A Photo With a Story

A photo is always better when you know the story behind it. Most of the photos I take of people while traveling, I can only guess their story. The photo below, however, I know the story so it is more meaningful.

These kids all lost their family during the tsunami that hit Aceh in 2004. The little girl on the right ran up a tree to hide from what she called "the terrible black monster". When sitting in the tree, she watched her mother, father and brother get swept away in the waves. Her village was four miles from the ocean....that is how big that tsunami was. She told me she sat in the tree for three days in fear that the terrible black monster would return. Despite all she went through, she told me her story without crying. I asked her how she could do this...she said, "life goes on, mister...I will see my family in heaven"... this from a 10-year old girl. Amazing people, amazing kids...