Justine

Part of Day 5

The most beautiful part of the day was actually after the teaching, and after we had lunch on the large field.  (Lunch was also very interesting… we ate before everyone else, on chairs, while everyone looked at us.  Again, I felt as if they were treating me as superior to them.  I am getting used to the fact that I will probably always feel that way whenever I encounter anyone in Uganda… unfortunately.)  So, after lunch we were sitting on the grass, chatting and waiting for the next part of the day, the report reading and presentations by the church groups.  We did not have anything to do but wait, so I grabbed my camera and went out to explore the area.  I took pictures of some cows (the cows here have large horns on top of their heads, very interesting, not like any I have ever seen before), some children playing, and some women dressed in beautiful traditional attire.  And then, like always, I was drawn in by the flowers.  Behind the church I found some beautiful ones, with little bees on them, and began snapping away.  All of a sudden I sense someone to my right, I look up and there was a girl standing there, looking at me with a shy and curious smile.  I smiled back and said “Oliotya!”  She responded with the familiar giggle that I have now become accustomed to whenever we say anything in Lugandan.  I looked past her a little and noticed there were other children, too.  Hiding behind the church wall there were four more, timidly observing their brave friend as she approach this muzungu taking silly pictures of flowers and bees.  The girl was dressed with a blue skirt, and simple green and white T-shirt; and she just looked at me.  Prior to going out on my photographic adventure I had asked Father Kizito how to say “may I take a picture of you?” just in case I found someone along the way that caught my attention.  So, overjoyed with enthusiasm and using my newly learned (and very poor) Lugandan I said to her “nkukube ekifananye?”  Her smile told me “yee” (yes).

Justine

Justine

       And thus, I began to photograph Justine, pausing between each one to show her the result and hear her contagious laugh in response.   Soon, another girl came towards us from behind the church wall… and then another… and another.  After speaking to Justine, and she reassuring her friends about me, they approached me, stood still and smiled at me (which I have learned is their way of saying, “take a picture!”)  I took pictures of every single one of them, alone, together, silly ones, ones they didn’t notice I was taking, even some of their hands.  I did not tell them to do so, but all of a sudden, the flowers I was previously photographing became props to our photographs). 

They chose the flowers as props.

Justine behind the church with the flowers they had been planting.

        After some time, their enthusiasm was wonderful to see and they felt more comfortable with me and me with them.  Without thinking twice about it, I said to Justine “you want to try?”  She looked at me and nodded eagerly with a smile that stretched ear to ear.  Very carefully she held my camera and I taught her how to look through it, zoom and take a picture.  I gathered with the other children and Justine took a picture of us.  Then, one by one, with Justine translating how to work the camera, they all took pictures of one another, of me with them, of the flowers, and some accidental ones of the floor and the brick wall of the church.  

         

         Unfortunately, when I realized that the field was no longer noisy like when I left it and looked around the church to find it empty, I had to tell them that it was time for me to go.  Relentlessly and sad I left them planting pretty little flowers for bees to visit at the back of the church, with the promise that when I returned to the US I would mail the pictures of Justine and her friends to the parish.

Taken by one of the children

Don´t forget to Like my Facebook page to see all of the pictures!  There are lots more of Justine and her friends!
No se olviden de ir a mi página de Facebook, ahí están todas las fotos! Hay muchas más de Justine y sus amigos!

https://www.facebook.com/magdafitipaldi