Modelling Balloons and other trifles

I have just been buying modelling balloons on the internet for our trip. I am not exactly an accomplished balloon artist, but I can produce an elephant, a hat, a sword and a dog. Thankfully most small children are excited by balloons and not particularly discerning.

My most memorable balloon modelling experience was in Kosovo. We were there with a bunch of other Christians on a mission for two weeks. One evening, the local teenagers, to whom we'd been teaching English, were 'entertaining' us with Kosovan dancing. The missionary we were working with had been waxing lyrical about this evening of authentic local dancing since the moment we arrived. Despite the good press, it was truly dreadful. Appallingly turkish music and interminable shuffling sideways in a long line, following someone holding a white handkerchief. I'm not good with boredom or loud noise, so after about 20 minutes I felt that death would be a welcome distraction.

Then I spied a small number of younger children were hanging around the mission house, obviously feeling very left out. Not only did I really feel sorry for these kids, who (for reasons best known to themselves) were very disappointed to be missing out on the dancing, but I also spied an opportunity to legitimately escape the local entertainment. But what do you do to engage with children whose language you don't speak? Bad balloon modelling of course!! So me and the kids sat on the porch and I made balloon models.

And then the most bizarre thing happened. News spread! Suddenly, more and more children began to appear, requesting mishapen orange and green balloon dogs. We were suddenly the hottest gig in town. Grandparents were bringing their grandchildren to get balloon models. I had a string of people blowing ballooons up, so I could produce models faster in order to meet the demand. At one point, a family drew up in a car, sent their child out to get a balloon model and then drove off again. It was the most surreal evening of the whole trip.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I'm taking modelling balloons to Africa. You never know when you might need to have a conversation without words with a small person.