Sabrina

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The lovely little girl in the green dress with the big smile on her face is Sabrina.  One day last week Sabrina and her group of friends followed me on my walk all the way from Mzee Nkya's home back to church.  For awhile they hung back, following at a distance, but I could hear their hysterical laughing every time I looked back at them or when I tried to say something to them.

Then they dared to venture a little closer.  They ran at full speed to catch up to me and walked along side me, still with big smiles but their laughter now mostly muted.  Though it was 2 in the afternoon they each bravely tested out their only known English greeting "Good morning, madame."  I said "asante sana" and then tried to teach them "Good afternoon."  As they each practiced this new greeting those quiet giggles turned once again to hysterical laughter.

I said to them "wewe ni nani" or "what is your name."  They each in turn gave their name in such sweet and clear voices.  The only name I remember now is that of Sabrina, because she so gently reached out her hand to give to me her package of biscuits.  You can sort of see her holding that purple package in her hands.  It was for me.  Oh the humbling paradox of traveling all the way to Africa, to have a small child place food in my hands.

They wanted me to take their picture.  So I did.  Then they wanted to see the picture, so I got down on my knees and showed them their beautiful smiles and their well balanced bags of beans.  Once again, hysterical laughter ensued, and it was such a sweet sweet sound!