Photo Friday: Children of Rwanda, Part I

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We’ve covered much of the country by this point, and everywhere we go, the children wave enthusiastically, calling out heartbreaking “hellos!” as you pass, chasing the vehicle as far as their little legs will carry them.

Rwanda children | Camels & ChocolateThese faces are so beautiful, their skin so perfect, their teeth a straight, white line.

Rwanda children | Camels & ChocolateIf I were a modeling scout, I’d come to Rwanda every time I needed to recruit new talent.

Rwanda children | Camels & ChocolateThese little buggers were frolicking in the water in a small fishing village alongside Lake Kivu as we drove past.

Rwanda children | Camels & ChocolateThey obligingly let us stop and play with them for a good while, all the time snapping shots of their smiling faces.

Rwanda children | Camels & ChocolateI’ve taken, literally, thousands of portraits this week—when they’ll let me. It’s hard to choose just a few, so I’ll be rolling out the cuteness over the next few Photo Fridays.

Rwanda children | Camels & ChocolateTell me your heart doesn’t just melt looking at these kids? These shining, perfect, blissfully happy kids.

Rwanda children | Camels & Chocolate(If it doesn’t, well, we shouldn’t be friends then.)

Rwanda children | Camels & ChocolateFor a girl who wants no children of her own, I found it extremely hard not to pack them all in my suitcase and bring them home with me.

Rwanda children | Camels & ChocolateNext time I return, I’m not sure I’ll be so strong.

Rwanda children | Camels & Chocolate

 

COMMENTS
  • March 26, 2010

    OMG. For some reason, looking through these pictures made me cry. They are so incredibly beautiful. Thank you for sharing this with us!

  • March 26, 2010

    From ashes bursts beauty. Every. Single. Time.

  • March 27, 2010

    Wow, that really puts things into perspective doesn’t it?

  • March 27, 2010

    Just gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!! I felt like that when I encountered children in South Africa, well not only SA in China, and Bolivia, and Brasil…hahaha!

    Fantastic photos girl. 🙂

  • March 27, 2010

    Gorgeous pics. I was just going through some of our pictures of children in Cambodia and my heart melted all over again looking at these. Love these.

  • March 27, 2010

    So beautiful.

  • March 27, 2010

    These are fantastic!!! Just looking at these pictures makes me want to play with them.

  • March 27, 2010
    Brittani

    wow… amazing photos… something you would definitely see in National Geographic.Looks like your having a great time over there!
    Can’t wait to see more : )

  • March 27, 2010
    Kathie

    Such beautiful children!

  • March 27, 2010

    Gorgeous, gorgeous. Wombat likes looking at these “babies.”

  • March 27, 2010

    Seriously gorgeous. Love all the smiles and giggles captured!

    Following your recent tweets from Rwanda have made me ache for some amazing travel opportunities. Almost as if with my past travel experience paired with reading your stories secures the fact that I know I want to spend a lot of time & effort on traveling through out my life. It’s just a matter of making it happen.

    Thank you.

  • March 27, 2010

    Not a fan of children in general, but those kids are ridiculously adorable. I like the little guy with the butt crack!

  • March 27, 2010

    Holy cow..great pics! Especially that Lake Kivu shot!

  • March 27, 2010

    Children are the future, especially in Rwanda

  • March 27, 2010

    She can write… AND take photos. Wow! That really is the highest concentration of cute children I’ve ever seen. Well besides an Anne Geddes calendar. Hope your trip is going swimmingly, and I took the liberty of Digg’ing this. 🙂

  • March 27, 2010
    Lou Woods

    Wow that is truly incredible.
    Lou
    http://www.anonymizer.us.tc

  • March 27, 2010
    Maria

    These pictures are absolutely gorgeous. I was going to say that the third one’s my favourite, but then I realized I couldn’t pick a favourite… I can’t take my eyes off the last one! You’ve perfectly captured something so pure, something about their innocence and joy. They’re children being children… Seeing this just reminds me again why I wanna scream every time I come across another article about Suri Cruise’s new shoes.

    I second MonsteRawr’s comment: Also not the biggest fan of children but it’s kids like this that get me every time and make my heart turn into thousand knots and make me think that perhaps I do have some maternal instincts after all.

    PS. Been meaning to say thanks for archiving your travels!

  • March 27, 2010
    Haidang

    these photos are gorgeous and the eyes speak the most for me. so many stories and hardships….the eyes just lock you in and you can’t look away. so precious. so sad. beautiful photos, thanks for sharing with us as always.

  • March 29, 2010

    The children in Africa totally won us over, and I’m not really much of a kid person (at least at this point in my life). Their enthusiasm and exuberance wass contagious. I couldn’t help but smile constantly when around then.

  • March 29, 2010

    A great way to start a Monday – with a smile. Thanks for posting these. I’m looking forward to more!

  • March 29, 2010

    Very cute pics!

    haha – NOW i know why Angie’s constantly adopting from foreign countries!

  • March 29, 2010

    Those are beautiful photos of the children. Such precious smiles!

  • March 29, 2010

    These pictures are beautiful – rather, the subjects of the pictures are beautiful but I love the way you captured them. Thank you so much for sharing them! Your tweets during your trip have been the highlight of my days!

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