MY FIRST SAFARI: A Testimony of Provision and Adventure

I can hardly believe I forgot to write about something so amazing—MY FIRST SAFARI!! When I lived in Uganda before, I longed to experience the wild beauty of the animals here, but I never had the opportunity. Between finances and the busy pace of life, it just never worked out. Little did I know, that the dream of going on a safari would be part of Yahweh’s restoration of everything the locust stole from me. But that’s a whole other story, and I’ll save it for later—so make sure you’re subscribed to the blog to keep up with all the updates, and be on the lookout for my book!

For now, let me tell you about this incredible adventure. I didn’t want Sandi to leave Uganda without experiencing the majesty of the wild animals here. We hadn’t planned for it in our budget, and truthfully, I didn’t have the extra funds to make it happen, but then I got a message from a friend, Joshua, who was in Murchison Falls National Park. He invited Sandi and me to come along, and I decided to ask Papa if He could make it possible.

I started researching the costs: park entry fees, hotel prices, fuel estimates. Over the years in nonprofit work, I’ve learned that you can’t plan anything without a budget, and even more so, you can’t pray effectively without knowing exactly what you’re asking for. So, I did my homework, calculated the expenses, and then brought it to Yahweh. That was on Monday, September 16th.

The next morning, I woke up to a Hallelujah chorus blessing! A client who hadn’t paid an outstanding bill for about eight months sent an e-transfer, paying the full amount—and guess what? It was the exact amount we needed for the safari! I called Sandi to come to my room, and when I told her, I honestly don’t know who wanted to shout the loudest.

Two days later, we were on the road, heading for Murchison Falls! Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my! (Okay, maybe not tigers and bears, but you get the excitement.) About three hours into the journey, we stopped for a break in a town where the AC in our van stopped working. A quick detour to a local mechanic fixed that, and we were back on the road. We stopped for lunch a little further along, and Sandi and I enjoyed some delicious chicken spring rolls, which were such a treat.

Then, around 3 pm, we reached the infamous Machine Gun Preacher’s truck stop (yes, the one from the movie!). By the time we were nearing the park, we were getting pretty anxious. Joshua’s ETAs were, let’s just say, optimistic, and we couldn’t help but tease him. But eventually, at 4:45 pm, we reached the gate. With just an hour of daylight left, we headed in, hoping to catch some animals before nightfall. We were not disappointed.

We saw so many Kobs, Water Buffalo, Giraffes, a Hippo, and even a few Elephants! By the time we reached the water, most of the animals had dispersed, but we did catch a hippo bathing and some rather adventurous young men preparing to fish. We had no idea what they were thinking—those guys might just become someone’s dinner before they managed to catch their own!

That evening, we were supposed to stay at the lodge I had booked, but it turned out to be a complete fiasco. The place I’d booked was actually closed for renovations, so they arranged for us to stay at another lodge instead. I had chosen the original place because it had AC, and after the long, hot journey, Sandi and I were definitely looking forward to a cool reprieve. Unfortunately, this new place wasn’t ideal either. Each of us got our own banda (a grass-roofed cottage), but it was stifling hot, and I had some issues with the shower and the fan. Still, we managed to sleep and woke up early, ready for more adventure.

Back in the park by 6:30 am, we set off to see more animals, and this time, we were rewarded with an even closer look at giraffes and elephants. I was still in awe of the creativity of our Creator, as I marveled at the incredible variety of wildlife in this magnificent place. But we were determined to see lions—after all, they’re my favorite animal! Since I was a little girl, I always dreamed of having my own lion cub to raise.

Then we got word that a few lions had been spotted, and we went into full-on "chase mode." We weren’t alone in our quest for these magnificent creatures—several other safari vehicles had the same idea. What followed was a race through the park to track them down before the lions moved again.

It was a bit of a safari “Formula 1” moment—vehicles zooming around, trying to follow the lions’ last known location. The excitement and competition were palpable as we followed the other safari vehicles. Sadly, when we finally arrived at the spot, we saw that the lions had already jumped down from the tree they had been slumbering in and disappeared into the tall Savannah grasses. The timing couldn’t have been worse, and our hearts sank. It was a huge disappointment, but we refused to let it spoil the experience.

On our way back to the main road to refuel, we were rewarded with a bit of redemption. Right there, along the roadside, was a large herd of elephants. From grandparent elephants to tiny babies, it was an awe-inspiring sight. While we didn’t catch the lions or any crocs, the elephants were just as magical. It was a perfect way to end our safari adventure.

Next time Sandi visits, we’re headed to Queen Elizabeth Park, where the famous tree-climbing lions are known to sleep in fig trees (at least, I think they’re fig trees—but we’ll find out!).

I am so incredibly thankful for Yahweh’s provision and blessing. I never expected to experience something as extraordinary as a safari with Sandi, Faith, and Joshua, but here we are, trekking along in our “Noah” (our very own ark, so to speak). It’s a memory I’ll cherish forever.