As we near a little over the halfway mark of this trip, I’ve been reflecting upon all the things the Lord has revealed to me through His creation. I’ve learned so much through each person God has created and the unique ways they engage with His creation.
Today was our last day at the Maasai Mara. We arose around 6:30 AM to pack our bags and eat one last breakfast buffet at the resort. After eating, we proceeded to sing a couple of songs for the staff members of the resort as a token of our appreciation for their exceptional service while staying at the resort. One of the staff members, Grace, noticed I hadn’t gotten out of my room all day yesterday due to feeling under the weather. When she saw me this morning, she joyfully exclaimed her relief that I was feeling better. She cheerfully shouted, “it is an answered prayer that you are feeling better!” I was so grateful for her genuine concern and deeply encouraged to witness how overjoyed she was that the Lord had answered her prayer. Her faith and joy in God’s goodness was greatly inspiring. Grace, along with several staff members, joined in singing with us as they quickly recognized the Swahili tunes. We made sure to perform the song that many remember us by—Da Coconut Nut. The staff and a handful of guests who happened to walk by enjoyed the song and dance moves that accompanied our singing.
After we finished up singing, we loaded into the safari Land Cruisers once more and drove out of the park, passing by some gazelles, water buffalo, and giraffe. Before exiting the park, our team briefly pulled off to take a photo under an acacia tree. This was a sweet moment shared between our team and our safari drivers. The drivers joined us for a photo and I caught a glimpse of our driver, Elijah, taking a video of us all mingling about. It was evident that it was a moment he wanted to hold closely and be able to look back on.
Small moments like these are where I see the goodness of God and people uniting together to bring a collection of joy and purpose. I’ve been reminded that the people of our team are not the only people making fond memories, but that each person we interact with is sharing in the same beautiful experience and creating their own personal memories. God created us each uniquely so that we could learn from each other and be able to offer special gifts to one another as we share parts of ourselves.
After our group photo, we loaded back up into the Land Cruisers and continued our way out of the park, gazing across the beautiful landscape that is home to so many animals. Following our time at the Maasai Mara, we traveled to visit the homes of a Maasai village. Upon arriving, the people welcomed us with song and dance. All the men were dressed in bright red and pink skirts with small, white paint markings in the form of mini dashes covering their chest, arms, and legs. The women were dressed in bright colored dresses as well. Both men and women were adorned in ornate jewelry and beaded work known as shanga. As they danced in rhythmic movement and chanted before us, their jewelry acted as a musical instrument resembling a tambourine. All of the Maasai tribe members were quick to welcome us into their song, inviting us the join in their movement and teaching us the words of the chant. I joined in on the last song, which we were later told was a song of blessing over each visitor. I was amazed to see the wide range of ages of men and women alike partaking in the same tradition, united as one. Next, the people welcomed us and grabbed our hands to walk us through a tunnel of sticks that led to a series of homes. One of the male leaders disclosed that these homes were made specifically by the women in the community for the men. A unique blend of sticks, cow dung, clay, and water formed the village homes. Our guides shared that their huts last 20-25 years.
I was in awe as we toured the inside of one of the homes. Opposed to what I originally thought, the walls did not have a strong scent of any kind. It was somewhat disorienting at first, however, as there was no light in the hut. There were no openings letting any outside light into the hut. I used a flashlight to guide me through the two-room hut. There was one room designated for the parents and another space designated for the kids. A mat was laid out, and our guide told me that three kids sleep on it together. It appeared that these homes were used solely for sleeping.
One thing that stood out to me about the Maasai tribe’s culture was their tradition of marriage. Traditionally, the men of the tribe would kill a lion with a machete in order to receive a wife. Additionally, the men will jump in the air in an effort to impress the women with the height and technique of their jumps. We got to see glimpses of what this looks like when some of the men jumped for us in between their songs. I was captivated by the height of their jumps. It appeared as though there was an invisible trampoline sending them into the air as they gracefully launched into the air with ease. They shared that they practice polygamy and that each wife has a house for themselves and their children.
I was captivated by the peoples’ resourcefulness as they showcased how they create fire without any matches or lighters. They take one piece of wood and lay it on the ground and then take a stick and place it into the wood on the ground. They then roll the stick of wood between their hands rapidly, creating smoke where the two woods met. Then they use the smoking charcoal produced from the friction and place it inside a bundle of dried up grass which they blow into, forming a flame. Learning about the Maasai people and their way of life was eye opening to me. Seeing how different people utilize different aspects of God’s creation to sustain life continues to astound us on our trip.
Afterwards, it was time for us to load up and drive to lunch. Our team arrived in Narok around midday to eat a buffet lunch. We then continued for several hours on a long drive through the beautiful Kenyan landscape. We even caught a glimpse of several camels on the side of the road! I’ve been starting to realize that animal sightings are not so rare in Kenya, as we have seen a handful of interesting animals on all of our drives. Today we witnessed zebras, baboons, several cows, and goats on the roadside as we drove from Narok to Subiaco Retreat Centre. The drivers made a great effort to avoid the animals that appeared to be aimlessly crossing the road throughout our drive.
Our drive lasted around six hours, which allowed us to catch up on sleep, talk with one another, and take in the beautiful sights of Kenya’s diverse landscape. After arriving at Subiaco, we ate together and then dispersed for people to get some sleep. Several of our team members are under the weather or in need of rest, so it was a blessing to be able to turn in before 8:00 PM to ready ourselves for all that God has in store for us tomorrow. I am excited to continue basking in God’s creation and experiencing God’s goodness through His people and the new experiences of our trip.
Blessings,
Ashleigh Rhyner
