Special Kids

Yesterday I attended a Christmas Party and Graduation ceremony for the Kamadine Day Care Centre, which looks after a group of young HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children from the Kazungula area. Eleven of the little students were being sent off in style to Big School - they will be starting Standard 1 at Kazungula Primary School in 2009. Here are two of them, with big smiles all over their glitter-adorned faces!It is always a joy to be with them. As I arrived, a bit early by Kasane standards, the kids were playing outside and they just rushed along from the playground for big hugs (at knee level!), or just to hold my hand, or gently touch my arm... I took hundreds of photos, and had some interesting moments sitting on the floor at child level, trying to get a few decent pics of my diminutive moving targets!

These little ones just always touch my heart,  but it was really a joyful, happy occasion with the kids and teachers dancing together, and a pillow-fattened, festive Father Christmas handing out gifts...Just being with these children always  reminds me to count my myriad blessings...