The Story Behind the Picture

The story behind the picture

   Often times we see a picture, that little glimpse into a moment of time, and find it interesting or captivating. However, to the person behind the lens, or the person in the picture,they know there is more  the photo than meets the eye.

 Take this picture for example.

   You see an American girl and a young African boy posing for a picture; it seems like a typical, straightforward picture. But there is a story that goes with this picture. I am not certain I can adequately the story behind the picture, but I will give it a shot.

   It was July 4^th, 2014, when the picture was taken, but the story goes back a bit farther. You see the boy’s name is Yusif. He is a 9-year-old boy, full of energy and without the capacity to sit still very long, like not at all! Yusif was one of the children who came each week to Sunday School. If a piece of flannel graph fell to the ground, or was not laying smoothly on the board, Yusif was quick to help pick up or smooth out the pictures. At first, he caused me frustration; he was constantly in disagreements with one boy or another or with his sister, moving from seat to seat or some other means of exerting energy.

   I cannot pin point when, but at some point everything changed. Maybe it was because he started meeting me as I walked through town. Perhaps, it was the grasping of my hand as we walked. It could have been when I saw his behavior to others, how sweet and gentle he was with his little brother. I honestly do not know when I lost my heart to that little boy, but I soon realized I had.   

   After our walks through town, Yusif and I would come to the boundary where he was not allowed to follow me home, but he would always ask if he could come. All the kids wanted to be able to come up the hill, but the compound where I lived has two dogs. Goodness and Mercy, are two great dogs, but not overly friendly to strangers.a Yusif knew he was not allowed to come up the hill, but he would still ask.

   One day I found Yusif playing at his Auntie’s house. I was soon roped into playing Tic Tac Toe! After a time I extracted myself and as usual, Yusif grabbed my hand to walk me home. Everything was as normal down to Yusif asking, “Today I da go up wit you, yah?” Only this time he was surprised to hear me say, “Yes.”

   WE began walking up the hill, his hand in mine. I ask him if he is afraid of the dogs and the brave little boy said no, with great confidence. Well, not five steps later, one of the dogs has heard us and is coming to investigate. As Mercy starts toward us, I feel Yusif’s hand grip mine much tighter and while I know, he is afraid, it hits me that he trusts me. He knows that I will protect him, I will not let the dog come to close, and he trusts me! I am not this boy’s mother, I am no family to this boy, my skin is different from his, yet he knows that I will not let anything happen to him.

   The whole purpose of Yusif coming up was so I could have a picture taken with him. As Laura takes the first couple pictures, he was rather stiff and uncomfortable. Yet when I wrapped my arm around him and teased him, his precious toothy smile popped out and with a snap of the camera one y favorite pictures was captured.

   
That young boy who will turn 12 years old on August 12^th, 2016. I met many children, probably, no definitely more children than adults, during the time I was in Sierra Leone, but none made quite the impression on my heart as Yusif did.