The first time I visited orphanages in Uganda, I had a really hard time telling the boys from the girls. That's because all the kids have shaved heads! A shaved head is easier and less costly to maintain than a full head of hair. And anyone who has had kids and knows about cleanliness and head lice can imagine that simply getting rid of hair would be the easiest option.
A young man with an electric razor shows up at St. Mary Kevin's every month or so. The kids line up and patiently wait their turn. One by one they don a checkered smock and then sit very still as the shaver plows stripes onto their small heads. A few short minutes later, with a smooth top, they hop up and hand the smock to the next kid in line.
The lack of hair really accentuates the beautiful features of these kids. And lucky for me the girls usually wear dresses and the boys shorts!
No comments:
Post a Comment