AARON'S AND ESTHER'S VISIT TO KENYA
(part 1 of 2 )

Our home church of Weavertown in Lancaster, PA periodically sends one of it's pastors to visit their members on the mission field. This time is was Aaron and Esther Lapp to go to far away Africa to visit us. Since we were recipients of such generosity we are most grateful. Sam was especially glad to have a break from teaching and preaching.

Even though Aaron has been widowed from Sam's sister, Marian, and has since remarried, we still consider him family; brother and uncle. Aaron and Esther arrived the beginning of December and stayed almost 3 weeks. Their trip went well to Nairobi and we came "blutzing" back the 6 hours to our home. Whew! Aaron and Esther were glad it's possible to fly out of Kisumu.

When visitors come, the children are always happy for a reason to go on an excursion. This time we headed for Nakuru Game Reserve. We had prepared a special chicken pattie sandwich lunch once we arrived at the gate but were not prepared for the onslaught of curious monkeys. Since picnic sites are non-existent in Kenya, we perched ourselves on some stumps and logs not far from the van and spread out our lunch. The monkeys came out of.......where DID they all come from? Big and little, half-grown, mothers with babies......as I was distributing the goodies, I lay my sandwich on a stump and told Myrna to watch it......the words were hardly out of my mouth.....a monkey whisked it right from under her nose! Daniel left his sandwich to retrieve mine when another made off with his! We were all watching dumbfounded at the brazen nerve of this thieving when another snatched David's sandwich right out of his hand. It was infuriating! It made you want to spank their little....you know what! But catch them if you can.....

We saw some very interesting animals. This big daddy wasn't too happy we were so close. After snorting and shaking his head, for a minute, we thought he may charge and rend a hole into the side of the van.

We came upon a field of giraffes....27 of them. What graceful beauty! What an interesting physique; God must had fun creating these. We watched them for a good while and they curiously watched us.