Africa #4

Before we ate lunch, Rebeka was talking to Mwene's sister in law (in the blue dress)



and said that she has a son in Dar but she does not know where he is. Maybe 15 minutes later a young man walked into the room. Rebeka screamed and jumped up and started hugging him with a force I have never witnessed. Her son. He visited for a while, then I noticed he was gone. He had gone to get his family. His wife and 3 beautiful little children. Shortly after lunch we left to return to the hostel. Rebeka's son and family met us there and spent the rest of the afternoon.

I went to my room to give them space and fell asleep. When I woke, I took the kids out for a walk. They had been sitting, uncomplaining, for a couple of hours. Actually, before I took them out, I bought everyone bottles of water. They were so delighted to have a-bottle-of-water. It was probably an hour later that we went out. While we were out, the dinner bell rang so we went back to see if the others wanted to eat. They declined so I took the kids. They were serving the same foods we had had for lunch. Rice, spinach, the tomatoe based sauce, chicken, fish and papaya. These children ate plates stacked with food. I was so amazed by what these children ate. They all three cleaned thir plates without one complaint of not liking "that."

Only after they left to go home, did I learn that they only eat breakfast in the morning. Before they go to bed, their mommy and daddy give them a cup of tea so their tummys are warm and feel full.