is it the beard?

I was walking out of the Disability Centre yesterday and saw a little girl, maybe 3 years old.  She caught a glimpse of me and instantly turned and walked away.  I continued on, thinking nothing of it and emerged onto the walkway outside.  The little girl was standing there; as she saw me again she burst into tears, started screaming and ran off. 

Fortunately our security guard was out front too, and witnessed it all, lest anyone get the wrong idea.  With so many NGOs here, she must have seen a mzungu (white person) before, so it must have been the beard!