Picture day

When clients are enrolled in our studies, we take pictures of both the man and the woman so that we can confirm that the correct person has come for each visit. However, after the couple has been enrolled, we ask them to return with their children so that we can also take pictures of them. These pictures are used to confirm each child's identity if they come to our clinic for treatment or for referral to another clinic and to enroll each child in the national health insurance program called "mutuelle".

The place where the pictures are taken is right in front of my desk, in front of a small section of blank wall. I always love to watch when the children come for picture day. This morning a family of seven came to have their pictures taken. One by one, in order from oldest to youngest, the children took turns standing in front of the wall. Each looked solemnly at the camera without smiling, waiting for the flash of the picture to be taken before allowing their next sibling to take their place.

Something about that solemn pose in front of the camera adds to the maturity of these children who already seem years older than they actually are. Yet somehow, it also adds a child-like quality of confusion and a lack of understanding of this shiny, silver object flashing light in front of their tiny faces. It's so different from children in the U.S., and it's difficult to describe, the combination of such maturity and child-like wonder in the same face, but I think it's the quality that amazes me so much, that whatever these children have experienced or seen or learned, every now and again, you can still catch a glimpse of mischief and wonder and youth in their eyes.