Trip on Lake Victoria Wed- Dec 2

Today was a great day! We started with district meeting. We got to play the new keyboard and sing to it and had great lessons. We shared miracles in our lives and they happen every day if you look for them.

Then Fred, who has lived in Kisumu all his life, offered to show us Lake Victoria. We had only glimpsed it. Since it’s against church policy to take anyone but other missionaries in our truck, Fred hired a Tucktuck for ½ a day at 1000 ks—about $13. He took us to the Kenyatta sports park and we walked on that a bit. We went to the northern part of the Lake Victoria that was filled with water hyacinth. This is a noxious weed here and literally covers this part of the lake. It is not indigenous and strangles out other life. They chop away enough to open water for car washes, but there are not many fish there. They put up fences to keep the alligators out though.

We stopped at the impala wildlife sanctuary, but as we didn’t have a work permit, the fees would have been very high. So we decided to come back in a couple of months when we had the work permit.
Then we went to the north inlet of Lake Victoria and rented a boat that took us to see hippopotamuses. We saw about 15. They would raise their heads above water for a moment, then submerge. We got several photos of the splash where they had been. These beasts are 4 tons! They graze on land at night and digest it during the day in the water. Apparently if you go to Dunga Beach (were we rented the boat) in the evening, you might run into a hippopotamus! They are not friendly beasts. We were able to get sort of close with the boat because it was a big lake and they could swim away. On the river, they are more aggressive and will ram a boat and break it. Here are some boats on Dunga Beach. They are used for fishing, hauling Charcoal from Uganda, or taking visitors out.

We returned by way of a wild bird sanctuary. We saw some terns and kites and eagles and other birds. But the ones we saw closest were the ones on Dunga Beach. There were large herons, storks and ibis. It was amazing to see them so close up. We had to hurry on the way back and also the camera battery died so we couldn’t take any more pictures. Phoey!

We were to go to Bro. Steven Ojwong’s house to meet with some of his friends. They are new members—since August, but have recently received the Melchezedek Priesthood. They are fine men who read their scriptures every day and are seeking to learn all they can. Michael told how when he first was introduced to the gospel, he could not understand the Book of Mormon well. I think he is most comfortable in Luoo or Swaheli, but that after he was baptized, it was much easier to understand. Brother Elrod, a teacher by trade, spoke of how he had recently lost his wife through childbirth. In his sorrow, he was comforted by the supportive members of the church. We spoke of how families could be sealed together in the Temple and blessed that way. They he could be with his wife and family in the eternities.

The house was a simple two room building. No running water, no electric. But they managed to serve hot cocoa, a tasty mix of potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and parsley with some good spices—coriander? And rice and bread. What good people are here!

Today -Thursday-the man from Telkom came and hooked up the internet. Wahoo! So my postings may actually be loaded the day they are written.