Jonesbones5 
Out of Africa
The last couple of days have been a huge contrast to what we have done for the first 7 days. We went on a Safari in the Maasai Mara. It was simply amazing. I am so very happy we were able to have this experience, and I take nothing for granted. Here are some thoughts and words from all my kids. They tell all the stories so well. By the way, I am so proud of my girls for being such troopers. They have not complained once on this trip!! That is a record for the family.
By Isabel -This week was the best week of my whole life, like my birthday party on Safari, meeting my sponsored child, and all those other things. It went by very fast. Monday, while at the Safari camp, my family surprised me with an early birthday party. All the workers, cooks and waiters sang for me. I got so embarrassed that my face turned bright pink. There were about 50 people. They came out of the door and used kitchen things and banged them together and sang and dance and put the cake in front of me thinking I would say something, but I was speechless.
On the safari I got to see everything I wanted to. Like an elephant spraying herself with water, I saw a hippo out of water, I saw a lioness eating a zebra, I saw a black rhino (6 in park and park is 1520 square kilometers) and a herd of zebras. After the safari we would go back to our camp. We stayed in a really nice tent with 3 beds, a shower, a toilet, and other things that are not usually in a tent. You think that monkeys are cute until you go there. They jump on your tent when you go to the bathroom. They were all over the place.
The other day, when I met my sponsored child, it was the happiest moment of my life. She was very shy at first and most of the day. That did not stop us from having fun. We had fun with animals.
Top 5 things that happened with animals while visiting our sponsored child.
1. I got to ride a camel.
2. I held a baby crocodile
3. I went on a Safari walk
4. I held a dead poisonous bee
5. My most favorite, I was bit by an ostrich
By Julia – Have you ever felt that feeling of total insignificance? I did. On the safari you are out there just you in an African savanna with a lion 20 ft away from you and the only thing in between you is a jeep.
These last two days were amazing. We stayed at the Kitchwa Tembo lodge in the Maasai Mara. So when you are there you stay in a tent. That’s right a tent. But it’s not just any tent. No, this one has two beds a wardrobe, a sink, a toilet, even a stone shower. The ground is even made of rock flooring. Tent is the wrong word it’s more like a mini house with canvas walls. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the pumbas, you know that wart hog in the Lion King that sings “Hakuna Matata”, they are everywhere! And man, those things are ugly. That sounds mean, but really, they are. Ok, so you guys all think monkeys are all cute and stuff, right? Well they aren’t, don’t get me wrong they are cute but not when you’re taking a pee and they are running on your roof and throwing things at you.
When I was there I came up with a few things that I will probably never say again. Well actually there are a few things like:
1. Watch out for the monkeys on your way back to the tent.
2. Don’t step on the pumba poop.
3. Oh look, another zebra.
4. How many Giraffes can you count?
5. Wow this ostrich tastes good! Way better than last night’s ox tail!
Ok so another thing I mentioned were the animals. You get so close and there is just something about noticing that you are in this animal’s home, that there is no glass wall between you, just a jeep. Looking out, all over you see just blue sky and savanna grass and some trees off in the distance. Oh, and there’s another zebra or two. So the coolest thing I saw was the female lion dragging a zebra carcass by what was left of the leg. We have put in a before and after shot of the zebra that was being dragged below if you would like to see it. I don’t know how to explain the feeling you get when you are out there. It’s almost a poetic feeling of insignificance. You are so small out there, with blue sky reaching as far as the eye can see, and then you see these beautiful, majestic, animals. I don’t think anyone can feel that unless you’re out there. No simulation ride at Disney land is as moving, and you can never capture that feeling of awe that you get when you are so close you can almost touch these animals. I just can’t explain it.
By Grace – I don’t want to repeat the story over but all I can say that this was ssssoooo amazing to see all the animals over the last few days.
I miss you all and taco salad, oh how I want taco salad. All I have been eating is rice, strange meat, and beef stew but I did get to have good stir-fry, chocolate cake, and bread. What my sister didn’t tell you is that every morning, while on Safari, you get woken up with amazing hot chocolate, coffee, and or tea ( I had hot chocolate ). The first morning I woke up with the man carrying hot chocolate at the tent door saying “hello…hello…hello” and I finally woke up, it took a while to untie the knot (I tie it so tight because the monkeys learned how to unzip the zipper and mess with your stuff) but we still got our hot chocolate!! The second night went by so fast, it was sad. In the morning I woke up and started walking towards the bathroom, I stopped and turned around when Julia said “wrong way”. Also, we had the coolest safari driver, his name was Elle. The coolest thing was that he gave us points for spotting animals and what the animals were. I LOST BAD!!! At the end I had 8 a half points wall my sisters had 40 something points. Although I was bad I wasn’t as bad as my mom. She didn’t have glasses or contacts on… she thought that a group of bushes was a heard of waterbuck!!! (tee he) See you guys at home!!!
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Thanks for visiting our blog. Here you will find stories of our family, our travel, our faith and our mission. We are on a journey to serve Christ and to journey through this life.
Jonesbones5 
Thanks kids, I loved hearing from you. Grace, you will get your taco salad when you return. I cannot wait for all of the stories and pictures. Miss you, but will see you soon. Love, G Sandra