I Spy With My Little Eye
Written by Stephen "Cyzuzo" Henrich
On every trip we schedule one day to take a break from our ministry work to spend some time exploring the wonders of Rwanda. When we have new team members with us, as we do this year in Donna and Billy (our great new translator) that usually means a safari at the Akagera National Game Reserve in the east of Rwanda - on the border of Tanzania. This outing is always funded by the team.
Having been to Rwanda many times, Heidi, Liz and I have made several tours of Akagara but the beauty of God's creation never fails to amaze us! We were able to "spy" many incredible creatures including elephants (one up very close), white rhinos, (again up close and personal), zebras galore, warthogs, hippos, giraffes, impala, Cape buffalo, crocodiles and so many more. Birds of all types are in abundance and it's good to have a field guide to put a name to the strange and colorful creatures flying by our Toyota Land Cruiser! It really is like the children's car game of "I spy with my little eye" as we all furiously scan the jungle or the savanna for movement.
Our expert guide and driver, Bosco, took us along the back country "roads" (they are challenging to the spinal cord of this old gent) and answered our every question. We departed before the sun arose, drove the hour and a half to the park and got back at about 4:30 pm. We call it a rest day, but it sure does take a lot of energy!
In the past we have visited cultural centers and even a tea plantation but the wonder and beauty of seeing an African elephant only a few meters from your face is something not to be missed if given the opportunity! We love what the Lord has for us to do in East Africa but it is also a blessing to experience Akagara.
But the day was not without a minor controversy. Near the end of our journey in the park, Bosco stopped the vehicle to scan a vast section of the savanna with his binoculars. Rhinos, zebra and gazelle were readily identifiable, but he saw something several hundred yards out that told his trained eye that he was "spying" a small pride of lions. Now, one of our team members (who shall remain nameless) had never seen a lion in the wild in all her trips to the reserve. Despite clearly identifying the male from the three resting female cats, she used her presidential authority to declare that she cannot count this as having seen a lion because she couldn't see them with her naked eye. (Insert a Cyzuzo eyeroll here)...
Well, the rest of us saw lions and it was thrilling! I guess next trip we may have to let her hike on up to get within eyeball range to tick off that bucket list item. Of course, that probably should be the last item on anyone's bucket list unless they run like Ussain Bolt.
A great, great day despite the "controversy ". Feel free to leave a comment to indicate whether the unnamed team member has seen Simba or not!
God bless you for following our journey. Another long day tomorrow as we meet with two new groups and then relocate to Nyamata for a few days! And Nyamata means "goat on a stick"! I'm excited!