DAY FIVE -
From: Steve Cummings
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 1:16 PM
Jambo Family & Friends!
Just got back to the hotel after a great dinner at the Carnivore restaurant where we got to eat a lot of different kinds of meats – like many of the animals we saw today on the safari. Ever had alligator? Or camel? (Didn’t see one of those on the Masai Mara J)
Yesterday & today were another dose of seeing God for us . . . and BOY, He didn’t let us down. The minute we got off the twin engine prop plane in Techwa Kembo, we were hustled off on an afternoon safari ride before we ever got to our fabulous hotel that was high up on the mountain overlooking the Masai Mara (Serengeti for you Lion King folks). And seeing all those animals just a few feet away is such an
exhilarating experience. You can’t help but see God! And to find a lion within the first hour of being there is unheard of!
Our hotel was called the Mpata Safari Club and boy, did they roll out the welcome mat! Had a great dinner as a group -- we’re one big happy family now (See picture 116) and had a morning safari ride at 6:00AM (See picture 67 of our the sunrise God gave us!) along with “breakfast in the bush.” We saw lots of elephants, zebras, giraffes, baboons, vultures, hippo’s, wildebeest, hyena’s, impala’s, water buffalo, a mamma cheetah and her 4 cubs (my personal highlight), 3 lionesses, 1 lion, and crocodiles. We came with an eyelash of seeing a wildebeest herd cross the Mara
River, which is infested with crocodiles. It’s a long story on what this is about and we can explain it later – but let’s just say there were about a dozen Land Rovers full of people parked waiting to see this very rare occurrence. We left after an hour and ten minutes – and flying back to Nairobi this afternoon – that herd was still there and hadn’t crossed.
What day today was. It goes down at one of the “Top Ten” in our books!
Tomorrow we have a fully packed day visiting one final Compassion Project – shopping at the market (for souvenirs) – then back to the hotel to pack for the 20+ hour ride home. We found out tonight about the tighter security measures. Apparently we can ONLY take on board our wallets and money and nothing else. Boy – we are going to go nuts. Oh well. One thing this trip has taught or reminded me is that we serve a great God – and I have no worries about these new restrictions. We will see Him work as we have all week.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. With these new security measures now in place, we can’t communicate with Julia’s brother until we get our bags in Atlanta. So please pray we can get through customs, etc. to pick up Jamilyn & Jack with no problems.
2. Julia ate something at the restaurant tonight and got an allergic reaction that cause her top lip to swell up. She took some Benidryl but it makes her kind of loopy for a day or so and tomorrow is a huge day. Pray for her health.
3. I have a case of bronchitis and no voice (And some of you are saying, “No voice for Steve? That’s bad?”) Being a bit nasally when we left + a high altitude city (5,000 ft) + bad air pollution in Nairobi + a smokey room = and my lungs have take their toll. Pray for my health.
4. Safe trip home.
We love all you guys and can’t wait to see you and download all that God has shown us. Until we meet again – grace and peace to you all!
Love,
Steve Cummings(Mom & Dad to our 4!)
From: Steve Cummings
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 1:16 PM
Jambo Family & Friends!
Just got back to the hotel after a great dinner at the Carnivore restaurant where we got to eat a lot of different kinds of meats – like many of the animals we saw today on the safari. Ever had alligator? Or camel? (Didn’t see one of those on the Masai Mara J)
Yesterday & today were another dose of seeing God for us . . . and BOY, He didn’t let us down. The minute we got off the twin engine prop plane in Techwa Kembo, we were hustled off on an afternoon safari ride before we ever got to our fabulous hotel that was high up on the mountain overlooking the Masai Mara (Serengeti for you Lion King folks). And seeing all those animals just a few feet away is such an
exhilarating experience. You can’t help but see God! And to find a lion within the first hour of being there is unheard of!Our hotel was called the Mpata Safari Club and boy, did they roll out the welcome mat! Had a great dinner as a group -- we’re one big happy family now (See picture 116) and had a morning safari ride at 6:00AM (See picture 67 of our the sunrise God gave us!) along with “breakfast in the bush.” We saw lots of elephants, zebras, giraffes, baboons, vultures, hippo’s, wildebeest, hyena’s, impala’s, water buffalo, a mamma cheetah and her 4 cubs (my personal highlight), 3 lionesses, 1 lion, and crocodiles. We came with an eyelash of seeing a wildebeest herd cross the Mara
River, which is infested with crocodiles. It’s a long story on what this is about and we can explain it later – but let’s just say there were about a dozen Land Rovers full of people parked waiting to see this very rare occurrence. We left after an hour and ten minutes – and flying back to Nairobi this afternoon – that herd was still there and hadn’t crossed. What day today was. It goes down at one of the “Top Ten” in our books!
Tomorrow we have a fully packed day visiting one final Compassion Project – shopping at the market (for souvenirs) – then back to the hotel to pack for the 20+ hour ride home. We found out tonight about the tighter security measures. Apparently we can ONLY take on board our wallets and money and nothing else. Boy – we are going to go nuts. Oh well. One thing this trip has taught or reminded me is that we serve a great God – and I have no worries about these new restrictions. We will see Him work as we have all week.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. With these new security measures now in place, we can’t communicate with Julia’s brother until we get our bags in Atlanta. So please pray we can get through customs, etc. to pick up Jamilyn & Jack with no problems.
2. Julia ate something at the restaurant tonight and got an allergic reaction that cause her top lip to swell up. She took some Benidryl but it makes her kind of loopy for a day or so and tomorrow is a huge day. Pray for her health.
3. I have a case of bronchitis and no voice (And some of you are saying, “No voice for Steve? That’s bad?”) Being a bit nasally when we left + a high altitude city (5,000 ft) + bad air pollution in Nairobi + a smokey room = and my lungs have take their toll. Pray for my health.
4. Safe trip home.
We love all you guys and can’t wait to see you and download all that God has shown us. Until we meet again – grace and peace to you all!
Love,
Steve Cummings(Mom & Dad to our 4!)
