Kids and concerts

Anyone who has met Lutaaya when she is in her safe environments, will know she loves music and dance.  She simply loves it.  This week opened up the door of opportunity for Lutaaya to experience two very different aspects of music.  Firstly off we trotted to the Wales Millennium Centre to see her first Musical, We Will Rock You.

Outside the Millennium Centre

It was very loud and very bright.  Lutaaya moved with the music throughout the show and smiled/laughed at the funny parts, making me know she understood the story line.  What she couldn't process were her thoughts on whether or not she liked it??  It's difficult, when you travel with a bus full of people, for them not to understand that it takes Lutaaya a little longer than most of us to process her thoughts and construct an opinion.  She needs time to mull things over and then make a decision on her thoughts on something.  So being bombarded with questions of, 'do you like it?' or 'are you enjoying it?' or 'is it good?', are still too difficult to answer on the spot for my little girl.  Each question always answered the same way, with an, 'I don't know!'  It's not that she doesn't understand what you've asked or that she's being rude, it's her genuinely not knowing what her answer will be.  And she won't talk about anything until a good few hours later or even the next day.
Living with Lutaaya, you get to see the response of when she's made that decision.  If something is too difficult to deal with or she doesn't understand she can either start asking questions or simply become withdrawn and not speak.  Two very different extremes to her behaviour.  One thing is for sure though.  If she likes something, you certainly know about.  She will chat about it for hours and for days after.
So, as I put her to bed, she answered the many questions asked her today, singing a line of one of the Queen songs.  If it's sunk in enough to be repeated, it goes on the 'like' list!

Later this week we had the honour and privilege of seeing the Watoto Children's Choir perform locally.  Amazing, awe-inspiring, tear jerking night.  Lutaaya loved the traditional songs and dancing and it certainly made her Lugandan come back a little.  What was difficult for Lutaaya to deal with was hearing all the children's stories.  Each child with their own unique story of desperate times and destitution.  All the stories of these children thankfully end in hope due to the Watoto charity.  If you're interested in finding out more about Watoto, don't take my word for it, see their website here.  They do amazing work.  Sadly, in the back of my mind, as in the minds of everyone else who has been to Africa, are the many children who still live these destitute lives without anyone advocating for them or helping them out of the absolute poverty they find themselves in.