Monday, Feb 7th

I'm on Kenyan time now - finally! I have not been wearing a watch for 2 weeks and it still feels weird not to always know the time, but I'm getting use to it. Last night, I didn't sleep well - a text woke me up at 2 am. It was from Wendy, the trip coordinator at Ada Bible. She asked me to text her ASAP. Well, it was Sunday evening at 6pm in Michigan (8 hours behind us). A long story, but in summary, somehow, my airline ticket and Phil's (another team member that came to Kenya), our tickets got transposed. He flew home on part of my ticket??? WHAT??? How does that happen? I had been in a deep sleep up to this point up to this point and suddenly, I was wide awake. My other problem was that my phone battery was almost dead and, as you remember, there is not electrical power during the night. So, about 6-8 text messages later, Wendy was going to try to sort it out the next day.
To finish this drama, tonight, I received a text that it was sorted out (Delta had made an error) and my flight was still all set. Thank you God.

The day was a full safari day and then a Maasi Village tour. The safari was awesome. I can't put into words how incredible it is! We didn't see any rhino or leopards, which we are told are the hardest to see. Tomorrow, we'll head to Nakura park and hopefully see both there.

We saw so many animals - 2 cheetah feeding, a baby elephant taking a bath, so many giraffe - it was so neat to see their heads poking out over the top of trees.



Sausage tree









Carcass left by a cheetah


This monkey and many others kept trying to steal food from our lunch. This one managed to jump in one of the vans (through the roof and get a chocolate bar someone had in their bag!)

At the river watching hippos



No man's land - Tanzania 21 km away , Kenya 2 km away

Sunday, Feb 6th

A delicious breakfast at our Wildebest Camp and we are greeted by our driver, James to head to the Maasi Mara park for our safari. Once again, a beautiful, sunny, warm day! I love it!

At a tourist stop during our drive



The Riff Valley

In 1942, Italian prisoners of war constructed the road down into the Riff Valley. The Riff Valley is a dormant volcanic mountain.
Some info from a Google search:
The Rift Valley is one of the wonders of the world, stretching from the Middle East, down through Africa, reaching as far as Mozambique. Some 20 million years ago, the earth's crust weakened and tore itself apart creating a jagged rift, thousands of kilometers long, across the African continent. The land on either side erupted creating great volcanic mountains, while the valley floor gradually sank into a low flat plain. This geologic phenomena, dubbed the Great Rift Valley by the Scottish explorer John Walter Gregory, divides Kenya neatly down the length of the country essentially separating east from west. Today's Rift Valley is characterized by uninhabitable desert and fertile farmland, flat arid plains and steep escarpments.


James tells us that he has 2 girls - a 10 year old and a 2 1/2 year old. The 10 yr old started in public school but with 40-50 students per teacher, she was not doing well. So, they sent her to a private boarding school - at 10 years old! In Kenya, students have classes for 3 months and then have 1 month off. With the boarding house, she comes home for her month off, but lives at the boarding school during class months. They are allowed to visit for 1 day half way through the class months (after 1 1/2 months). James says that will be on Feb 12th and he will go visit her. He talked of it very matter-of-factly. That is just what you have to do to ensure good education for your children. You are fortunate if you are among those that can afford it. It's so hard for me to imagine sending a young child to boarding school at age 10 and not seeing them for 1 1/2 months.

After about a 5 1/2 hour drive (with a few stops), we arrive at Maasi Mara camp, just outside of the Kenyan reserve. We get checked into our accomodations / tent. This is not as deluxe as the one we stayed in last night, but it's still nice. Last night, we didn't need mosquito nets - our tent was well sealed. Today, with our tent ... well, there are holes "stuffed" with some Kleenex. So, we got to work getting our nets in place over our beds. We had a couple of hours to rest and then headed out for a few hours of safari tour. I am so excited to see African animals in their natural habitat!




Later ... simply AMAZING!!

