4th of July Safari to Imire

 It's been a while since we have updated this blog so we want to bring you up to date as far as what is going on in Zimbabwe.  We have been here just about 1 1/2 months now and I can say that we are pretty well settled down and understand what we are doing.  It has been a long process, but a good one.  We really haven't done much traveling at all, but as you can see by the pictures we have gone on a wonderful overnight safari to a place call Imire.  Jean really wanted to do something for the 4th of July, so we got our heads together and talked to Pres. Dube about taking the 4th off and he went for it, so we talked to all the other couple missionaries and found out where we could go and started planning.  This place was unbelievable and it was only an hour and a half from where we live.  We got a winter rate deal for all the couples and it only cost $180 per couple which is a real deal.  It included lodging for 1 night, lunch, dinner and breakfast, and snacks.  The food was the best, especially eating lunch with the RHINOS.  The cabins were fabulous with thatched roofs and all the amenities.  They load us up on a wagon and had a tractor pull us all over the place.  It was so hugh, we didn't think we were going to make it back to the ranch.

 

 What was so amazing was the rhinos and how close we were able to get to them, they are so majestic.  When we got to the place where we were going to eat lunch, there was a couple of rhinos right by this picturesque lake.  It was fantastic.  Both of us kept saying to one another we can't believe we were in AFRICA!  The guide that we were with said that poachers had killed 2 rhinos last year, so now they have armed guards with them 24/7.  He also said one horn would bring as much as $60,000.00. 





They had both the black and white rhinos on this ranch which is very unusual.  This elephant to the right is 40 years old and is the father to one of the baby elephant.  We actually went on an elephant ride on this big boy as you can see by the other pics.

WHITE RHINOS

One of the greatest events that we had here was the opportunity to ride the elephants.  It was so unbelievable to be able to climb on the back of one of these majestic animals and look down at the ground and pray that you don't fall off.  I'm thinking we were at least 15 feet off the ground and when he first started out in was so smooth and effortless.  He just kind of lumbered along.  Jean held on for dear life.  When we were finished Jean wanted to give the guide a tip, so she asked how do I get the money to you because we were already on the ground, and he said just put it on the ground.  So she did and the elephant didn't see her do it, but he found the money and picked it up with his trunk and handed it back to the guide.  It was amazing to just watch what they could do.

We saw so many different animals and they were all so beautiful.  We especially liked the Sable, Elephants, and especially the Giraffes.  They were so majestic standing in the trees and eating.  There was a very large male that came up to our wagon and you could see all the distinct markings and coloring. 

 We can't express how much we enjoyed getting away from the office and visiting with the other couples.  We were able to be with the Jefferies for the first time and it was good to be with them.  Sister Jefferies sang some very patriotic songs that made us all home sick for America, but it was good to get together and share some stories.  The Bowen's are getting ready to head for the barn the first of September, and they are busy trying to get the family history program started in the various stakes around here.

When we got back from our trip, Pres. Dube had an interview with us and told us that we were being assigned to a new Branch that is on the way to where we went on this Safari.  It is a Sunday assignment, and it takes about an hour and a half to get there.  There are no Missionaries there right now, but he wants to put two sets there as they are getting ready to open a new chapel there in the next few weeks.  We talked to some of the other Senior Couples here and told them of our assignment and they all said that it was the best assignment in the entire mission, so we are so jacked about it.  Last Sunday we had the opportunity to take a young family to church with us in Epworth.  It was so humble to be there, and the Missionaries had about 20 investigators there.