More elephants you ask????

When I went on safari this time I tried to tell myself that I didn't need more pictures of elephants! (unless they were wearing tutus and dancing ballet)  I must have 500 from my last trips to Africa. What can I say?  I just couldn't control myself!  So here are a few of my favorites! Can I call seven 'a few'?

The lodge where we stayed normally has a waterhole.  You can go down under ground into a viewing area where you can safely watch the animals from their level, just a few yards away.  We could see these elephants walking across the flat plains with their trunks up in an attempt to smell water.

Unfortunately for them the waterhole was dry!  I felt their disappointment.  In fact I think we were as disappointed as they were. The hotel staff said that they had a maintenance issue but that when we came back 'next week' it would be fixed!  Didn't help us too much and didn't satisfy this thirsty fellow either!

I particularly liked this big elephant who had her trunk touching the baby in front of her.  I'm not sure if it was just in affection or to protect the little one or to encourage the baby onwards, but it is really cute!  I learned that in elephant families they often touch each other.  Elephants who falter may be supported between two or more adults and fallen animals will be caressed, prodded and pushed in an attempt to raise them. 

When we first saw this rainbow I commented that all we needed was a elephant herd at the end of the rainbow....around the next bend we saw just that!

This playful little baby was so fun to watch.  At one point he looked at us, flared his ears and appeared to give some thought to charging at our van but decided that rolling in the dirt was more fun anyway!

Can you see the black and white bird in the bush just behind the elephant?  Little elephant amused himself for a long time by chasing after the bird and swiping his trunk in the bird's general direction.  It was hilarious to watch.  He was clearly having elephant play time and the bird didn't seem to mind at all.

I just like this shot of the elephant with his trunk resting on his tusks.  I don't know why they do that.  Our guide said that sometimes it is to let others know that he is coming in peace with no desires to steal a female.  I might believe that except this time the big guy was all alone.  Maybe his trunk was just heavy!

Elephant Danger

Secretly I hoped this elephant would chase our van!  Wouldn't that have been a fun story to tell?

That bit of white at the bottom of the picture is the edge of our van.  Yes, he was THAT close!  I'm not using a zoom! 

You can see that he spent some time deciding whether he liked us or not. Our driver was careful to position the van in such a way that we could get out of there had he decided to charge.  Fortunately, or unfortunately since I was hoping for some excitement, he decided to cross the road behind us!

I guess better safe than sorry but it would have so exciting!

Library Progress

Bumping along in our van through the African bush on the supposed ‘short cut’ between schools,  there were so many things to catch the eye.  The brightly dressed women gracefully balancing a variety of things on their heads while walking along the red dirt road……

Mud huts that are actually small ‘stores’ where enterprising women sell the extra produce from their gardens……

Sisal plantations……

But what caught my eye was a group of children by the side of the road.  One little girl stood alone, reading a book! Because of her uniform I knew she was from Taru Primary School.

When I visited this school two years ago, the books that had been donated by Kenya Keys were still in a box in a storage room.  During the last two years the books in that box have become a lending library and it’s being well used.   The ‘library’ is still in a storage room and bears little resemblance to what we would normally picture as a school library.

Yet this small bookshelf in a Primary school in rural Kenya is opening the door to learning for many children!

In the words of former First Lady Laura Bush, “Libraries allow children to ask questions about the world and find the answers. And the wonderful thing is that once a child learns to use a library, the doors to learning are always open"

Kenya Keys has started libraries in eight primary schools, two secondary schools, as well as a community library.  The extra suitcase of each intern arrives in Kenya filled with books people have donated.  Each of these is a treasure that touches countless children.

Isaac Asimov explains the value of a library well:

“Congratulations on the new library, because it isn't just a library. It is a space ship that will take you to the farthest reaches of the Universe, a time machine that will take you to the far past and the far future, a teacher that knows more than any human being, a friend that will amuse you and console you -- and most of all, a gateway, to a better and happier and more useful life.

The libraries begun by Kenya Keys are definitely part of that gateway!

2014 World Cup

Four years ago at the last World Cup, our favorite team Spain won it all.  It was a thrilling month as we nervously watched game after game and kept seeing our team advance.  This World Cup I spent the first 3 weeks in Africa in a house with no electricity hence no TV.  Each morning I got a report from one of the Africans, who lived in place with electricity and a computer, who dutifully checked the scores for me.  For Spain it was a horrible world cup....they were the first team eliminated and were humiliated by the Netherlands 5-1 and also lost to Chile.  Goodbye Spain!

