As always I brought some dollies to Bubembe Island and as always children stand out as perfect recipients. This time, though, I didn’t make anyone cry. One little tot of maybe two years old was quite bold. She approached and retreated several times. Then she kept motioning and saying “jangu” (meaning, come or follow). She was telling all the other children to come and touch me just as she had.
After quite some time, and many failed attempts, she gave up on those children but she still stuck close by me. She wasn’t the cuddly type but more the bossy sort. Still, I couldn’t resist.
As I was delivering the children’s clothing to Vickie for distribution, an older girl spotted the dolly with a purple dress. She kept pointing and asking for that doll and I kept avoiding her. These dolls were meant for the young girls, right? I soon remembered how much I loved dolls until I was much older than her and finally relented. She was quite polite about her requests, she wasn’t grabby, she was simply sweet. The first time a dolly goes to an older girl is on Bubembe Island.