Smiles from Africa!

"Smiles are the language of love."
~David Hare

This summer I encountered many new experiences- from local customs to foreign food. (Goat meat by the way really is not that bad!) I was on a new continent without my family and friends and little comforts of the modern world. My time in a third world nation was life altering. I learned how to adapt to a lifestyle that included showering with cold water from a bucket, lacking social media and wearing traditional long skirts. I had the chance to emerge myself in a new culture by bonding with individuals who came from a different walk of life.

While I did stick out like a sore thumb (there were not many American blondes in Mozambique!) I found I still had much in common with the orphans; we all loved to smile. These orphans became my heros and quickly stole my heart within my first days in Africa. Many had heart breaking stories; they came from broken homes with as many as 7 to 9 siblings and were abandoned by parents. Yet, these people were very happy. This is a collection of the smiles I found in Mozambique. When anyone questions the safety of my experience I just show a few of these snapshots. :)

The last photo I took in Mozambique. Saying goodbye to the orphans was very difficult!

A market vender proudly displays his produce. 

This boy struck a pose as he tried to persuade me to purchase his food. He was full of spunk! 

A shy smile from a local village child. 

Junior (orange shirt) and his friend liked to borrow my American sunglasses. 

An adorable young girl!

Anna and her sister at the recreation field.  

How can you not love this smile? 

Baby Ontasia had the sweetest, biggest eyes. 

An orphan smiles after receiving a treat from Sunday school.

Fatima and her daughter Monica, who is a two year old with AIDS. 

A young girl waits for her family during food distribution day. 

What grins! 

This girl is proud of her ability to balance her items!

Siblings watching an ongoing soccer game. 

A very sweet little girl. 

That's the smile of someone getting into mischief. 

One of my favorite photos of the trip.

I asked this women if I could take her picture and she shed tears upon seeing it. This was the first photograph she had seen of herself. 

Fernando enjoys a snack at preschool.