In spite of the fact, that Europe belongs to the richest regions of the world (despite of current debt crisis), the institute of a family is in troubles. The Czech Republic, unfortunately, belongs to the top countries regarding divorce rate (together with Lithuania and Belgium). When we move eastward, the situation is even worse, for example in the Ukraine. Still, people generally value family very much and a family with strong cohesion, where members love to be together even after many years, they have still to share things and experience both ordinary and extraordinatry adventures, is an attractive place to live. It is something, what is impossible to buy for money.

Subsaharan Africa is much poorer than Europe, and family relations are destroyed with different factors: one of those is HIV/AIDS epidemics.

We set out to the village of Lushumbe very early morning. We were going to visit a teenager with very exotic name: Ntandoyenkosi. The village is situated in highlands with many rocks dispersed in the landscape. The rocks make a beautiful scenery together with reddish soil and clusters of green grass. After an hour of driving, Frantisek had to stop a car, jump out and take a picture of a sculpture of rocks. They somehow cohere together, still look fragile and balancing one on the top of other. Does this sculpture have a name? Or is it just a no-name bunch of rocks, which we can see thousands more all around?

Ntandoyenkosi is a shy guy.

„Hi, how are you?“

„Fine“, responded.

Then he sat on the branch of a tree on the ground and answered our questions. He played with bare-footed legs in the dust and lowered down his eyes. „I like maths, English and geography,“ answered a question about his favourite subjects at school.  „But most of all, I love football!“

„Oh, really?“

He smile dat us, when we asked him more about it.

This boy lives with his granny in a clay hut. His parents are gone… On one hand, a boy is lucky, that at least granparents are still alive. On the other hand, he misses Dad and Mum, especially now, when he is in puberty. What life models does he have? What shapes him? What does he experience? How old was he, when his partents had died?

So many questions we wanted to ask, but could not. He walks to school everyday: 6 miles one way, 6 miles return. Then to build a fire, fetch water, go to bed. „I like school, and I am happy to attend classes, although it is so far away.“

We went to his clay hut with straw on the roof. Trampled ground. „This is a kitchen,“ pointed to the fireplace in the middle Ntandoyenkozi. Frantisek looked around. He saw two metal jars for water, a closet, a shelf for plates, clothes hung on a coat hanger. Day light penentrated the dark through two little windows. Boy’s eyes talked without words: he was expecting what would be next.

„Well, i tis very nice here.“

His eyes shined. He sat on the ground and we talked a bit.

We said good bye and hugged him, What is he gonna do, when we leave?  As our car was leaving his village, our mind was still with him. Suddenly, we were again poassing by a rocky sculpture.

An agent in the tourist office gave us some prospects about surrounding area. Frantisek suddenly noticed a picture of the brownish sculpture we had met today. It does have a name: there is a title underneath: A Mother and her child. And suddenly he got the point! What a perfect name for this group of rocks! What a meaning for the area we have just visited! How many local children would love to still have Mummy to refuge in her protective and secure arms? How many local kids long for safe family background, to enjoy outdoor adventures with their Daddy and hug Mummy, when they feel pain or non-success?

Perhaps niether little Ntandoyenkozi does not know, how these rocks are called. Or may be he does and he looked at them every day and think about his parents, who nobody can bring him back again.

Many greetings from Bulawayo (František and Roman) and from Plzen (Jirka)