Giraffe, gazelles, elephants, buffalo, cheetah, lions, wildebest ... there is a pop-up on our van, so the best view was standing and looking out the top. Before we headed out of the park for the evening, we watched the sun set. Words can't describe the beauty.


Once we reached our camp, we had dinner and met up with a couple from Australia, Kim and John and also another gal from Alberta, Canada who had come to Kenya for 3 months to travel and meet a boy she had been sponsoring for the past 3 years through World Vision. Right before 10pm, another guest informed us that lights/power would go out at 10pm and would resume at 630am. I'm glad I have my booklight so I can still get in my reading before bed! Tomorrow is a full day of safari, so we pack it up for the night.


SARAH's JOURNAL

Is it Sunday night? I have lost my sense of day and time again! It's an awesome feeling! This trip has been everything and so much more than I had hoped for =) Being with my twin sister, Miriam has been the cherry on top! The icing has been (or will be) the safari and the cake is the mission (MCF) and the initial reason we came on this trip. I'll forever remember this trip and we decided that every 5 years we would try to do a trip together.

Today, we drove approximately 5 hours to Masai Mara - where we will stay until Tuesday. After checking into yet another deluxe campsite and had lunch and a rest, we headed to the reserve. We saw gazelles, giraffes, elephants, cheetah and many other animals. Although I have seen many in zoos, it's so different to see them in nature. I'm excited for another full day of safari tomorrow ... going to fall to sleep tonight and listen to the crickets and the hyena's!

Friday, Feb 4th and Saturday, Feb 5th

Countryside / Nairobi


Kenya shillings

I was too tired to write yesterday ...

FRIDAY - Feb 4th

After we had breakfast, then headed for our last day at the clinic. I worked in the lab again. By mid-afternoon, we ran out of 1 and 3 ml syringes that I had been using to draw blood. All that was left was TB syringes. Now, for those that know what TB syringes look like, there is a very small, short needle. I had to insert the needle at about 60-75 degree angle to draw blood. And, for a sharp container, there is only a small one so I am extra careful trying not to get a needle stick and praying for safety.

I also worked at triage and got to do some well-child exams on the MCF children ... we did vitals on the kids, and asked them about pain and if they had any rashes. If they needed to be seen by a physician, we'd direct them for that, otherwise, they would get a sticker, toothbrush and toothpaste.

We finished our day about 630-7. A group of gals when with Mama Esther this afternoon to deliver food and clothes to a family in the community. I stayed back to help finish up at the clinic. Then, we headed for another delicious dinner. After which, the mission choir group of about 22 beneficiaries (students who have finished Gr 12 and are waiting their turn to go to college or university) came and sang for us and 3 of them gave their testimony. Words can't describe how incredible how it was. Tears were in my eyes as I listened to their BEAUTIFUL voices fill the evening air. You could see so clearly the joy on their faces and their intense love for God. Hearing their testimonies and life stories was so moving and amazing. They all talked about how they came from very difficult lives in poverty and life on the streets and now to their life at MCF. They talked of how God is in us and that he does hear our prayers and dreams and He is so much bigger than any problem or situation.

Mama Esther opened the "market" at MCF then. The children help make jewelry. There is are also other items from Kenya here for purchase.

We got to our rooms and to bed about 11-12pm. It's sad that we are leaving tomorrow - I feel like time has gone by so fast and there is still so much to do and so many ways to help. What Dr Charles Mulli has started here and continues to do here is truly a miracle and a blessing of God.

SATURDAY, Feb 5th

So much peace, love and joy here.

Sarah and I are getting picked up this morning to head out for our last adventure here in Kenya before heading for home. Today, we will head to Nairobi and tour the Kiberia Slum. Then, we will stay at Wildebest Camp for the night before heading out for safari. I was hoping to get a CD of the mission team choir before leaving but there are none available here at this time. (( I have found this through the Canadian MCF team and bought a few copies))

One thing that is crystal clear here is that it takes no money to love -- to love our family, our community and to share that love. To share God's love. This trip has refueled the fire in my heart to trust and learn more of God and grow spiritually. I want to make a difference in others lives here on earth - to share God's love and joy that I know is so true and tangible. I pray for God's guidance as a mother and wife and that our children will have heart that seeks God.

