Taylor (our nephew and son of Jim’s youngest brother Steve and his wife Rosemary Bates) made a remarkable observation today: babies don’t cry in Africa. Honestly he’s on to something. Granted we do hear a few rare infant shouts, but in general African babies are not spoiled, over-attended or led to believe that tears make things happen.

(Taylor Bates-Rogers, born 1987, joined us in Johannesburg. He’ll travel with us to Dar es Salaam, where he’ll depart for Tennessee for his eighth grade school year.)