Kenyan Kids...

(Click Photos to Enlarge)

For me, the most profound experiences I had in Kenya were the times I was able to interact with, care for, observe or photograph their precious children. As a result, the images that had the greatest effect on me were those of the Kenyan children. Here are some of my favorites...
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This first photo is of young Nkurumasa, a malnourished Maasai boy. We replaced his aortic valve which was damaged from Rheumatic Heart Disease. The photo was taken just after he was anesthesized for the procedure. Although he was not crying prior to being intubated and put to sleep, the most stiking aspect of this photo for me are his tears.
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Motigo hilltop is just outside the Tenwek hospital compound and is the highest point in the surrounding area. On our last morning at the hospital just before leaving Dr. Russ took most of the Vanderbilt cardiac team to Motigo so we could take in the grandeur of the Kenyan hillside. As we drove to the top of the hill, the children began pouring out of the houses to follow us up the hill. This photo is of one such child as he ran along side the truck we were riding in so he could meet us at the top of the hill. You can see the Kenyan countryside blurred in the background as he races to keep up with our truck. Click on the photo to look at the determination on his face and the condition of his clothing. How can your hearts not go out to these children?
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On our first free afternoon from the hospital Robb, Staci and I took off to explore the area around the hospital. On our way we ran across a group of school boys that ended up being one of the highlights of my trip to Tenwek. I'll leave the whole story to a future post, but this super-cool little fellow caught my eye and immediately won our hearts as I photographed the 40+ schoolboys on the hill. Stay tuned for the whole story (and more photos) in a future post...
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Of the literally thousands of photos I took during my 19 days in Africa, I believe this is the most profound. One afternoon during the safari in the Maasai Mara we were allowed to visit a Massaai tribal village. Up until that point we were advised not to photograph the Maasai people because of their belief that taking a photograph of them steals a piece of their soul. Once inside the Maasai village we were allowed to photograph anyone and/or anything we wanted to. This little boy was amongst the children playing inside the village. His silence and piercing eyes were screaming out to me.
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... are you beginning to understand the "Tenwek Phenomenon"?