We headed to Nairobi having finished all we had to do in Kitale. On the way there the team was waited by well deserved on my opinion pleasant day. We went to the one of the most wonderful national parks in the world – Nakuru! People from all over the world come here to see the Safari. In my plan for last day of the trip in Africa this special surprise for the team of missionaries on the Equator. I never mentioned it to them when I was inviting them to join me in this mission, I didn’t want to see in the team too cool tourists who are not ready for physical and moral tests. But now this is the time for this special surprise.
After a long way in the dust and jolting we are entering the Paradise! The Nakuru Lake surrounded by the mountainous cliffs – amazing place! We arrived in a very good hotel (there are no bad hotels in this place, praise God!) After having a swim and grabbing some food, we started to our photo hunting. We met this very night several families of giraffes (such luck doesn’t happen too often), numerous flocks of buffalos, innumerous baboons (that tried to jump into our cars already at the entrance to the park) and various beautiful birds.
In our evening program we had a birthday party of Alexander Abashin with the fantastic local color and singing of the main African song “Akuna matata”. Then we had the last meeting of our team to talk about “what it all was for us”…. Important and touching words sounded and then the prayers and then everybody agreed that these days left unforgettable track in our lives.
Tatyana Abashina who didn’t feel so well, is feeling better now, and the couple, Dmitry and Dina (who probably had a food poisoning with kefir) are recovering. It looks like it’s going well now with their health.
Farewell night, early morning and at the sunrise one more trip to the Nakuru park. This time we were lucky to see rhinos, pink flamingos and two families of hippopotamuses. Warthogs – Pumbo and ostriches, outlandish gazelles and foxes – all of them were there in abundance.
When we got back the team started leaving the place one by one. First who departed to the airport were the family of Vadim and Natalya from Kirgizstan and Alexey from Chita region.
After them all of us headed to Nairobi and started boarding on our flights one by one, even though I asked to restrain emotions there were any tears in the airport.
On our way to the airport we were informed that Hannah, Steve’s daughter, who was hosting us all these days, got typhoid and is hospitalized. We’ve prayed for her and for ourselves. Wehopenoneofusgotanyserioussickness.
Thetaskissolved. The hearts of the team experienced a lot but it is so necessary for our souls. We have left good tracks in the form of financial blessings and wells and holy cows and food bought for several months in advance and beds, and payments for the study of street kids and even such things as balls and clothes in the local orphanages, churches and particular families.
The total amount of donations brought by our team and invested in God’s business seemed shocking for Steve. He said that normally American teams don’t invest so much. It is another conformation that it is time for us Russian speaking Christians to go and spread the Gospel till the edges of the Earth! And it confirms – Mission is possible!
Pastor – Pilgrim Gennadiy Mokhnenko