Safari, Wedding, and Life Update
I accepted a long time ago that I'm not good at this whole blogging thing. I'm only sitting down to write this because my Aunt Tracey called me out (weeks ago I might add)!
The first week of May, my mom and cousin, Laura, came to Africa to visit. Heather and I flew to Nairobi and then to Mombasa. We spent a night in Mombasa at a beautiful resort on the beach (where I got to eat some of the biggest shrimp I've ever seen in my life) and then went and picked up Mom and Laura the next morning at the airport. From there, we made our way down coast to our airB&B in Diani Beach. The place was beautiful and we had a chef who came and cooked every meal for us! The beach was a just a short walk away. The only bummer was that it rained every day we were there. Luckily, the place we were staying had a really nice porch area where we hung out, talked, and read. Mom and Laura were perfectly content hanging out there!
After a couple of days, we made our way back to Mombasa to catch a flight to Nairobi. We were picked up by a driver in Nairobi who proceeded to give us a tour around Nairobi. We went to The Giraffe Centre where we were able to feed giraffes! What was funny is that Mom and I had looked into going and staying at the Giraffe Mansion, but it was about $900 a night (which is crazy expensive). When we got to the Giraffe Centre, I realized that the Giraffe Mansion was on the same property and the giraffes that we got to meet and feed for $10 were the same giraffes that you got to meet/feed if you were to stay at the mansion!
After the Giraffe Centre, we went to Kazuri Beads. If you have been in 10,000 Villages, it is possible that you have seen Kazuri beads before. They're beautifully handcrafted pottery beads that are sold all over the world. In Uganda, they're in a shop called Banana Boat. It was amazing getting to tour the compound where over 340 women are employed. Having ladies who work with clay at HEAL, it was especially interesting to me to see how their processes were so different. All of the work they do is very efficient and they are constantly working on huge orders to be shipped around the world for different orders that have been placed. After getting a tour and getting to meet some of the ladies who were hard at work making these small, beautiful beads, we got to shop!
After Kazuri, we made our way to where we were staying for the night. Laura found this amazing place where you can stay in a beautiful apartment that was the same price for two hotel rooms. Unfortunately, it started to pour and the roads started to flood which caused crazy traffic so it took a really long time to get there. Luckily, they had a restaurant that was still open where we got to eat some really delicious food before we went to bed. The next morning, we were picked up super early by our safari guide. We made our way to the Masai Mara. We were supposed to reach our campsite by lunch time, but unfortunately. our guide had never been to our campsite and the roads were washed out to get there. It was rainy season in Kenya and the campsite sits in the crook of a river. While our guide called the campsite and got directions to go an alternative route, we were in very deep mud at one point and we sunk when he let off the gas. We were stuck for quite some time before staff from the campsite came and towed us out (it took trying two different vehicles and having all of the staff plus us in the car rocking the car back and forth). We didn't get to the campsite until 6:30pm. It was exhausting and stressful being stuck (we were also very hungry because we were supposed to eat lunch at camp) but we did get to go on a nice game drive where we saw many lions that we probably wouldn't have seen had we not gotten stuck.
When we got to the campsite, the cook greeted us and showed us around. We discovered that we were literally the only guests in the entire camp. We went during low season because that's the timing that worked out for everyone. While we didn't see nearly as many animals as we would have had it been high season, I think I honestly preferred it. The first two days, we didn't see anyone else while out on game drives. It was beautiful having the entire park to ourselves. No other cars. No other noise. Just us and the animals. We saw 35 different lions in total during our time in the Masai Mara. We saw lots of elephants, zebra, gazelle, antelopes. Being on the river, we saw a ton of hippos and crocodiles. Our campsite actually has a resident hippo that they've named Mosquito who only has one ear. The nice thing with it being low/rainy season was that the river was huge and there were rapids that went right by our tent. We got to see Mosquito hang out there in the rapids (I didn't realize hippos chill out in rapids?!). They were beautiful and made incredible white noise to sleep to at night.
After safari, we were dropped back off at the place we had stayed the first night in Nairobi. Mom unfortunately had an earlier flight then the rest of us and left the hotel at about 2:30am. We had all morning before we had to be at the airport in the afternoon, so Laura, Heather, and I went to the Karen Blixen Museum and we also got to go to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. When we got to DSWT, I put together that I have been following them forever on instagram! That was really funny to me and I was so glad that we got to meet all of the orphaned elephants in their foster care program. I also got to adopt an elephant for one of my best friend's as a wedding gift!
