Kids....

Africa is no different than other place in some respects. I find that for whatever reason there are just some people you are drawn to more than others. I don’t know why but some kids I meet I immediately connect to. Maybe it’s the ones who are just the right amount of shy but warm up when you talk to them? Maybe it is the ones who flash me the biggest smile? Maybe it’s the ones who are in the greatest need? Or maybe it’s the ones who shout “Dr. Kent!” as I drive by? Whatever the reason is…I have my favourites. Here are some of my favourite kids and a little about each of them.

Hosea

Hosea is my favourite and actually happens to belong to my favourite widow as well. I tried not to pick favourites as I think it can lead to problems when working with the women but.....it happened. Hosea was the first child to learn my name and his mother tells me whenever a truck drives through their village he looks to see if it is me. He knows very little English but clings to my leg and holds on to me when we walk which is communication in itself I guess. He has this great smile and last week I let him sit on my lap and drive the truck like my grandfather used to do. I think he was flying pretty high.

Ian

Ian screamed in hysteria the first time he saw me. Then his grandmother forced him to sit on my lap. I think he was in shock as he stopped and just stared. Slowly he became more comfortable with me and started to play with my arm hair (a common happening amongst the young and the old). Now when I drive by he give me the most energetic wave ensuring that I see him and say hi.

Anina

Okay so I don’t actually know these girls names but they follow me around whenever I am in their village chanting and clapping “Anina”. I am going to try and upload their video at some point as it is absolutely hilarious. I have no idea what “Anina” means but it makes me smile. The one with the shaved head is the ring leader and is very stubborn (see the below post for what that really means).

Elson

He is the one in the pink (school uniform). The first time I met him he seriously just sat and listened to me talk for hours with one of my friends. Never saying anything but just smiling everytime I turned to him. Usually when they sit and stare it means that they can’t speak English but just enjoy watching a Muzungo do what we do. Turns out he has great English and is really funny...he claimed he was 15 but when we got to talking he was actually born in 1995 (news to me and him....birthdays and age here are not really important). He has been teaching me some local language which gives some good laughs.

Cam

This is Cam with Hosea. Cam was probably the first kid to really warm up to me. I met him the very first week I was here and he and his brother immediately showed me around the village and helped me find the people I needed to find. I often get him and his brother (Antony) mixed up as they look so much alike.

Random kids.....

I don't really know any of these kids that well but they presented some good photo ops and kids NEVER have a problem being "snapped" as they call it.