOCV 50th year anniversary

Name: Masakatsu Fukumaru
Batch: FY1991-2 (Dec 1991 - Dec 1993)
Technical Field: Electric Engineering
Host Organization: Blantyre City Council
Hometown in Japan: Kirishima City, Kagoshima

A Piece of Memory: "The Clear Eyes of Children I Met on the Shores of Lake Malawi"

This photo was taken soon after my arrival in Malawi. A week after arriving in Malawi, I was relaxing on the beach of Lake Malawi on my way to Livingstonia when three children shyly approached me in the late afternoon. I could not yet speak English well, but we smiled and gestured at each other, and I showed them a sightseeing map of Malawi. I still vividly remember the conversation (?) that ensued as we smiled and gestured at each other and showed them a sightseeing map of Malawi. I will never forget their clear eyes. It was an encounter where I felt their pure hearts, and it is the only picture I have of them.

After parting with them temporarily, I had promised to meet them at the beach around 6:00 p.m. and have them guide me to Livingstonia, but they didn't show up after waiting for about 30 minutes, so I had no choice but to walk toward Livingstonia with Mr. Arishima (JOCV member appearing in the photo), who was assigned here during the same period as myself. After three hours of walking along the mountain road, I finally arrived at the guesthouse. The hot milk tea they served me upon arrival was really delicious and brought me back to life. I later thought that if I had waited an hour or two past the meeting time, they may have come. A year later, I visited Livingstonia again during Christmas vacation, traveling while slightly hoping to meet them again, but alas, I never saw them again. It has been more than 30 years since then, and they must be living happily with their families. I still remember their clear eyes.

It would be nice if we can meet once again at that place.

Next will be a piece of memory of Mr. Haruaki Haga (dentist), a JOCV member of Batch FY1991-1, who made me an insert tooth after I broke my tooth at my duty station. Thank you very much, Dr. Haga.