When Rain Clouds Gather

The central setting of Head’s narrative, Golema Mmidi is not a sophisticated or affluent town. Nonetheless, it is the novel’s symbol of potential, progress, and change, a site of alteration and improvement on a few different levels. Most obviously, Golema Mmidi is the home base for Gilbert’s agriculture and livestock projects, which transform the economy of the town and may have the power to transform the whole of Botswana. The village is also a place where psychological and personal change are possible; here searching individuals, such as Makhaya and Paulina, can evolve into new, more enlightened, more optimistic versions of themselves.

For Mma-Millipede, the bible is more than an enthralling narrative or a set of devotions; its emotional and personal relevance resonates with everyday life. At key points in the narrative, religious and biblical forces guide the destiny of the real world. The novel ends by pointing to the influence of the “Good God” in African life, indicating that communities such as Golema Mmidi and countries such as Botswana thrive, prosper, and fulfill their destinies with the help of a divine will.