MCF
~ over 6000 kids have graduated Gd 12 or have vocational training and have moved on from the MCF facilities
~ currently 52 kids in college and university (funded by Mama and Daddy Mulli and donations). The cost is approximately $5000 per child per year
~ many kids are waiting for the opportunity to go to college or university. For the time being, they are pitching in and working at MCF

Sarah and I said our good-bye to the group and MCF and were picked up by African Veteran's Safari. Our driver and guide for the next 3 days is James. It was tough to try to search and find a good company that I felt we could trust. I found this company through reading excellent reviews on Trip Advisor and, prior to coming to Africa, I've have frequent emails with Martin (the owner). When you are booking and making plans, wiring money halfway around the world, it's a little scary. But, I had trust and know that God was part of this trip. After meeting James (and Martin at lunch), I know that we are blessed with a good company and a wonderful guide.

We drove to Nairobi and had lunch at an authentic Kenyan restaurant. We had told James we wanted to eat where he would eat. We were the only mzunga (white people) in the place; very good food =)

Sarah - at lunch restaurant

Our food

Then we head for the Kibera Slum tour and there is a post about that.

Police are often seen just standing at the side of the road while we are driving (often one on each side of the road). They will wave you through or wave you to stop and will check for current / unexpired licenses. If you fail to stop, they will call the enxt officers farther down on the road to stop you and you will be fined.

There are also "sleeping policemen" frequently on the highways -- large, unmarked speedbumps.

About 5pm, James dropped us off at the Wildebest camp for the night. We had dinner here, a couple of drinks and some good conversation with other travellers from England and Australia.

Wildebest Camp in Nairobi





Sarah

We were told that the guy that started making this beer was killed by an elephant


Breakfast



SARAH's JOURNAL

Saturday

Yesterday was a busy, long and such an interesting day! It was our final clinic day and we were all exhausted by late afternoon. Esther Mulli came at the end of the day and half the team joined her to help a family nearby. A mother had recently given birth to a little boy, Phillip, only a week ago. It was her fourth child and we were heading out to bring the family food, diapers, and clothes. We walked about 3/4 of a mile to their home ... when I say "home" it was one room they all lived in - Mom, Dad and 4 children ... smaller than a standard bedroom. It was so sad to see the kids without enough clothes to wear and no mattress to sleep on - they slept on the hard soil floor. The father was a drunk and takes everything of value (even food) to sell for more alcohol. Momma Esther Mulli shook her finger in his face and scolded him for not caring enough to provide for his family. She told him that if he took anything that we brought over and sold it, she would find out and report him to the police. I had to wonder what they would do and can only hope and pray that he will begin to see the effect his drinking has on his family. As we were there, children came from all around - as well as their mothers. It brought such joy to them to have their picture taken and then they would all scramble to see the picture. It was so fun to snap a picture as they crammed together and them show them their smiling faces! I also felt such sadness for the little baby, Phillip ... knowing what a difficult life was in store for him. We walked back to MCF farm with a deeper appreciation for all that we have and talked about how many little things we take for granted every day.

In the evening (last night), the beneficiaries came while we were eating to bless us with their music. As they sang accapella to us and shared their stories, I couldn't help but cry. Tears were running down my cheeks as I thought of the hope that MCF has given them through Dr Charles and Esther Mulli.
What a difference MCF has made in their lives and continues to make in each day to lead and guide these children - to encourage and love them. ... feed / clothe / educate and giving each child HOPE for their future. What an amazing gift!

Saturday afternoon ...

We've just checked into the Wildebest camp where we had reserved a deluxe double tent - it has a washroom and stand-up shower (even though the water drizzles - I'm sure it's to conserve water as it's trucked in daily). It felt so good to have a shower and we are heading to the garden area for a beer soon!