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Maemu and Robin Reunited !

4/26/2017

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From John (Robin's husband)  One of the most amazing moments of my life happened two days ago. While on the way to our stay at a Farm on the Limpopo River, we were approaching the lands where Robin lived when was at 8 years old. We had been driving for several miles on the dirt road from town with our host Vanessa Bristow. Robin was starting to recognize landmarks from her childhood: the black rocks, the orange-red soil, the acacia and boabab trees. As a result, she was becoming overwhelmed with gratitude that we were, at last, reaching our destination.

As we continued down the road I spotted a donkey cart approaching. On the donkey cart I saw Maemu, the woman who was interviewed by Vanessa last summer. Maemu remembers playing with Robin as a child when Robin was recovering from a gunshot that grazed her scalp. The major purpose of our trip here, of spending three solid days traveling, of launching a fundraiser that would make it possible to do this trip across the world was so that Robin could meet Maemu in person.

I looked in disbelief at the woman in the cart. “Is that Maemu?” I blurted.  “Yes!” said Vanessa. We quickly did a u-turn as the donkey cart pulled to a halt. We all piled out of the car as I got my camera ready. At this point Robin had tears streaming down her face. Maemu stepped out of the cart, walked toward us and embraced Robin. The two of them remained in an embrace for several minutes. Maemu kept saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” to Robin as she rocked her gently back and forth meaning I am sorry you were hurt back then. Robin’s face was soaked with tears. She was stunned, speechless, and overjoyed.

After the initial embrace, Maemu put her hands on Robin’s head and began looking for the head wound that Robin suffered. She did it in such a gentle way. Her fingers lightly, carefully sorted through Robin’s hair as if she wanted to make sure Robin had healed properly.

After her brief inspection, Maemu embraced Robin again until my beautiful wife was able to recover from her overwhelm. Meanwhile, I completely stunned at this totally spontaneous meeting happening now before we had even arrived at our destination!

I have been working with Robin for 8 years to rediscover what happened to her when she was 8. How did she get to Africa? Where was she? Who did she spend time with? What happened to her village? How did she get back? Why did her mother tell her never to speak about it when she returned? Why did she pass out in her college African history class? 

The sight of Maemu embracing Robin and picking through her hair to find Robin’s wound seemed to dissolve all other questions into a light of overwhelming gratitude and amazement. No one else knew the location of her wound. We never shared it with anyone in Africa. Maemu knew exactly where it was. Here we are, almost halfway across the world and in another hemisphere and we have made an amazing unplanned first connection with Robin and Maemu's first meeting in 40 years. It was a stunning affirmation of the reality of Robin’s memory. She was in Africa. She was right here, right where are. We still have 12 days here in Zimbabwe before we go over to South Africa. This chance meeting was the start of tremendous healing and bringing her history full circle. 

Vanessa made the comment that Robin and Maemu were connected like magnets. Vanessa said that she normally sees Maemu about every four years. She has said repeatedly that it is completely uncanny we would meet Maemu on the road as soon as we entered the area.

Thanks to everyone for supporting our journey. A miracle has taken place.
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We have arrived in Zimbabwe

4/21/2017

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April 21 - We arrived in Zimbabwe yesterday. After extremely little sleep during the 3 days of travel I am glad to say we finally slept last night. We can think and speak clearly again. Logistics have gone well, all our bags arrived, and getting Visas to come into Zimbabwe all went smoothly. 
We planned several days of rest for ourselves. We are on a beautiful farm where we are being well fed by our hosts. We have already met such kind people. As we stood in line to get Visas the man behind us shared with us that he was coming back to Zimbabwe after being in the Seattle area to go to University. He told us that once he was through the visa he was about to see his father for the first time in 15 years. He, John, and I  all got welled up in tears.  
The strongest event for me yesterday as we drove in from the airport was seeing a cluster of huts. My whole body reacted. I wanted to get out of the car and go there. John said he felt like a part of me lurched out of the vehicle to go there. Where we right now is still 4 hours away from where we believe I was a child in 1977. 
We planned today and Saturday as rest and integration days. On Sunday Vanessa will come pick us up and take us to her Eco Safari Ranch where we will be closer to our goal. This is location research. I know my body will tell me when we are there.  This is the tree I am seeing in front of me while I write this on my lap top. More to come...Now I am going to go watch cream being churned by hand. 
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Before the trip:  38 days until we leave

4/15/2017

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​38 days until we get on a plane for South Africa, then Zimbabwe! We are doing well in our preparations. Vanessa and Digby, who are the people who found Maemu, are hosting us for two weeks. They live close to where we believe is the original location of my village, and also close Maemu's community. Their generosity is astounding to me.  After they take us across the Zimbabwe border we will continue our research in South Africa. If we are correct in our research, we will be staying in Mapungubwe Park within a mile of where I was taken across the border. Being there with the sights, sounds, and smells is the heart of my location research. Our next step is to hire a researcher to seek out any records of my 1977 hospital stay in South Africa. In between all the logistics that have to be arranged, I pause and can hardly believe this trip is finally happening - for 40 years I have been waiting for this return.

A special thank you to all who have donated toward our journey. So far, your donations have covered 50% of our needs for the trip. Thank you also to everyone who is supporting us with your thoughts and prayers. It means so much to me that I have a supportive community involved in this adventure. This is an incredible contrast to being abducted in secrecy as a child. You are all part of my healing.
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Gratitude for this Return Trip to Africa

4/2/2017

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On our way home from doing our first aid training, we stopped at a store to get first aid and food supplies for the Africa trip. As I took things off the self and put them in my cart I thought, "I am going to eat this in Zimbabwe." When John rejoined me and asked me how I was doing I burst into tears because my gratitude at being able to answer the call in my heart and do this return trip was overwhelming. There really are no words just this feeling that I have been waiting so long and this return trip is really happening.
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Robin Landsong
 Author, Artist, Medicine Singer, and Craniosacral Therapist

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