Kalisa and Abdulle Love and Life Journey PDF

Kalisa and Abdulle Love and Life Journey This is the year 2012. My name is Mohammed Awwaal. I live in Kenya Refugee Camp. I’ve known Abdulle for 14 years (since 1998). Abdulle got a chance to move to the USA about a year after we met. Even though he started a new life in a new country, he didn’t fo...

Kalisa and Abdulle Love and Life Journey This is the year 2012. My name is Mohammed Awwaal. I live in Kenya Refugee Camp. I’ve known Abdulle for 14 years (since 1998). Abdulle got a chance to move to the USA about a year after we met. Even though he started a new life in a new country, he didn’t forget me behind in refugee life. Now, I live in Kakuma camp #3, which is about an hour walk from the UN office. It’s always super humid and hot in the camp, and there was a time when I couldn’t walk to my appointment with my wife and kids. But thanks to Abdulle’s help with transportation, I was able to go to my appointments with my family. Like many friends who want to do something for friends who assisted them in difficult times, I always wanted to do something for Abdulle. Sadly, the circumstances of my life left me powerless, though I maintained a constant hope of being able to do something for him. In September 2009, a man named Anwar visited Kakuma to see his family. His family lives next door to me too. In Ethiopia or Oromo culture, when there’s a guest in the neighbor, everyone joins in welcoming them, so we all went to the guest’s home and stayed overnight. Once we greeted him, we all paid attention to what he had to say, as is customary in our culture. While he was talking about life in the USA, he brought up California, specifically San Diego. Without disrupting, but with an excuse, I asked if he knows Abdulle. He was like, “I think I’ve seen him at our annual community picnic in San Diego.” Then, I said ok, thank you and he continued with his talking. The day after, Anwar (our guest) began taking photos of everyone who greeted him, including the women preparing meals. Kahalisa, who lives nearby, was part of the group cooking food. Once he had finished photographing us, he made his way to the kitchen to appreciation ladies for the meals they had prepared and took pictures with as well. A week later, Abdulle called me and I asked him if he knows the guest who came to Kakuma from San Diego. He asked if I know his name, and I said his name is Anwar. Then, he asked about his looks. Once I told him what he looks like, he was like, “Yeah, I’ve seen him.” Then, I said, you must have seen him at the community because that was what Anwar told me when I asked him about you. When we were talking on the phone and I told Abdulle to look at our the pictures Anwar took. He said, sure, I’d love to see them. About a month and a half later, Abdulle saw my picture because he ran into Anwar at a soccer game in San Diego. Abdulle not only saw my picture in Anwar’s Album, but also Kahalisa’s. When he called me again, he said there’s something else I wanted to ask you. I said, sure, go for ahead. He was all like, there’s this lady in the picture, do you know who she is? I said there are many ladies I 1/3 know in his photos. I asked Abdulle, can you describe what she looks like? He told me all about her looks, what she had on, and stuff like that. Then, I said, “That’s gotta be Kahalisa!” but I’ll confirm with her and get back to you. Unlike before, when I couldn’t help him with anything, this time I knew I had a chance by introducing him to Kahalisa. Kahalisa is an amazing woman in our community - respectful, responsible, beautiful, and smart. Once I got off the phone with Abdulle, I made my way to Kahalisa’s house. Unfortunately, she wasn’t there, but her roommate was. Her roommate told me she went to UN for her ration(monthly grocery food). I came back in the evening and she was there, chatting with her roommate in the tent. I asked her about her time at the UN and then we started chatting about the photos Anwar took. She said he took her pictures, but she hasn’t seen them. I was like, someone saw it. She asked, who saw it? Can I also see it? I said to her, not here, People in the USA saw it. She asked what they said, and I told her they said it looks amazing. Then I asked her, can you tell me what you had on when you took the picture? She was like, why you asking? I said it with a playful tone, I’m just asking because I’m excited about our pictures made it to the USA. After we had a good laugh, she told me about her outfit in the picture. Everything she said was just what Abdulle said about the pictures. I quickly left her shelter and called Abdulle. He called me back after about ten minutes, and then I told him about Kahalisa. Then he was like, “I’d love to meet her,” and I said, “Sure, I’ll introduce you to her.” The next morning he called, and I introduced him to her. It was November 20, 2009. He kept calling her on my phone since she didn’t have a phone. Two weeks later, they decided to exchange more pictures. I took her to the Studio for her pictures, then we headed to the computer to email Abdulle. The computer shop owner assisted her in setting up an email, and then she sent him her picture. Abdulle also sent her his pictures. Their love keeps growing day after day. About six months into their relationship (in April 2010), Abdulle told me he’s planning to come to Nairobi in August 2010 for their wedding. I was super excited for him and couldn’t wait for him to arrive. When August came and he had his ticket, Kahalisa and I arrived in Nairobi from Kakuma a week before him on Aust 8, 2010. Abdulle arrived in Kenya on August 18, 2010, and then they went to the Kahdi Court on August 23, 2010, where the court solemnized their marriage. In the afternoon, they had their wedding ceremony. They could spend time together on the day he arrived, but in our culture and religion, it’s not allowed to be together before getting married in public. After Abdulle returned to the USA, I stayed in Eastleigh, Nairobi, Kenya with Kahalisa until she became familiar with the city and could to manage her appointments, such as medical exams and the US embassy. 2/3