August 18, 2005 AM written journal.
Dahab, Egypt

It is my last day in Dahab and I have made some wonderful friends here...the children, the bedouin children.

The young girls roam the boardwalk, restaurants, and hotels trying to sell their homemade jewelry to all the tourist women.

Many of them wear torn clothing, they bestow matted down hair that is tangled, dirty and uncared for. Their teeth dark brown and rotted are barely visible through their cracked lips and dark complexion.

Most of the girls roam in packs of friends, some shier than the others, some looking sad while others faces light up with joy at the littelest of things. Each group darting at the sight of a new woman....that mostly ignore them and say "la" - "no" without a glance up from their book or meal. On the other hand, the foreign men soften as the girls approach, many teasing or playing with them. One in particular, tickles a girl making her go into uncontrollable laughter.

As the mothers of the children stay at home, these girls do their best to sell their goods...for food. I have come to enjoy their company over a shared meal or drink with them.

I have bought bunches of fruit to be distributed as the word gets distributed about the lady with fruit..each one approaches with a smile. Today, that meant two trips to the local fruit stand within a half an hour and 6 bags of fruit later.

Prior to distributing the fruit, my requirement is that each girl allows me to wipe their face, hands, neck and arms with a reliable wetone. As they line up and a fresh towel emerges from the package, I smile at their willing acceptance of the task.

Each finger is wiped one at a time, each arm carefully turned around, each cheek and mouth wiped over and over as a giggle emerges and I smile as other wetone is properly used before a banana, bunch of grapes, orange slices are distributed.

As I leave with my Bedouin jewerly either bought or given in thanks....I wish all these children a happy and helalthy childhood.

Life is good!