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August 18, 2023 - Kenya
##################################################### I’m sort of happy to report that WI-FI and cell service is pretty spotty in the Maasai Mara—It’s good that there is still a place on the planet where being connected isn’t the most important thing. Therefore my posts have been slow in coming. I’m going to summarize the last couple of days. #####################################################
“Each tiny act is an extraordinary event, in which heaven is given to us, in which we are able to give heaven to others.” Madeleine DelBrél
We moved from the guest house towards Maasai Mara today where we will get a chance to go on a driving safari for a couple of days before finishing at the Dorothy Home in Nairobi. It’s about an 7 hour trip winding through the Kenyan highlands and the vast tea fields; holdovers from the English colonization.
It gave me a chance to reflect on the people that make these trips possible. For me it is almost exclusively friends I have within the jewelry industry. FoH is a Christian organization that will provide safe drinking water for ALL people.
As you can imaging the jewelers world is blessed with a very diverse group of people. We have Jews and Christians, Hindus and Muslims, atheists and agnostics. All who donated did so joyfully, happy to participate in being human and helping other humans.
After 12 of these trips, all over the word this might be the most impactful thing for me. The willingness of others to step up, some of them significantly, to help people on the other side of the globe. It’s humbling.
So thank each and every one of you who participated in thought and prayer and money! You have made a difference.
We got to MM just in time to load into a safari vehicle and enter the park. It’s always a goal to see one of the big five animals (Lion, Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Leopard, Rhinoceros) when on a game drive. Within 15 min of getting into the park we were treated to a PAIR of lions! A boy and girl lion. There were also about 15 other safari vehicles that happened to be in on the sighting as well. Apparently unperturbed by the crowd, the amorous couple proceeded to attempt to produce a little Simba. We will know in about 4 months if they were successful. It was exciting….. I’ll leave it there.
Fri, Aug 18
Today began chilly and breezy with a balloon ride over the Serengeti we lifted off around 6:30 AM a were treated to the most spectacular views as you can imagine. Followed by an all day safari ride where we saw a full smorgasbord of animals, including lions and Elephants and hippos and crocodiles and, and, and… it was roughly a 14 hour day and by the end we were saying, “ nah, we don’t need to stop and take pictures of anymore giraffes or elephants.” Should I call it 3rd world problems?? I don’t know, but i do know it was an amazing day that was loooong.
I’m looking at the Southern Cross and the Milky Wayin the sky so I’m going to end it now. We have a 7 hour drive to Nairobi first thing tomorrow to the orphanage that was the first contact we had here in Kenya. We have had a relationship with Dorothy Childrens Home for the last 12 years and look forward to spending a couple of days with them and updating their system.
Enjoy the pics which are all mine as well as the words.