While in Nairobi, Kenya for three days of training for administering the Perpetual Education Fund we decided to board a small twin engine plane and fly to the Masai Mara game preserve to enjoy a safari.

After landing on a gravel runway we were meet by our guide  and driver, Nicholas who took us to the Mara Serena Lodge where we enjoyed very good food and accommodations.

We travelled in an open air vehicle which made for easy viewing of the wildlife and terrain.















Our room was quaint and very comfortable overlooking the Mara River and wildlife.

 We were always entertained with baboons outside our room.

This is obviously the tough part of missionary "work".

 For three days we travelled with our guide observing and taking pictures of the wildlife.














We enjoyed watching the animals, and they seemed to enjoy watching us.

Although we were not there during the season of the mass migration of wildabeasts, we enjoyed seeing the animals in their natural habitat

The Masai villagers were very warn and friendly, and anxious to adopt Sister Thayn into their family.

 It was hard for us to believe that we were sitting for breakfast on the edge of the Mara River overlooking a pod of hypos in the water and crocodiles sunning on the banks.  We were grateful that they had already eaten.

The crested crane is a beautiful bird, and the national symbol for Uganda.

The Masai village we visited was comprised of several adult men, with several wives each.  Each wife had a mud hut wherein she lived with her children and some of the young animals.  Their diet consisted of only three things - meat, milk and blood.  The blood being drawn from the cow's neck on a regular basis to be mixed with milk and made into something they all enjoyed eating.  We were happy they were not serving lunch during our visit.

 Although their diet sounded terrible to us, it obviously agreed with them.  They all appeared healthy and strong.  The chief standing next to Elder Thayn is 79 years old, has four wives and eighteen children.  He had just married his fourth wife so he could have more children.  He was very articulate having been well educated in England.  An amazing people.








This was his newest wife, obviously a well decorated woman.

You get the feeling that you are out of your element when you have to slow down while a herd of giraffe cross the road.

The movement of families of elephants was always accompanied by white egrets at their heels feasting on the insects stirred up as they walked through the grass.

We happened upon a family of lions finishing off a zebra caught shortly before we arrived.















Well fed and nothing to do but lay around and pose for pictures.