Lake Bogoria

Yesterday I had the priveledge of going to Lake Bogoria for the second time. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, mostly because of the hour and a half drive it takes to get there. As usual, I found out we were going a few minutes before we left. We had a Korean couple staying with us the last night who are also missionaries in Kenya, and so Ok Shil wanted to take them to Lake Bogoria. We were supposed to take two cars, our guests and another Kenyan they work with in their car, and me and OkShil and Naomi in OkShil’s big white van. So we are almost to town so we can get gas, and we’ve picked up a few people who wanted a ride a long the way (everyone asks for a ride all the time!) and just before we turn into the town we completely run out of gas. So everyone gets out and pushes us to the top of the hill that will lead us into town. From there we roll into the only gas station. They are out of gas, and they are not getting more until Monday. (it’s Saturday, and I am told this is typical.) So we just kind of sit around outside in the gas station for awhile, I am not sure what is going on because of course everyone is speaking Korean. Soon our missionary guest beckons me to get into the front seat of their car, and a few minutes later all 6 of us are in the 5 person car. Well I was sitting there, in the car with the windows rolled down, the Korean Chamber Orchestra and Choir singing familiar hymns in Korean beautifully plays from the CD player, the driver sitting next to me (to my right) is singing along, there is a man carrying three mattresses on his back up the road, and two sheep running down the road sticking out their tongues to baa which sounds like are going to throw up, I just laugh out loud. Sometimes is just bizarre that I am here. So we finally take off on our trip. We head through the mountains and hills, with just incredible views of the valley the whole way down. I really think this place is a little known secret of Kenya! It is not very inhabited. Every turn is another view of stunning beauty that takes my breath away-it is the vast, incredible valley that stretches far beyond what I can see. Once we are in the valley it is one of those “I am actually in Africa” moments. I feel like I am the camera man in an omni theater presentation of Africa or the photographer in National Geographic. It is what you picture of Africa, sparse trees spread out across open plans. One dusty road leads us to our destination. Along the way we pass and stop for many cattle, sheep, goats, and even donkeys. The typical huts that you think of are in the distance as well. We also spot a big ostrich near the side of the road! Crazy! As we get closer to Lake Bogoria I can smell the change in the air because we are nearing water. The scenery changes to a more lush green and there is more life. In a big stream off to the left there are a bunch of naked boys bathing, and near them a family is doing their laundry and hanging the clothes of a guard rail on the road. It is so interesting. The last time I came here we just went to Lake Bogoria Hotel to have dinner, which is a place that doesn’t fit the local surroundings. It is very nice inside and has a pool and a hot tub, etc. This time, however, we actually went into Lake Bogoria National Reserve. As we drove through the awful road, the lake stretched very long lined with mountains. It is full of pink flamingos! I also spotted monkey’s in the trees, and so many different types of birds. A group of gazelles bounded by us. It was so fun to see! After we drove awhile we came to a hot spring, where we got to boil eggs (I had wondered why we had a bag of eggs with us) and in the hot steamy water. There were a lot of flamingos around the springs. Again, I had to laugh as I ate a hard boiled egg in Africa with a bunch of Korean speaking people around me. On our way back to the hotel to eat we had to dodge a gazelle in the road, as well as a small herd of zebra. In the hotel I enjoyed a nice leg of goat for dinner! The drive back, although pitch black, is so amazing as well. It seems as though we are driving right into the stars. I have never seen so many stars in my entire life, and I just gazed up at them through my open window the whole time. It makes you realize how big God’s earth and creation is, and how incredible to look up at the same sky no matter where you are. It makes me think of so many things, because it is then I truly realize how I am a part of something so much bigger than myself, yet God has me here taking care of what he created. It is crazy! I am so content. And, for the second time, I am holding a big juicy watermelon in my lap the whole way home that we bought on the way there on the side of the road.