Psalm 50: 10,11
"every animal of the forest is mine and the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know every bird in the mountains and the creatures of the field are mine."
"Safari" is a word that means to journey in Swahili. We usually mean going on a journey into the game parks of Africa, where we ride around and catch beauty, shoot memories, and hunt wonder and amazement. It is one of my favorite things to do in all the world. I am pleased to give you a glimpse into a few of the things I love about going on safari.
We are riding out from a small developing town from the pavement on to a stone and dirt road. We are in a big tan Land Rover with no windows and a pop-top roof that rattles around until it can be released. The group of volunteer physicians and spouses have exited the mission hospital setting and are entering the beauty and calm of the wild in these wide open spaces on the African Savannah. A human can feel the unfettering of creativity and curiosity as we journey further up and further into the Narnian like landscape. We are entering lion country. It's a land of all kinds of creatures that I would love to write home about, but it takes so long to unpack this enclave of inspiration that I typically well up with life and joy and beauty and praise but fear confining the experience with something so mundane as a text, especially in Times New Roman.
There is something about being saturated and engulfed in the whole created order that reminds us; it re-collects our memory that we are also created beings, and that our Creator takes delight in the wellbeing of his servants too. (Psalm 35:27). Going on safari is such a life-giving experience for us, for 24 hours every year after we spend a few weeks working in the mission station. It's a refreshment, yes, and more. It's a re-creation, a time to name creation and delight in the unpredictable, the extravagant nature of God's goodness.
- The Zebra-His name in Swahili is "Pundamilia". It means "striped donkey". Can you hear Shrek calling his name in your imagination? They are much like the donkey but will never be domesticated because their back is not designed for strength to carry burdens. These are a beast of beauty. To me they all look the same, but they each have a distinct stripe pattern because each one is in fact, a unique being. I think about Balaam in the Bible and his talking donkey, These ones are almost talking too- "Look! Listen! Live, knowing the Creator's generosity". They never bathe but somehow maintain such clean black and white lines, I'm constantly amazed.
- The giant giraffe, so regal and silent, appears on the landscape like a slanting cell phone tower that is broadcasting beauty in 5G- "Can you hear me?" When they move they amble. Few 4-legged animals do this funny trick of walking with both right legs together and both left legs together. The Tennessee Walking Horse is another one that can master this gait. The giraffe in a traveling line are called a "journey". They seem to enjoy the safari too!
- Warthogs are endearingly familial. They root and rummage and run together with their tails popped straight up like an antenna. They used to be called "Radio Africa" back when people used radios.
- The Topi is another peculiar beauty. Sometimes drivers like to call them the "Spare parts" animal due to their coloration and shape. I don't think it's body shaming to say they are an oddly built antelope. Their skull and eyes and height allow them to also serve all the plains animals as a watchman on alert for predators. We owe a bit more gratitude to this one.
- Two elephants jostling each other with a little small charge of energy was enough to electrify my sense of smallness and danger. They are so amazing and the closest thing to Jurassic Park we may ever encounter.
- 2 male lions meet like a couple brothers that pile on each other and lazily wrestle for control of the room.
- A Silverback Jackal is over there in the grass. What's he doing? Is he eating? Yes! He is standing proud over his baby gazelle kill. We watch him pick at it trying to carry it over to his family. He decides to lighten the load by disemboweling the prey first. It's like he's slurping up long red Ramen noodles. It's too graphic to video this part. But when we see his little wifey and 2 pups waiting for their dinner, we understand that this is part of the circle of life as it is for us post-diluvian omnivores.
- Last but not least, is the humble little "Waste Paper Flower". These white- petunia-like blooms pop up all over the low grass after the rains and after the grazers have mown the lawn. They remind me of the lavishness of creation that is just for pleasure sometimes, whether or not anyone ever sees them, they bloom in triumph. They encourage us to be what we are meant to be whether or not anyone notices. I love to consider these flowers of the field.
- We sleep in tents on safari. I hear lions at night. They could be 7 kilometers away, but when you hear lions, no matter how far away, you sleep like a rabbit. Of course I'm telling myself we have electric fencing around the camp... but sometimes the power is off. And I've seen the movie "The Ghost and the Darkness"... It's all part of the adventure.
I could go on for years like this. I suppose I do though, as it has been 21 years since I have started missionary work in Kenya. The secret is out though, and the journey we take (almost) every year is such a delightful blessing that we just want to share how great us our Creator God. As we are now back in our "regular" work life of brick and mortar buildings with artificial fluorescent lights and tile or concrete floors, I long more and more to be out of doors. The big blue sky has grown in its value to me. The vault of the sky and the tent of creation are overwhelming. On this lovely Sunday afternoon at home, I am praying a Hebrew Sabbath prayer for us all "Embrace us with a tent of thy peace".
