When we went for breakfast yesterday at the Tea Hotel,
Francis Mbuvi had arrived from Nairobi.
I was so grateful that he came out to join us and drive the rest of the
way. We drove into Nakuru, about 2.5
hours and went to the game park. It is a
large National Park that surrounds Lake Nakuru and contains a number of wild
animals. For a quick day-trip, it can’t
be beat. After a frustrating hour at the
gate jumping through the endless hoops the Kenyan Park Service has created to
make things more “modern”, we drove in to find the lake at it’s highest level
ever. Half of the park was closed due to
flooding. We were able to see giraffes,
baboons, a rhino, and countless impalas, gazelles, and cape buffalo.
On the way out of the park, each vehicle managed to get lost
in different ways, making our exit a bit later than we had wanted. We had to get to Nairobi last night, so there
was no option but to drive on. After a
brief stop at the Nakumatt for packing supplies for our souvenirs, we hit the
road.
About an hour out, we encountered one of the many roadblocks
the police use to control speed, check for insurance and inspections, and
collect bribes. This time we were chosen
for a stop and as we rolled up, Mbuvi told me his license was in Mauryn’s bag
in the other truck. The policeman was
not moved by his story and we were calling the other vehicle to come back for
us when the policeman stepped around the vehicle to my side. He asked me where I was from and I replied,
“Texas.” He gave me a quizzical look and
I continued, “In the United States.” He
smiled, waited a beat and then said, “Move on.”
We were all relieved and I got credit for saving Francis from the
jailhouse. We got back to Kamulu without
incident at around 9:30.
This morning Pam, Taylor, Trina, and Krista who were going
on Safari made an early departure to make their flight to the Masaai Mara. The
rest of us drove into a market in Nairobi to do last minute shopping and eat
lunch. Arrington drove the travelers who
are on Emirates to the airport around 1:30 and the rest of us did some more
shopping. Later we drove over to Sarit
Center, where I got another Kenyan Kinyozi (haircut) and we had Java House
deserts for the last time this trip.
Now, here I sit again in the BA Galleries Lounge writing my
last blog post, and I am reflecting on what I have learned this trip. The answer is many things. I learned a few more Swahili words, I got
spoken to by Kenyan strangers in Swahili for the first time, (I guess I look
part-Kenyan now) and I drove a lot of kilometers in the LandCruiser that I have
learned to love. I saw a lot of orphans,
hugged many of them, encouraged our workers in the field, and I got to see many
American Christians being the hands and feet of Jesus to these people. It was very rewarding.
I also learned about myself.
Most importantly that I am only half a man without my wife. Susie is the best part of me and really fills
in my weaknesses when we are on these trips.
She is my conscience, best friend, accountant, the perfect mother to our
2,400 kids, and I miss her terribly.
Only 27 more hours…
I am also reminded that God is strongest in our
weakness. When I was missing Susie’s
help on my trip, God supplied others to fill the gaps. He’s like that, moving where we cannot, doing
the unseen work to align our lives with others in ways that fulfill His
purposes. I remember a time when I
didn’t believe that, when He seemed so far away from me. Sometimes he still does, but its usually when
I am trying to hard to be all things.
When I am broken, lost, hopeless, homesick, afraid, He is there.
As song from the orphanage choir recordings we made this
year keeps running through my head, kimbilio
langu, He is my refuge. Thanks you
for reading all my ramblings this trip.
I’ll return to Kenya in October with new adventures.
