By William Nazareth
To stand foot on the motherland, surrounded by the beauty of Africa was a blessing all on it's own. But then I walked into the grounds to see a range of bright eyes staring up and ready for a new experience. Being behind the camera gives you a different perspective. Through the lens I was able to see how grateful the kids were to have us there.
In the beginning, the kids were rather shy to express themselves, but after a few drama games, they seemed to laugh and have fun. At one point, Jeff started singing to the kids, the atmosphere changed. He first sang a simple greeting song in English, and he asked them to teach him a Swahili song. One child sang a popular Swahili song called "Jambo Bwana". The kids all knew it, and started clapping and dancing in full voices. Then, some volunteers taught Jeff the dance that accompanies the song.This song and dance became the magical moment of the first day.
If the kids were a bit shy in terms of speaking, they were not camera shy at all. They seemed fascinated with the equipment that I have, and they were constantly waving at the camera. Many ask to take pictures; "Will, take us a photo" was a common saying of the day. Once the camera is on them, the posing begins. It certainly makes for some interesting footage!
I look forward to a week with more songs and more footage!
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