My friend Tsuma Jira did agree to escort me to the local bar in Taru, Kenya to watch Nigeria play Argentina, my 2nd favorite team.  When we talked to Rinda (the Kenya Keys director) about going to watch the game, I felt like a teenager talking to Mom before going on my first date!  Tsuma promised to walk me home and to get me out of there if there were problems.  I was under strict orders NOT to cheer for Argentina against the African team!  I almost forgot once when Messi scored but was quickly reminded of my promise!  When I remembered that Argentina was going to advance to the next round even if they tied Nigeria, I decided I could cheer for them. The man by me asked which team I supported and I could honestly say, "I want Nigeria to score but I do love Leo Messi".

Since I didn't have the nerve to stand up and take a photo, you will have to just picture this, one lone white person, an elderly woman - ME in a sleazy bar with all these African men and my 22 year old 'date'.  The only other woman was the waitress in her tight jeans and shirt!  I think Tsuma was very brave to be my escort.  I'll never forget that night.  I had fun!  He is a wonderful young man who is about to start his 3rd year at the university!  In some ways I think of him as my 4th son!

Today Argentina beat the Netherlands in the Semi-finals in a very close and emotional game that ended in a shoot-out.  John and Monica said that Buenos Aires was just one big party with people cheering and chanting on every corner plus fireworks and horns honking non-stop.  Here is a picture they sent from the TV.

                         

Look at that crowd! And here are my own favorite Argentina fans out in the street celebrating!

This celebration is just for making it to the finals.  Can you imagine what it will be like on Sunday when and if they win the whole thing?  I'm hoping that happens so Johnny and Monica can experience the celebration.  It will be something to share with their kids someday!

Kenya Again

I just got back from a three and a half weeks in Kenya with my dear friends who run "Kenya Keys."  An experience in rural Africa is unlike any other!  I find it almost impossible to put into words what I saw and felt.  This photo sums it all up for me.

The extreme poverty.  People living in much the same manner they did a hundred years ago; mud huts with no running water or electricity.  This beautiful little girl gazing cautiously at the first white people she has ever seen.  I wonder what kind of life she'll have.  Will she get an education?  Or will she be married at a young age and become just another illiterate woman?  I am hopeful for her and that is why I support Kenya Keys.

kenyakeys.org 

In this little corner of the vast continent of Africa they are making a difference and giving many an education - a weapon for the future. 

When in Argentina.......

To say they are World Cup crazy in Buenos Aires would be an understatement.  Leo Messi adorns countless billboards.  Every newspaper is full of articles about the upcoming tournament. The TV shows a countdown to the first Argentina game! Hopes are high for a World Cup victory!

Viva Argentina! Viva España! Viva Messi!!!!!

A Trip and a Wedding!

A wedding in Argentina...no problem!  You buy a ticket, pack a suitcase, show up at the airport passport in hand and then endure 15 hours on a plane and you are there, ready to enjoy the happy occasion!  Right?

That is what we thought! Our first problem started Friday night before our Wednesday departure.  George had a kidney stone.  The CT scan showed that it was small enough to pass on its own so he was sent home from the ER with good pain meds.  Monday morning he woke up with a 103.6 temp that sent us back to the ER.  This time they admitted him since he now had an infection on top of the kidney stone (which hadn't moved at all).  He was dangerously close to a serious problem - septicemia, a life threatening infection that can get worse very quickly.  The doctor said that it is a good thing we didn't wait a day or two to bring him in.  Thank goodness for antibiotics!  George spent two nights in the hospital and the doctor would not let him travel on Wednesday.  Delta was very nice and changed his reservation to the same flights on Thursday.

After much discussion we decided that I would go ahead and go on Wednesday.  I got to the airport in plenty of time, or so I thought.  There was no line and I handed the agent my ticket and passport.  He looked at it and said, "Do you have your Argentina Reciprocity agreement?".  I didn't know I needed one. To make a long and not very nice story short, I missed my flight because of that little piece of paper and was rescheduled on Thursday with George.  When his doctor saw me at the hospital that afternoon he said that maybe we weren't supposed to go on this trip!  I prefer to think that I was supposed to travel with George.

George was a trooper! Since he was moving pretty slowly and was still very tired, we used the airport wheelchair service. Loved it so much that we may take turns 'needing' a wheelchair on all our trips!  You get right to the front of the lines.  5 hours to Atlanta and then 10 hours to Buenos Aires while recuperating from a serious illness is quite an amazing act of love!  I am not sure I could have done it.    

We arrived in Buenos Aires just in time to go first to the civil ceremony

and then to the Buenos Aires Temple!

We wouldn't have missed sharing this day with John and Mónica for anything! Not kidney stones, infections or reciprocity  agreements!

We even got to be there for their first dinner in their apartment!  Mónica is a very good cook.  John is a lucky guy!

And we are all lucky to have this wonderful addition to our family!  A lady from her ward told me, "John got the best girl in San Miguel". I'm inclined to agree!