Safari! Safari! Safari!

Hello All!!

It has been so long! Ay yay ay!

This past Tuesday the team and I headed for the Massai Mara national park for a 3 day safari! The ride there was...well bumpy is an understatement let me just say that much. We drove on some pretty crazy "roads" there and went through some "construction sites". Haha it was an adventure. Once at the Mara we went to Keekorock lodge where we were staying. It was sooo nice! Our rooms were private little bungalows. It was so luxurious... especially compared to the YMCA haha. The beds were so comfy and the showers were amazing. Okay so once we left the lodge for the real reason we were there, we went on our first game drive around 4. The landscapes at the Mara were breathtaking and the air was so clean and fresh. Being there definitely gave me a better appreciation for Kenya and the beauty of Africa. Being in the city in Nairobi definitely gave me the wrong idea. The sky was clear blue and I felt like I was in a movie as we drove around standing up in our safari vehicle, with the top popped up.

Pretty soon into our drive we came across a lioness laying right on top of a completely demolished buffalo carcass. Just bones and skin were left and boy was her tummy full. It was a pretty incredible site. Just a ways up from her was the rest of the pride of lions lounging around with full bellies. We also came across a ton of elephants, some griaffes, buffalo, hyenas and more. That night we caught an amazing African sunset out on the Mara and of course took a million pictures. It was amazing just to sit in the silence of the plains and enjoy God's creativity in the colors of the sky.

The next morning we went game drive around 6 am and caught a great sunrise. We saw a bunch more animals then and I can't remember when we saw what but there were a lot haha. After the drive we went to a Massai village. It was really interesting to hear how these people live so simply and how they have preserved the tradtions of their people for so many years. The kids running around the village were so cute!! The massai men have this jumping dance/competition that they do in order to attract the women where they walk around in a circle and make noises and then jump as high as they can. While they were doing this the little children were all imitating them with little jumps and little noises it was adorable! The village was full of flies though and it was tough to see the little kids covered in the flies. They told us about some of their traditions, like how they drink cow's blood (ew) and how the women are responsible for the construction of the houses. We also went into their marketplace (probably a bad idea). It was worse than the Massai market and Greg and I could hardly walk because the people were that close to us trying to get us to buy things. The women would surround me and not let me move forward. It was really frustrating.

Later that evening we went on another game drive and caught another amazing sunset, probably better than the first. Again, on Thursday morning we went on a sunrise game drive and were determined to see a leopard and a rhino. Unfortunately, the rhinos are good hiders and the leopards are usually only out at night...so no luck there. I guess thats for my next safari haha. It was awesome to share the experience with my team and I think it was definitely a bonding experience for all of us.

Back in Nairobi I had mixed feelings. Part of me was sad to be back because being in the city is pretty tough. Another part of me was really excited to get back with the students and just form deeper relationships with them. Then finally, we are half way done with our trip now and I miss home but I think I am ready for this last 3 weeks.

We did a lot of planning for our training program with the students next weekend (26,27,28). It was really fun to plan with the team and I am just so blessed to have them here with me. Its so amazing to see how God brought us together here in Africa and even though we are all very different, we get along great and we have a really good time together.

In my quiet times I am still trucking through the old testament. I am in Leviticus now. I had a bit of a hard time at the end of Exodus because I was really trying to understand what I could gain from all of the detailed descriptions of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting etc...The conclusion I reached was this: God gave all of these detailed specific regulations as to how Aaron and Moses could enter the Most Holy Place. They had to go through days or preparation and only they had the priviledge of entering into God's presence and conversing with him. Now, because of Jesus' death on the cross, I, a dirty sinner, have free access to talk with the God of the universe. How amazing! The curtain has been brought down and because God now views me as holy and blameless, I can enter into his presence and have a personal relationship with him. I am really glad I am reading through the OT. I have only red tid-bits previously and it is giving me such a greater reverence and appreciation for God and his promises. It is also helping me to understand what I read in the New Testament so much better.

I am also learning how small I am and how big God is. I have felt that we are not doing too much here or that I am not making much of an impact. But, in talking with the staff and hearing that they feel we have already made a big impact, its awesome to step back and see how God is the one doing ALL of it. We are simply here as his instruments and he is using us to work in the hearts of the students which is so great!

Thanks again for reading. I miss you!!!

**Funny moment: So the people here all say "Jambo" to us because they think that that is what Americans understand. Yesterday as we were walking to the internet cafe, some odd character came up to us and yelled "Jambo!" probably 4 times. Then he went on to tell us that: "My name is Jambo Jumbo! Jambo Jimbo!" hahaha

**Something Exciting: The Rwanda Team comes next tuesday!!! Woohooo!!