The shores of the Nile support many villages, all brimming with children. Children are both the most enjoyable and the biggest obstacle of our ride as they offer support and encouragement, but also throw rocks, shout obscenities, and jab sticks into our spokes. Their curiosity intriguing, it is always a treat to find one afraid of foreigners.
In one particular settlement, I noticed a 5-year-old girl; having caught sight of me, she vanished behind her mother’s legs. Backlit by the sun, the eyes of the child shone white against her dark skin, intensifying her scared, curious stare. Her hair flames from her head in random sprouts and she wears dirtied clothes.
As her father brought her close, maybe to see that I meant no harm, her features balanced. Crusty snot shone beneath her nose and above her lip and she innocently nibbled on one of her fingers. The way she was hoisted, her serenity, and her casual scrutiny of me, it looked as though I was watching a commercial: For just one dollar a day, you too, can give a child like this, a bright future. Though her village was small and poor, I feel that this child and her family are content.
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