HARRISON - by Andrew Longstreth
November 28, 2008
I knew about Harrison's reputation as a gifted but stubbornly independent student before we met. Rosemarie told me he had the respect of his classmates—adorably, they called him a "genius"—but that he routinely disobeyed his teachers. I was intrigued. Making things even more interesting: Harrison was a leading candidate for enrollment at Wukani, a well-regarded school in Mzuzu. There were two spots open to the We Are One boys who went to school in the village of Kande Beach. If the criteria were just academic performance, Harrison would be a lock for Wukani. He was tops in his class. But Harrison's behavior was a concern. A decision regarding Harrison's fate, I was told, was imminent.
 Harrison at Pastor Peter's house |
 Andrew & Harrison at Rosemary's home in Mzuzu |
At the same time, I could also tell that Harrison didn't have the sunny disposition that some of the other boys had or natural leadership instincts. Harrison is blessed with ability but it seemed to me he is a boy still trying to find his identity. He's not a follower—which is good, especially in a country where there are too many. But it strikes me that he needs to find an outlet for his independence. Right now, he expresses it by not doing what he's told in school.
Which brings me to the moment when Harrison was told that he was not among the two boys chosen to go to Wukani. He cried, naturally. He had been the front-runner for Wukani—all his friends thought he'd be chosen. But he was told that he needed to improve his attitude. Like anyone who experiences rejection for the first time, he thought the world was coming to an end. I felt awful, too. I had known him for less than 48 hours, but my heart sunk with disappointment. I thought that Wukani might be just the environment he needed to grow and mature.
But after a good night's sleep, Harrison was in high spirits again. Despite not being chosen for Wukani, he kept a positive attitude throughout Camp Malawi, participating in all the activities and helping me out. I hope that not being chosen was a good lesson for Harrison. It certainly gave him the opportunity to take instruction and learn that nothing worthwhile comes easy. I'm so happy that he has the people of We Are One in his corner.
Andrew lent his camera to Harrison, resulting in some great portraits of his brothers:
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