Ruaha National Park. — Report and pictures were received Sun July 25.
Sunday July 25th, at Tumaini University, Iringa, Tanzania:
Hello to all of our friends. The mission team continues to stay relatively healthy and navigate our way successfully around Tanzania. During the past 5 days we left Lukani, our partner congregation, visited Ruaha National Park, and then returned to Iringa to start our bible camp.
After returning from Lukani, we spent some much needed time relaxing and taking warm showers. The next day we slept late, ate breakfast and then began the four hour drive to Ruaha National Park. When we were just about into the park we saw three lions sitting right near the side of the road – our first animal sighting!
We got moved into our rooms at the Mwagusi camp, which were very luxurious, and after lunch headed off for our afternoon safari. As luck would have it, we saw two lionesses and their cubs lounging in the shade! We got quite close to the animals, and it was very exciting.
The next couple of days were spent on safari, and we saw many giraffe and zebra, and were even trumpeted at by an elephant!
A couple of the elephants at Mwagusi were a little too friendly, and came right near some of our bandas...probably only about twelve feet away.
Each night at Mwagusi dinner was served on the riverbed, which was just amazing. The first night we dined there, we saw a pride of nine lionesses walking across the same riverbed where we were eating. A little scary!
Once our wonderful trip to Ruaha was over, we returned to Iringa and spent some time shopping in the market. Sunday morning we attended a church service at Kihesa Lutheran Church on the outskirts of Iringa and had the privilege of worshipping with its congregation. Pastor Jim delivered the sermon, which was translated into Swahili by Benjamin Ngede, a member of the congregation who works for the diocese. In addition, Jim was honored to perform a baptism of one of Kihesa’s newest members. Following the service we had a nice lunch in the fellowship hall of the church and then headed to Tumaini to prepare for the arrival of our campers!
Please keep us in our thoughts and prayers. During the next week or so we should have more routine (daily) internet access.
In Christ.
St Stephen Tanzania Mission Team 2004
