The walk from my house to the main road (Entebbe Road) is plastered with children, of course. Just up from the first dusty corner, four particular children tend to greet me in a way that suggests more than simply doing so out of fun in calling out “muzungu.” Samat, Cynthia, Bobo, and Grace are always ready to welcome me for the morning by kneeling and shaking my hand. Well, grace is a bit little yet. The two older children speak very clear English and mimick anything and everything I say.
This day Samat was given her beautiful new dress, which fit perfectly. The mothers gathered with big smiles on their faces in hopes of receiving a gift for their child. And when the gifts were given, more children swarmed. It’s not hard to find children to give gifts but it is very difficult to have enough gifts for every child…of course, that is American thinking…children here seem to realize that not every child will always receive. Samat, though, was very pleased and each following afternoon on my way home she could be found waiting to greet me.