Maasai Mara Trip

Maasai children appear

As the country waited for the election results we left Naiobi to visit Maasai Mara and a congregation of Maasai Christians. This small church was built and started under the leadership of our friends George and Martha Mixon. Most who attend are children. When we arrived we were greeted by beautiful Maasai children in brightly colored clothing with big waves and tremendous smiles. Even the young ones carry infants tied to their backs. The Maasai children were enthralled with Laura, the Mixon’s four year old daughter. The children crowded to see this little Mzungu (white person). They were also fascinated with the Mixon’s turtle(Mr. Rectangle), photos of themselves, Anna’s hair and our skin differences. The church worship was lively and our friend George preached.

Maasai Home visit

We were invited after church for tea in a Maasai home. Maasai homes are built of sticks, mud and manure. The smaller animals share the home with the family. When you enter it is so dark you can’t see. It is small but ingeniously built by the Maasai wife. It was a tight squeeze for our family plus the Mixon’s. Lewis and Lowell (both 6’4’’) were glad to see sunlight.

We began to travel home and our car died in front of a neighboring Maasai village. Young Maasai men watched as George and Lewis hooked up our car for towing.

Note that the cold decoration on their head indicates they have just been circumcised are now entering manhood.

As we started our journey home it soon became dark. There are no marked roads even in the daylight it is a challenge to find your way out of the park. It was a miracle that George could successfully tow us through the rugged terrain and find his way to a nearby mission in total darkness. We should have been stranded. It was at the mission that we heard reports of the election results and outbreaks. Had our car not broken down, we would have traveled home at a dangerous time. It was God’s providence that we were detained due to our car breaking down.. We could have been stranded anywhere, but God provided another miracle. The men who ran the mission where we were staying were trained mechanics. They were there, identified the problem and gave us a new car battery so we could return home. We traveled the next day to another mission only 4 hours from Nairobi with the plan to travel beginning at dawn in order to arrive early morning in the city to prevent encountering any violence. We got on the road and the Mixon’s car died. A police mechanic with his friends tried to determine the problem, but after hours of waiting roadside, George flagged down a van for his family to return to our home while he remained behind and was eventually towed home to Nairobi.

We all arrived safely home and were so blessed to have had this experience with such special people before the election was announced. Kenya has changed dramatically since that time. There is so much uncertainty and loss of many lives and homes. Please pray for peace and justice in this land. Pray for the countless people who have suffered such great loss.

Thank you for joining us in prayer.
Melody