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Published: October 5th 2012
7 years ago as newlyweds we left NZ for India, then went on to Sri Lanka to help with reconstruction after the Tsunami. Many rice and curry meals later, we moved to the land of ugali (kenyan mashed potato), where we have been working on a global water supply and sanitation project, which finishes at the end of this year. We are now a family of 5, with 3 beautiful girls who view Kenya as home. Charlotte is enjoying school, a keen ballet dancer/princess and reader. Hayley is our fashion queen with spunk to boot, and Emma is a singing, dancing, chatterbox who is comfortable speaking in English and Swahili. We are not sure what adventures lie ahead, but it looks like we may not be done with Africa just yet (sorry New Zealand!).
This past month we have been on 2 safaris in Kenya, and Murray had a trip to Oslo for work.
Safari 1: Fathers Day camping weekend at Sanctuary Farm.
We had a great weekend with Max, Gillian and Ariana camping on a farm with zebras, wildebeest, impala, and giraffes wandering past the campsite while we drank our cups of tea. And at
Our campsite
Sanctuary Farmnight we heard the hippos munching close by. Many croquet matches were played and the girls enjoyed a Dads and daughters cricket game.
Safari 2: Masi Mara – Annual Wildebeest Migration.
The last time we really camped (none of this glamping malarkey), was 3 years ago, with Max and Gillian when they came on holiday. Hayley was 4 months old, and we had lions roaring at us very close by. Hayley is now 3yrs, Emma is knocking on 2yrs old, and Charlotte is 5yrs old. Wow, it was much easier to camp with older kids, and helps having Uncle, Aunty, Niece and Pastor/Uncle Russell watching and helping with everything. We had a lovely campsite and an AWESOME safari. I have to say this is one of the best safaris we have ever had in Kenya. Apart from the usual animals, we had a herd of elephants walk past our campsite, the Guppies car spied a leopard in a tree, we saw 2 wildebeest/zebra crossings at the Mara River, and we just missed a lion kill. At one crossing, it was only our 2 cars there, and we got the “money shot” so to speak. The wildebeests
Croquet
Sanctuary Fam thundering down the cliff, with the dust billowing behind them, thousands of wildebeests braving the croc infested water to get to the grass on the other side, apparently the grass is greener on the other side? The hooves thundering, the splashing of water, then more hooves thundering, then the call going back to the herd on the other side to come on over. It was amazing, the best ever, I feel we have seen a crossing to which all future crossings will be compared to. Did I mention, it was awesome?! 😊
With Max, Gillian and Ariana on countdown to finish their year in Kenya, we are trying to spend as much time with them as possible, and with this the last opportunity to holiday with them (they give their car back soon), it was truly like God was smiling down on our weekend together, he even threw in a rainbow so we wouldn’t forget this creation we were enjoying was all his. Awesome!
Oslo.
Murray spent a few days in Oslo, Norway at a global Water and Sanitation Cluster meeting with Red Cross, UN and a number of other NGOs planning for improved coordination
and response before the next major emergency strikes somewhere on the globe.
The future.
Paul Coleman trio have a song where the chorus goes “God only knows”. We have had a job offer, but are still waiting for a contract and a start date. We’ll let you know more details once we know. Our current contract finishes in December, and Murray is now closing down the project – reducing staff numbers, disposing assets, preparing final reports, etc.
Keep us in your prayers as we approach transition mode. And also keep Kenya in your prayers. With Al Shabab grenade attacks happening on churches, the latest on a Sunday school, and unrest in Tana River district in the lead up to elections next year in March.
Love,
Miriam
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Esther
non-member comment
Wow
Amazing photography