Hi to all,
Each day gets more crammed with things we want to remember and also share with you.
Here's the latest: We have been getting around more. Jane spent a day visiting a Christian school. They had an assembly and as she was introduced as a visiting muzungu (white person) from the USA,the students shouted, "Land of Obama!!"
One day, our director arranged for a cab to take us to the Giraffe Park where we could feed and pet giraffes and to visit the Karen Blixen home(Out of Africa story). We'll have to watch that movie again! We also went to a bead factory that employs only single moms and provides them with day care and health care. Next we went to the Boma's--kind of like a Greenfield village--that replicates many of the local tribes villages including the Luo Tribe (Obama's). There was also a show that featured many of the tribes' traditional dances. All was enjoyable but I think we both felt that the information the local taxi driver, Alex, provided was as interesting. We asked about all the half built homes and learned that it was their "retirement plan." Here if you have any money and someone asks you for some, you are expected to give it to them so ...as soon as they get some money, they purchase a few more blocks to add to their "retirement home" thus avoiding having to give away your money! To refuse money to a friend that asks for it is unthinkable in their culture. They would rather be poor than selfish.
How can we ever put our safari in words?? We were dumbfounded by the number of animals we saw!! And it wasn't just a few of each kind--it was herds!! We flew there over the Great Rift Valley & many Maasai villages landing on a rough dirt strip complete with welcoming giraffes and two Maasai guides who knew our names. In the hour drive to our camp, we saw more animals than we expected to see the whole time! The camp was in the bush (surrounded by shrubs) and our tent had all teak furniture, a flush toilet and even a hot water shower. (Water was heated by charcoal under two 55 gal barrels). Our porch overlooked a nearly dried up river bank and on the other side each night and morning, a herd of cows made music with their bells as they went to and from their pasture. We ate delicious meals under the trees and were waited on hand and foot. But the best part was the game drives. Our Maasai guides eagerly drove over and through any terrain in search of the rarest cats as we passed by herds of other animals. Here's the list of animals we got up close to (within 2 ft to 100ft depending on the animal): elephant, thompson gazelle, ostrich, hyena, cape buffalo, leather face vulture, guinea fowl, impala, topi, zebra,warthog, glossy starling, dik dik, vervet monkey, jackal, cheetah,leopard, lion, giraffe, bat eared fox, antelope, baboon, plover, brownsnake eagle, ruff, secretary bird, supreme starling, weaver bird, blackbelly bustard, donkey, hammerhead bird, hippo and probably others we didn't write down. We can't describe the numbers and the endless land they call home, the Maasai Mara. Our guides also took us to one of their home villages where we sat in their dung smeared 12'x 12' hut that housed about 7 adults who slept on a double bed made of wood & cow hide as well as about 20 calves & goats (to protect them and keep them from drinking all their mother's milk). A tribesman showed us how they can light a fire in one minute using two pieces of wood and their sword. Rog can't wait to try it at home. They told us the Maasai tribe is growing (over 100,000)and most do not leave even though most know how the other people live. They also let us dance with them, wearing the lion mane hat. Jumping high gets them girlfriends so they demonstrated their skill and we proved to them "white men can't jump." In all, we went on five game drives standing up most of the way looking out the sunroof. Heard of sealegs? We had safari legs! A California born guy who now lives in Cambodia, Jimwas, also riding with us and loving it. A few other highlights included being awakened up by a baboon shortly before hot choc & coffee was delivered to our tent and learning that a Maasai,armed with his sword, stood guard over us while we slept both nights. For good reason as a lion and hyenas were in our camp the last night. We tried hard to soak in the beauty and wonder of the Maasai Mara. We were picked up at the airport by Alex and taken to the YaYa market--locals selling every imaginable souvenir. We haggled--which we hate to do--and purchased all the souvenirs we expect to buy! Yeen-Lanmet us there and brought us back to Rafiki.
Monday, we were back in the classrooms. The fourth grade teacher took another job (She'll have 75 students fifth graders) so Jane is now teaching reading, grammar & bible and Roger is teaching science, social studies and math until next week when the new teacher arrives. Jane continues to work on sponsor thank you cards and Rog is putting names on Tshirts for the kids. We still love going to devotions and listening to the Mama's teach their kids how the bible relates to them. One compared Rahab (who helped the Israelites) to the USA saying we were helping them. We later talked about how the fact that Rahab was a prostitute kind of compares to the many problems in the USA.) We continue to be humbled by the sincerity we hear in the Mamas'and childrens' prayers. So that's it for now--finally. We think of you many times and appreciate your many emails!
Jane and Roger
