Kenya, April 25 - May 14, 2002

We planned to head out to Aberdare National Park on Saturday morning, May 11th. We were to begin to leave at ten o'clock after meeting with the Administrator of the Local Community Hospital, Dr. Isaac Kimau. The meeting went as scheduled and we moving to be somewhat on time. Joe and David have deduced that time here in Kenya is double half as short as time in the USA. For instance when they say it will take one hour to accomplish something or go somewhere it will take two. Please be aware of this when you come here.

 

Originally it was going to be the team with Pastor John and Esther and another Kenyan male. When we were meeting with Dr. Kimau a total of five males showed up. We had two vehicles for the trip. A Pastor Mordecai from Nyvaisha let John borrow his Mitsubishi Pajero (African Montero). We also had Bro Paul's Suzuki Sidekick. Aberdare Park requires that you have a four wheeler due to its temperate rain forest climate. We would also be there in the rainy season, where it can rain up to 200 cm a month. These vehicles would just hold the 11 people for the trip.

 

When we were arranging the rides there was a new twist added. The four children would also be coming, along with their helpers, Lucy and Nancy. This now made for 17 people to be heading up the mountain into the Park. Pastor John would be driven the Pajero while David would be driving the Suzuki. He had been driving it for the past three days and said it reminded him of New Mexico when he lived in the Capitan Mountains west of Roswell. He had actually gotten quite used to the right side drive and left side driving.

 

Four Kenyans (Josephat, Martin, Patrick & Charles) climbed into the back of the Pajero as Arne, Joe  Kirk, Esther and Little John were up front with the Pastor John. David had all the children, Lucy, Nancy and Paul with him. They started off on a three hour tour. Little did this band of saints know what awaited them up the mountain.

 

We had to stop in North Kinangop because the Suzuki's idle needed adjustment and the Pajero's bottom guide plate needed reattaching. After paying 200 /= (Ksh = Kenya schillings, 75/1USD) we headed out of town to the mountains east. They are very close as the crow flies, but because of the roads being so bad it takes so long to go anywhere. For instance from the Kairu house to the Church takes twenty minutes. You can see the church from the side of the house. It is only 3 km by road. As we got to foothills the dirt road gave way to tarmac. This is because it is not as used as the lower road. The thirty years of use without repair has taken it toll on all the lower roads. It was nice to be on a good road.

 

The white Suzuki led up the mountain since it had more power in the lower range of gears. Besides the Pajero had much more weight in its payload. David pulled ahead and even passed a dump truck that had passed him at the base. As they rounded the hairpin corners they began to see piles of elephant dung strewn all over the road at every please. Bamboo trees had been uprooted on the cliff side of the road to the left. It seems the elephants come down out of the hills during the night and meander up and down this road. Paul told David that the elephants even come down to NO Kinangop when the dry season comes. Quite a visitor for your backyard. They leave big presents too.

 

We saw a very large eagle take off from its perch as we climbed higher around a corner. By now the valley below could be see in it entirety. Very lush fertile fields of subsistence farmers checker boarded the landscape. Around another corner we saw a group of Colombus Monkeys at the top of their tree. They are white and black and quite large, about the size of a medium dog. This was beginning to look promising. Around one bend we saw a team of surveyors. With them were two Park Rangers carrying rifles. One held out his hand and stopped us. He asked us if we were heading up to the Park and we affirmed that. He stated that they were the Rangers for that gate and that he needed us to give him a ride the 1/2 mile to the gate. So we stuck Paul in the middle of the front and put Ranger Joseph and gun in the left passenger side.

 

As we arrived at the Mutubio gate of Aberdare National Park we were presented with a marvelous view of the blue-green mountains and moors that dot the landscape. Everything was so lush and full. The Park sign said that this gate was 10,506 feet above sea level. You could really feel that in the air. We waited for the other vehicle to arrive as the dump truck arrived to drop its load of rocks. It had been raining every day for weeks and it was extremely muddy. The rocks were to provide a base to lay a bed of dirt. The Pajero showed up and we began to get all the entrance fees in order.

 

In Kenya you are given a smart card to identify who you are. The Kenyans that came had all forgotten them except for Pastor John. This meant that the National Park Ranger that we had picked up on the mountain road had to ride with us to the Main Gate 54 km east of us. We would then pay there for the park fees than we would have to drive the Ranger, named Joseph the 54 km back to Mutubio Gate. If the road were anything like the roads we had previously encountered this was going to be a long day. Averaging 15-20 km/hour it would be at least three hours one way. That would not include any side excursions.

While at the gate, David had what some would call a "deja vu" experience. We prefer to think of it as a revelatory vision from the Lord. As we bent over and adjusted his backpack, he knew that Joe was going to say something about the beauty of this place. He knew the words before he even said them. When Joe did say them, David said "The Lord showed me that to let us know that we are supposed to be here and that He is with us." All agreed that He was with us. When all was set, Ranger Joseph climbed into the Suzuki, Paul moved over to the Pajero and we headed off down the road.

Our first side trip was the Karuru Falls. These falls are located in a lush valley that is reminiscent of a jungle in the jungle of South America or Southeast Asia. These long thin falls are all over this valley. One across the way Gura Falls looks to drop around 600-800 feet. It is quite the marvelous site. Karuru Falls drops in three levels. The first level is 387 feet, the second is 45 feet and the third is over 420 feet. You cannot see the last drop as it is out a bit from the cliffs. The overlook is right next to the first drop-off. The side of the falls are filled with tropical plants and bamboo. When walking back over the bridge which is 40 feet from the edge, you would never even suspect that the falls are right there.

Our next side-trip was to The Cave, which is located on the Chania River at Chania Falls. The cave is right under the Falls which are around 60 feet high and 30 feet wide. We could not go very far under because the water level was higher than normal. Usually you can walk right up to the falls underneath. We headed back out across the park on our trek to the Main Gate.

We now began to move a bit faster as time was running short to get there and back. Ranger Joseph was now in the Pajero which was in the lead. We were making up for lost time. David was having a hard time keeping up with the lead vehicle. He would catch glimpses of them in way up in front and then lose them again. At last he came around a corner and there they were stopped in front of them. They must have caught a glimpse of the animal we came to see. The elusive elephant of Aberdare. We soon realized that they were stopped for other reasons which we will share in a moment.