An Outing

A special morning was spent with Asebe, one of the many children who finds their way to my house weekly.  I took her to the hospital to have a check up.  It was a very exciting outing!

"Look, auntie, they are selling cars here!" (I explained that all those nice cars belong to people who were visiting the hospital, and it was called a parking lot.)

"This place is BEAUTIFUL, auntie!" (as she looked at the long drive leading to the hospital that was lined with grass about 10 feet wide on either side. Probably the first time she's seen that much grass.)  "Please auntie, let me lie down here, and you can snap (Take a picture of) me."

 "Auntie!  That water is beautiful (at the fountain with a small pool surrounding it in front of the hospital).  "We will come swimming here someday, right?"

After the hospital we went to town.  It was her first time.  We bought her tennis shoes for school ($7) and socks to go. ($.50)  Then we went to have lunch at a place where mostly expatriates go.  I wanted her to try a new food, the shawarma.  The food cost more than her shoes, which are a prized possession here.
We we walked along hand in hand down the dusty streets, sometimes she would look up at me with a smile widely and then swing her hand without saying any words.  "I love you too, Asebe" I would think to myself, and smile back.