Safari days

We awoke to the sound of African birds just outside of our Safari huts this morning. Lush green rainforest surrounded us and we walked a trail to a delicious Kenyan breakfast buffet. Sebastian, our table host greeted and welcomed us , filling our cups with hot chai and we reminisced about our last few days on Safari.

Since 2001, when Daniel and I were here last, we had dream of taking our kids to the Maasai Mara to experience God‘s beauty and Majesty of his creation here. So we saved and dreamed. The Lord is so kind to make that dream become a reality and we’re reveling in all we’ve seen. 

June 7- Chloe’s bday. For devotions we read Psalm 104 about God’s creation at the start of our 6 Hour Drive through Kenyan countryside, small towns, and past the rift valley. On the way in, we observed men wrapped in bright red blankets, carrying clubs and guiding the cows. Women decked with beaded jewelry and older children carrying younger children wrapped with a kitenge on their backs. A tribe with thousands of years of tradition still living the same way like out of our history books. 

We arrived around 3 PM to Mara Sopa Safari camp nestled in the land of the Masai tribe. The last 45 minutes of the drive was on incredibly bumpy roads so we were thankful to arrive on a paved driveway. The staff took our bags and welcomed us with special “welcome juice” to a beautiful camp. 

After unloading our bags, we took our first game drive through very bumpy roads in a small 4×4 van stopping every few minutes to stand and look out at the creatures hidden within the vast Savannah. Chloe’s bday wish came true when we came across a family of tusked elephants, mothers and their babies, bathing in the river.

We drove right up next to giraffes towering over us munching the leaves off the acacia trees, water buffalo and zebras and wildebeest cohabitating together eating grass.

And a highlight, for sure, was finding a male lion, resting majestically in the bushes. His presence took our breaths away and gave a new understanding to the idea “king of the jungle” and the “lion of Judah”. Jd and Ti took some fantastic National Geographic videos/pics and day ended with God’s artwork – a beautiful sunset across the Massai Mara. 

We had a special birthday dinner at the restaurant where Chloe opened some gifts and headed to bed early. 

June 8- Yesterday, for Titus’’ birthday we spent the majority of the day driving, exploring and discovering. The absolute craziest moment of the day was when we saw a cheetah far off in the distance by a group of gazelles. (cheetah are a rare sighting). But then to our surprise, the cheetah began running and chasing its prey, crossing the grassland right in front of our vehicles. We witnessed the cheetah attack the gazelle and successfully lay next to his Prey panting just feet away from us. It was absolutely spectacular! You should’ve heard all of us gasping and shouting as it happened. Titus got the whole thing on video! 

We also came across a black rhino, which is incredibly rare in the Mara, and a pride of lions: a teenage male with a Mohawk and many female lionesses, resting in the shade of a group of trees. Absolutely incredible.

We drove out far to the Mara river where we witnessed two hippos getting in a fight with their mouths wide open, and crocodiles looming nearby. The kids got great pictures.

Our lunch stop was on a hillside nearby and monkeys were roaming. While Jd was trying to catch a bright colored lizard, a monkey (Natalie named Philip) sneakily grabbed Joshua’s apple juice and took off with his treasure. 

It was an amazing day witnessing the grandeur of God‘s creatures. Natalie, our animal specialist, filled us in with fun facts about the animals, proving evidence that our God is so intentional with his design.

We came back with way too many pictures and dirt in our wind blown hair, but it was completely worth it. The night ended with another delicious meal and a surprise from the staff where the whole kitchen team came out banging bowls and singing “Jambo Bwana” carrying birthday cake for Chloe and Titus. Very lively and so memorable! 

We are sad to leave that incredible place, but are healthy, rested, adjusted to the time here, and ready for ministry. 

Today we will drive another six hours to El Doret town where we will visit our first village, IluIla. This is the place and the ELI children’s home where Tony, our sponsored child grew up. We’re excited to join with the Hillside church team (Nana and papas church) for ministry with our family. Tomorrow will be creative arts camp so we’re practicing songs and chatting about ideas on our ride! 

Anticipating all God has ahead. We send our love