At any given moment, Common River has a group of nice kids entertaining themselves with chores, games or just hanging out. The boys that live there help out the staff, but are also full of laughs and jokes. Their community is built on care and trust, so the love just overflows from everybody. It was a joy for all of us to make new friends there, but particularly terrific to see Amare and Zenebe get comfortable enough to form their own relationships and feel a part of a Sidama neighborhood.
One of our last evenings there I brought out the crayons and coloring books to relax with some of the girls that help in the kitchen, and before we knew it all the teenage boys were coloring in trucks, spaceships and penguins! I wish I could have captured the looks on the kids' faces as Tsegaye explained the differences between space shuttles and satellites, just as the stars started to appear in the sky. You could see all of outer space opening up as a place of adventure and imagined worlds right before their eyes!
 |
Amare and Zenebe had been asking for sugarcane for weeks --
finally, a friend bought a whole cane and
chopped it up to share among the gang of sweet Common River boys. |
 |
Amare tagging along with the big boys,
supposedly to help wash some laundry,
but really just to join in harassing the poor donkey. |
Amare and Zenebe became fast friends with the nice boys below; notice the Bloomington basketball jerseys sported by Abukah (green) and Tesfay (gray). Smiley Abukah is the son of the head cook at Common River, so he was often hanging out as his mom made us lunch or dinner. He was always up for a game of cards or soccer or basketball or throwing clumps of grass at the horse.
Tesfay came one day to show the director, Tsegaye, his dance routine for.... "Billie Jean"! Amare nearly jumped out of his skin in excitement to discover an equally devoted Michael Jackson fan. An instant friendship was born and the moonwalking dance-offs began immediately. They called each other "MJ" and made Zenebe their official iPod DJ.
 |
| One of the many throngs of children we accumulated on our ventures beyond the school grounds. |
Common River's beautiful school grounds and lodging, all made using traditional woven bamboo construction
 |
| First grade classroom |
 |
| Our house! |
 |
| Friends saying farewell! We hope to see them again someday... |
One of our last evenings there I brought out the crayons and coloring books to relax with some of the girls that help in the kitchen, and before we knew it all the teenage boys were coloring in trucks, spaceships and penguins! I wish I could have captured the looks on the kids' faces as Tsegaye explained the differences between space shuttles and satellites, just as the stars started to appear in the sky. You could see all of outer space opening up as a place of adventure and imagined worlds right before their eyes! 
Common River's beautiful school grounds and lodging, all made using traditional woven bamboo construction
No comments:
Post a Comment