Jeritha

Another portrait from Africa. I can't really go back and re-shoot any, so I know that photographically, they leave something to be desired. But I love the beautiful smiles these women live out in their lives and show in these photos.

I have 2312 photos from two weeks spent there. I actually could easily have taken more, but I was actually working as a volunteer, so I didn't have a lot of time to use my camera. :-) Anyway, I thought I'd start with some photos of the women I worked with. The organization is called Amani ya Juu, which in Swahili means, "Higher Peace". It is a reconciliation project, teaching marginalized women to sew so that they can have a trade and thus support themselves and their families.

Jeritha is one of the most positive, upbeat people I have ever met. She ought to do conference speaking here in the United States - she'd be in great demand!! She desperately wanted to be photographed with a somber expression (I believe because of the chipped tooth), but we arrived at this compromise. I just couldn't bring home a photo of Jeritha without her gorgeous smile!

I wish that I hadn't used such a wide aperture, so her hair isn't in focus. And I hope that the crop is close enough that the shadow from the flash isn't a distractor. Any other thoughts?

I will look forward to hearing from you..... :-)

Any comments or ratings are appreciated! :-)

You captured her beautiful smile. I recall that you said the ladies always had a smile on their face. She has beautiful eyes....

A very heart warming smile. Nicely captured.

 

I just read your new bio...... so are you in Colorado yet? And will you be teaching or going off into a new adventure? :)

Hey, Jayme! Thanks for the comments - I always love your perspective on things! :-) No, I'm not in Colorado yet ... but will be early next week. And, no, I won't be teaching again (at least not in the foreseeable future) ... so I'm going to see what kinds of jobs private/government companies will hire me to do. LOL! Life's an adventure, right? I'm currently spending four weeks driving from DC to Colorado Springs via Buffalo, NY and Houston, TX (to name only a couple of the stops). Take care!

Life is such an adventure :) It sounds like you have things under control & have put things into perspective. Teaching is definitely not an easy job :) I taught a high school Health Sciences class x 1 year, definitely more than I wanted to do again :) I love kids, but teenagers can wear you down. My sister is a 6th grade teacher, I hear all the stories :( Between the kids, the parents & the administration, on top of the governmental minimum requirements, I am amazed she can teach at all.

 

I have just one story, then I'll shut up. When I taught, I was a full-time temporary (long story), anyway, this one little 16 year old girl was a pain. One day I just couldn't take it any longer & I pulled her aside & commenced to telling her in no uncertain terms she was a "Pain in the butt". She looked at me & told me she was going to tell her Mom what I had said. Totally frustrated, I said, "Fine, see if I care!" To make a long story short, I got a phone call from this mother, I thought oh my God, here it comes. But, I was pleasantly surprised. The mother just wanted me to know that she agreed, her daughter was not only a pain in the butt, but actually a real "pain in the ass". We both laughed! :) She told me she just had to call me because she was so tickled that someone besides herself noticed what a pain she was. I never had anymore problems with the child. She behaved perfectly in my class! :) That's been almost 18 years ago, the young lady still calls me about once a year & we laugh. She says I was her favorite teacher, imagine that!

That's such a great story, Jayme! :-) And, by the way, it's the federal gov't that has me leaving the classroom ... I still love kids, and will make sure that I work with them in my new church or some other setting when I get to Colorado.