Speaking of that, Cassie's wedding has already happened. I was so incredibly glad that I got to fly home (even though it was for only one extremely fast week) to help her with wedding things and be in it with her. I left Uganda on Saturday. Landed on Sunday. Had Sunday and Monday night at home with Mom and Sarah. Left Tuesday morning to go to Cassie's. Helped her with wedding stuff Tuesday. Kira arrived Wednesday morning and we had brunch and nails with the bridal party on Wednesday as well as a family gathering. Thursday we had last minute errands to do (such as picking up flowers for the arbor) as well as the rehearsal and dinner. Then Friday was the big day! I spent all morning with Kira and Mariah out in the pouring rain arranging the flowers on the arbor. They called me in to get my hair and makeup done. I had to improvise and get vases for the last two arrangements because we didn't have time to attach them. Then had to tag team blow drying my hair because that had to be dry for the stylist to do it (which it had been that morning - wasn't planning on getting soaked in the pouring rain haha - but it was totally worth it and man, what a memory! Also...possibly a side business once stateside?!).
Praise Jesus the rain stopped by the time the first look was to happen and then pictures with everyone. We had a time of praise and worship and prayer over the bride and groom before the ceremony started. Then it was time for the ceremony! Everything was so beautiful and pointed to God and I was so thrilled to get to be a part of it. My dad came for the ceremony which was really nice before going home that night to spend some time with my sister. After that, we had some good food and danced the night away (until we had to pack everything up and take it back to Cass's). The next morning, Kira and I cleaned up, said our see ya laters, and I made my way back home where I got to spend time with my Mom, Dad, and Sarah. Then Sunday morning Dad drove me back to the airport and I made my way back here! It was a whirlwind of a trip and I wish I had more time with my family and friends.
A lot of people have been asking when I'm coming home for good. I still don't have an official date, but as of right now, it looks like I will be coming home sometime mid-September. I will then be given a week or two to transition down to Nashville by October to take over the trunk and craft shows stateside, fundraising in order to bring in money to allow the ministry to continue in Uganda. My replacement doesn't land until July 31st, so if you can be praying for her (and for me to train her well), I would appreciate that. A month-and-a-half is not much time at all to learn everything that I do.
This has been a season of many unknowns which is why, I think, I have been so hesitant to talk about it. I'm trying to just take each day as it comes, trusting in the Lord every step of the way. I could not do any of this were it not for Him. I rely constantly on His goodness and faithfulness and strength to get me from one moment to the next. Thank you to everyone who has continued to pray for me on this journey, even though I have been terrible at communicating with you. God bless you.
After a couple of days, we made our way back to Mombasa to catch a flight to Nairobi. We were picked up by a driver in Nairobi who proceeded to give us a tour around Nairobi. We went to The Giraffe Centre where we were able to feed giraffes! What was funny is that Mom and I had looked into going and staying at the Giraffe Mansion, but it was about $900 a night (which is crazy expensive). When we got to the Giraffe Centre, I realized that the Giraffe Mansion was on the same property and the giraffes that we got to meet and feed for $10 were the same giraffes that you got to meet/feed if you were to stay at the mansion!
After the Giraffe Centre, we went to Kazuri Beads. If you have been in 10,000 Villages, it is possible that you have seen Kazuri beads before. They're beautifully handcrafted pottery beads that are sold all over the world. In Uganda, they're in a shop called Banana Boat. It was amazing getting to tour the compound where over 340 women are employed. Having ladies who work with clay at HEAL, it was especially interesting to me to see how their processes were so different. All of the work they do is very efficient and they are constantly working on huge orders to be shipped around the world for different orders that have been placed. After getting a tour and getting to meet some of the ladies who were hard at work making these small, beautiful beads, we got to shop!
