Safari Away

After two months in Kenya, I have finally had my first opportunity for a real safari. In a certain sense, I almost felt like I had experienced safari already in bits and pieces. I mean…where else do you get stuck at a complete stop on the highway because zebras are crossing? Where else do you see a giraffe eating leaves from a tall tree on the side of the road? Where else do you drive through uneven dirt and tall grasses to get to someone’s mud hut home? (I mean…seriously…it was like the Indiana Jones ride in real life!)

None the less, my safari experience thus far has been nothing short of wonderful. After about 5 hours of driving we arrived yesterday afternoon in time for an early evening drive. With just me, Katie, Margaret, and William, we had a blast singing praise songs and driving through God’s spectacular creation. We saw giraffes (I asked them to say hello to Lenard [the giraffe I kissed] for me), zebras, and tons of other exciting animals. It was my absolute favorite time of day, when the sun is just about to go down and all the colors of all of the grasses, shrubs, and animals are warmer. There is something gentle and romantic and holy about that time of day. I loved talking to God as the wind from the dusty safari air was blowing in my face and through my hair. It was so peaceful, yet so adventurous.

We went to visit some springs where the hippos usually are, but once we arrived, we were informed that all of the hippos have died due to the serious drought in Kenya. I thought the drought was last year, but apparently this year has not been good for the animals either. I couldn’t help but wonder how many people around this area have died from the drought due to lack of food and water as well…

During the closing of our drive, we drove to the top of the hill where we could look out across the entire valley. It was sunset, and you could see for miles and miles in all directions. This seems silly…but as I looked at the terrain and at the sunset…I remembered….I AM IN AFRICA!!!!! Bahhh, this is so awesome! GOD is SO awesome! Hahah. My heart melted as I watched the sun go down and the valley turn to night.

Katie, Margaret, and I also woke up early this morning to leave for another drive at 630am. That’s right. 630am. Though it was difficult to drag myself out of bed, I was quickly reminded of how much I love the mornings when we drove out the gate just in time for the sunrise. It was hardly half a kilometer before we had to stop to take pictures of the red sun rising over the valley. It was stunning. On our drive, we saw giraffes, ostriches, all kinds of antelope, and a herd of nearly 100 elephants!! No joke. We saw them from afar at first but as we started to return for breakfast, they were much closer. At one point, we were no farther than several meters from a group of them. We were careful though because herds that huge can be very dangerous, especially since there were lots of baby elephants with them. It was marvelous! So we stayed for long enough to get some good pictures, then we gave them their space so they didn’t feel threatened.

One of the coolest aspects of this safari location is the location of the hotel. It is right by a few watering holes where the animals will come to drink. So for example, yesterday I had lunch with some warthogs and zebras, and last night I had dinner with a cheetah, a giraffe, and a herd of elephants (at different times, of course). Even now, I am sitting with my feet up on the back porch, looking out over the African valley with the majestic mountains far off and zebras, ostriches, antelope, warthogs, all kinds of birds, and other animals coming to drink and bathe in the waterhole. It’s pretty surreal.

We went on another drive this evening, and after quite some time of not seeing any new animals, we were feeling pretty bummed. The whole drive I had been praying “God, we would love to see a cool animal—maybe a lion or a rhino or something! We want to delight in your creation.” When we were headed back for the night, I started to wonder “God, I understand that you have said ‘No,’ but I just don’t understand why. Why would you say no to a request like that? I know you delight in pouring your love out on your children. Why would you choose to keep us from delighting in Your creation?” Not long after, I was looking out hopefully for a lion lounging in the golden grasses, and on the side of the road, I saw a leopard. We made eye contact, and I had to do a double take…did I really just see a leopard?!?!?! It was hardly a meter away from me. “Stop the car!!!” I yelled. “I saw a cheetah!!!!!!” (Silly, Katelyn, didn’t know the difference between a cheetah and a leopard.) So we quickly threw the car into reverse and turned off the engine and sat with the leopard. It was sooo thrilling! And God allowed me the pleasure of spotting it! After some other cars started to drive up, seeing that we were stopped, the leopard stood up and trotted away. Then, satisfied, we proceeded to drive into the breathtaking pink and blue sunset. It was perfect. Seriously.

Isn’t God WONDERful??

HEART Written on my Heart

After a week of busy office days of trying to design and author a couple of new newsletters for HEART’s WEEP and Freedom for Girls projects, creating personalized HEART stationary cards, getting the first HEART Kids for School Newsletter printed, preparing for the WEEP graduation…I am wiped. But I love my work here. There is always so much to do, so much to get done, and so many ways to help. Even I, a “just-out-of-high-school-and-fresh-college-blood-student” am able to contribute to the needs of HEART. It’s amazing how the fact that I am here and able to contribute so much is a testimony to the power of God. I couldn’t be doing this without Him.

Like I said it’s been a lot of busy days, where I end up working on projects from 9am to 9pm. I never thought I would be a work-aholic since I always give my dad a hard time about working so much, but I have failed to realize that I am half his blood! (Love you, dad. Looking forward to seeing you.) Hahah, anyway…my work may be way different than his, but now I understand the desperate desire to get projects that mean the world to you finished.

Because it has been such a busy office week, I have spent a significant amount of time around the compound and not a lot of time outside. For that reason precisely, Lower Taita is still very deeply engraved onto my heart. I think about it daily and am always telling whoever is around me “If I could choose only once place to return here in Kenya…it would be Lower Taita.” There was something special about that place, and honestly, I cannot wait to return. I couldn’t even tell you why… It just felt like family, dancing with those kids under the stars. It felt like home, walking through the village. It felt natural to wake up to clanging pots and pans, singing from the nearby church, and voices calling out in Swahili. I pray and will continue to be praying that when I return to HEART (I am trusting God will bring me back to HEART if it is truly His will), I will be blessed with the opportunity to stay with Pastor Lawrence and his family again.