from the Mara Safari Club

16 July 2008, Masai Mara

God made the wild animals according to their kinds...and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
- Genesis 1:25

Today started on a somewhat sad note as we said good bye to our drivers Boniface and James who have transported us around Kenya the last two weeks safely and with good humor. We have been thankful for their friendship as they have navigated us not only on the highways, but through some of the finer points of the language and culture as well. Boniface helped us particularly by letting us know how "terrible" the Matatu drivers are (Matatus being Toyota vans that carry up to 14 people and serve as taxis all over the country). According to him they behave worse than the baboons. He really doesn't like them. These two have been a gift to us in a country we don't know much about.

After they dropped us off at Wilson airport we boarded a plane for the Masai Mara in the Western part of the country to go on Safari for a few days. A few of us (I may or may not have been a part of this) rushed ahead to get window seats so we could have a great view of the African countryside for the 45 minute flight. As a result we were somewhat dispersed throughout the plane and ended up sitting with people we didn't know. This led to many conversations about why we were in Kenya and our faith in general. It's funny how God uses even something as silly and selfish as trying to get window seats on plane. Another cool part of the flight was being able to see Masai villages along the way. The Masai are a cattle herding tribe in the area who always wear red and have distinctive village set-ups. We plan to visit one of their villages tomorrow. Apparently the Masai are also good businesspeople and will be more than happy to take our money when we visit.

After we touched down on the dirt landing strip we were driven to our accommodations at the Mara Safari Club. About halfway to the club our drivers pulled over to the edge of the river so we could watch a herd of Hippopotamus napping in the water and mud, not to mention the crocodile hanging out nearby. This was just the beginning of a spectacular day of watching wildlife. The first thing we realized is that the Mara is what most of us westerners picture in our minds when we think of Africa. It is so wide open and beautiful. Another nice aspect of being on safari here is that our drivers are not restricted to roads and will drive straight up to the animals we want to look at. One highlight of the day included being within ten yards of a pride of lions that included several cubs. We came upon this find early in the trip and it was exciting for everyone as lions are on the shortlist of animals we all want to see. We came across more lions as we were headed home in the early evening and they were headed out on the hunt. This included seeing two male lions (we hadn't seen any of them before) and also some female lions stalking a group of Wildebeest. We thought about sticking around to see what might happen, but it was getting dark and our driver said it may be hours before there was any action as lions are patient hunters. We also came within yards of a herd of elephants, apparently somewhat rare this time of year as they stick more to the trees in the dry season. Probably the biggest treat of the day was finding a leopard! Once again we were very close. Leopards tend to be reclusive and stay in the woods, so this was a rare find indeed! Even our drivers were excited.

Other animals we saw today - an ostrich, wildebeests, gazelles, impalas, zebras, giraffes, topis, a hartebeest, a jackal, a hyena, a warthog, buffalo, dik-diks, some sort of monkey, and many varieties of birds. It is a privilege to be in such a wonderful part of God's creation. We have been asked throughout our time here if we were going to go see the wildlife, as Kenyans are very proud of this aspect of their country and want to share it with visitors. I can see why. Tim commented on how great it is that Kenya's national treasures are the creations God has placed here as opposed to any man made monuments. Well said Tim.

As much fun as we are having now, I know we all miss the kids at Tumaini and wish we could still be with them. I know for me it is weird to still be here and not be with them. We also recognize that the trip is winding down and we are only here for two more days. We look forward to returning home to see everyone we love and miss.

Thank you for all your prayers and please continue to pray, especially for the different ministries we have worked with here. They are making big impact on the people and communities they touch.

Grace and peace in Christ -
Mike