A Snapshot from South Africa: Goodbyes and African Medicine

No words were needed. He communicated simply with his hands, eyes and facial expressions.

“Goodbye,” the words didn’t even need to leave his lips for us to know that it was time to leave his shop, his Mum’s watchful eye on him, her voice translating our groups words into a language he’d better understand from the stall across the hall.
Just seconds earlier he had been touching thumbs with us across the table laden with herbs and plastic containers full of coloured powders, traditional African medicine, still used by many as a standalone or alongside the medicines from the big, modern hospital just behind the marketplace; We later learned that this gesture was the South African way to give a high-five.

Though he was just part of my life for a few minutes he was the highlight of my day and his face continues to make me smile.