Author’s Note

In the summer of 2011—accompanied by four children from the Creation of Hope Orphanage, four young Canadians, and my good friend Henry Kyatha—we walked the route traveled by my characters Muchoki and Jata. From an internal displacement camp on the Mara, up the Rift Valley, down to Nairobi, through Kibera, along the Mombasa highway, to the mountains of Kikima, we walked home. As you’ll know if you’ve visited www.ericwalterswalkinghome.com, along the way we talked, filmed, interviewed, experienced, made notes and wrote as I tried to put myself in the shoes of my protagonists. They say if you wish to know a man, walk a mile in his shoes. Over six days we walked more than 150 kilometres so I could know Muchoki and Jata. I hope you got to know them as well as you followed along on our journey.