Where He leads...: To the Wilderness!

To the Wilderness!

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On Monday, I went with some of the FHS kids to a local private farm (Ongos Wilderness) for a game drive. Three Land Rovers pulled up and we hopped in the back for a ride through the outskirts of Katutura to the farm. Some of the AIM missionaries have built a relationship with the owners, Ulf and McKayla, and they've agreed to allow our kids to come out for field trips. The trip includes (free of charge!) a game drive, some scat and tracks identifying, and a sit down chat with juice, fat cakes, and chocolate. The farm has teamed up with Biosphere-Expeditions, a global program that provides opportunities for conservation volunteer work. The volunteers with Biosphere were involved in helping lead our kids. I know of at least one volunteer who has already agreed to sponsor a child at FHS!

It was such a fabulous morning, and I'm never sure who has more fun on these trips... the kids or me! I know the kids really enjoy going on adventures like these. I was brought up going on family and school outings to all sorts of places. So they obviously REALLY enjoy these trips. But what makes the trips so special for me is that I'm not only enjoying the trip myself, but I'm having such a great time watching the kids have a great time, and seeing the world afresh through their eyes.

When we arrived, it was feeding time for the leopard. This leopard is actually "tame" and it is my goal before I leave Namibia to get a photo with it. Not through the cage, but with that leopard right beside me... hopefully kissing or licking my face! :)

After watching the leopard have his breakfast, we jumped back on the trucks and headed for the game drive. The three trucks split up so that we'd have a better chance of seeing more animals. A caravan will likely scare them away. Most trucks saw kudus and springboks. We saw a couple eland. And one truck was lucky and saw several giraffes.

This was the most water I've seen in Namibia for a long time. Unfortunately, I think a lot of the Katutura "toilets" run into this particular stream.

Each group also had some time off the truck. The Biosphere volunteers quizzed them on scat and tracks. My kids, all girls, scored very well. After the game drive, we all headed for the restaurant/lounging area. The kids all sat around the big table and were offered giant fat cakes, juice, and Swiss chocolate. Some of the volunteers and researchers gave more information and answered any questions the kids had.

It's scat identifying time!

It is so great that FHS has been able to build these relationships that are really enriching the lives of the kids. So many of them never get an opportunity like this, so it's great that FHS is able to provide so many new experiences.

This was our truck, with our token male Philippe... a policeman from Switzerland.

Philippe offered his water to the kids. They gratefully accepted. Another volunteer passed out chewing gum.

Philippe also let them play with his fancy toys.

Volunteer Ben made a fast and inseparable friend.

He also passed his hat around for all to enjoy.

The next day, the kids were asked to draw pictures and write about their time at Ongos. Midway through I jokingly asked where I was in all the pictures. I quickly started popping up in several of them... look for "Anna". That's me!