After Kazuri, we made our way to where we were staying for the night. Laura found this amazing place where you can stay in a beautiful apartment that was the same price for two hotel rooms. Unfortunately, it started to pour and the roads started to flood which caused crazy traffic so it took a really long time to get there. Luckily, they had a restaurant that was still open where we got to eat some really delicious food before we went to bed. The next morning, we were picked up super early by our safari guide. We made our way to the Masai Mara. We were supposed to reach our campsite by lunch time, but unfortunately. our guide had never been to our campsite and the roads were washed out to get there. It was rainy season in Kenya and the campsite sits in the crook of a river. While our guide called the campsite and got directions to go an alternative route, we were in very deep mud at one point and we sunk when he let off the gas. We were stuck for quite some time before staff from the campsite came and towed us out (it took trying two different vehicles and having all of the staff plus us in the car rocking the car back and forth). We didn't get to the campsite until 6:30pm. It was exhausting and stressful being stuck (we were also very hungry because we were supposed to eat lunch at camp) but we did get to go on a nice game drive where we saw many lions that we probably wouldn't have seen had we not gotten stuck.
When we got to the campsite, the cook greeted us and showed us around. We discovered that we were literally the only guests in the entire camp. We went during low season because that's the timing that worked out for everyone. While we didn't see nearly as many animals as we would have had it been high season, I think I honestly preferred it. The first two days, we didn't see anyone else while out on game drives. It was beautiful having the entire park to ourselves. No other cars. No other noise. Just us and the animals. We saw 35 different lions in total during our time in the Masai Mara. We saw lots of elephants, zebra, gazelle, antelopes. Being on the river, we saw a ton of hippos and crocodiles. Our campsite actually has a resident hippo that they've named Mosquito who only has one ear. The nice thing with it being low/rainy season was that the river was huge and there were rapids that went right by our tent. We got to see Mosquito hang out there in the rapids (I didn't realize hippos chill out in rapids?!). They were beautiful and made incredible white noise to sleep to at night.
Speaking of that, Cassie's wedding has already happened. I was so incredibly glad that I got to fly home (even though it was for only one extremely fast week) to help her with wedding things and be in it with her. I left Uganda on Saturday. Landed on Sunday. Had Sunday and Monday night at home with Mom and Sarah. Left Tuesday morning to go to Cassie's. Helped her with wedding stuff Tuesday. Kira arrived Wednesday morning and we had brunch and nails with the bridal party on Wednesday as well as a family gathering. Thursday we had last minute errands to do (such as picking up flowers for the arbor) as well as the rehearsal and dinner. Then Friday was the big day! I spent all morning with Kira and Mariah out in the pouring rain arranging the flowers on the arbor. They called me in to get my hair and makeup done. I had to improvise and get vases for the last two arrangements because we didn't have time to attach them. Then had to tag team blow drying my hair because that had to be dry for the stylist to do it (which it had been that morning - wasn't planning on getting soaked in the pouring rain haha - but it was totally worth it and man, what a memory! Also...possibly a side business once stateside?!).
Praise Jesus the rain stopped by the time the first look was to happen and then pictures with everyone. We had a time of praise and worship and prayer over the bride and groom before the ceremony started. Then it was time for the ceremony! Everything was so beautiful and pointed to God and I was so thrilled to get to be a part of it. My dad came for the ceremony which was really nice before going home that night to spend some time with my sister. After that, we had some good food and danced the night away (until we had to pack everything up and take it back to Cass's). The next morning, Kira and I cleaned up, said our see ya laters, and I made my way back home where I got to spend time with my Mom, Dad, and Sarah. Then Sunday morning Dad drove me back to the airport and I made my way back here! It was a whirlwind of a trip and I wish I had more time with my family and friends.
A lot of people have been asking when I'm coming home for good. I still don't have an official date, but as of right now, it looks like I will be coming home sometime mid-September. I will then be given a week or two to transition down to Nashville by October to take over the trunk and craft shows stateside, fundraising in order to bring in money to allow the ministry to continue in Uganda. My replacement doesn't land until July 31st, so if you can be praying for her (and for me to train her well), I would appreciate that. A month-and-a-half is not much time at all to learn everything that I do.
This has been a season of many unknowns which is why, I think, I have been so hesitant to talk about it. I'm trying to just take each day as it comes, trusting in the Lord every step of the way. I could not do any of this were it not for Him. I rely constantly on His goodness and faithfulness and strength to get me from one moment to the next. Thank you to everyone who has continued to pray for me on this journey, even though I have been terrible at communicating with you. God bless you.
Yes, my soul, find rest in God, my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
-Psalm 62:5-8
I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
-Lamentations 3:19-26
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