A poignant moment (written March 19)

This evening I was sitting on a mat outside outside our house reading a magazine like I often do, when our host sister Aja came and sat down next to me to look at the magazine pictures. This is a common activity for us here...magazine pictures are a great way to start conversations and teach people about the world beyond beyond The Gambia. This particular time, Aja happened to notice a picture of people protesting plans to build Park 51 at Ground Zero in NYC. As Aja starting asking me questions about what all the people were doing and what their picket signs said, I have to admit I felt myself flush with shame. How could I tell this 11 year-old Muslim girl who doesn't know what a terrorist is, much less 9/11, that these nice rich Americans were angry because American Muslims wanted to build a mosque, a peaceful and holy symbol that is at the very core of the only life she has ever known?

In the end, I told her that people had gathered in NYC and were protesting because they were unhappy, but I could not bring myself to tell her about what. Sympathetic to my sometimes less-than-stellar Mandinka, she assumed my hesitation was due to my language skills, and stated as much. I didn't correct her. Not a proud moment.