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).
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| Justine |
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| 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).
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| They chose the flowers as props. |
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| 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.
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| 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!
No se olviden de ir a mi página de Facebook, ahí están todas las fotos! Hay muchas más de Justine y sus amigos!
