THIS is AFRICA!!!!!!!!!

I have fallen in love with Africa

We just returned from a 5 day trip to Kruger Park 

and I have completely fallen in love with

 

AFRICA
Bruce and I were asked to join a group of couples who were going to Kruger Game Preserve to participate in a Rhino Rescue. We took two vans with 7Missionary Couples, and Elder Lee. We had a total of 21 people. Sean Donnelly who is the Public Affairs Officer for the church and his wife Diane met us at the lodge, Ndabushe, as well as the Nielsen's, and the Poleson's.

 

FROM THE MOMENT WE ENTERED THE FIRST GAME PRESERVE

I FELT LIKE

A CHILD AGAIN

I OPENED MY WINDOW,

 HUNG MY HEAD OUT

AND JUST SOAKED IN THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS, AND SMELLS OF
AFRICA

 

After we checked in to our lodge we took a short drive through Klaserie Private Nature Preserve.

We arrived just before the sun began to set

 



and that is when I knew I had finally discovered

Africa

The sky turned a beautiful shade of gold

and then

as if a light switched on

the moon began to fill the night sky

 

 

Saturday morning we got up early and headed out to Kruger Park

No words can describe the feeling of seeing these amazing creatures

 

  

I was surprised at how big the elephants were

We found this little group and watched as the largest elephant showered herself with wet sand

 Each time we stopped the car I found myself completely in awe of these beautiful creatures

 

 

 

 

Genisis: 25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

 

and it WAS GOOD

 

IT WAS OH SO GOOD!

 

The Kruger Game Reserve  

In 2013 over 1,000 Rhinos were poached in South Africa alone. The Kruger Game Reserve is very concerned with protecting the rhinos from poaching. Sean Donnelly from our area office, organizes 3 groups of volunteers a year who finance and work on the capture team.  The park relies on sponsor groups to tag,(implant microchips)  and mark (ear notch) the rhino population. To date 210 Rhinos have been tagged and marked. Since the project began only three poaching incidents have occurred in Kruger Park, while there have been many more in the surrounding areas.  

 

 

These two sweet creatures were caught by poachers who cut off their horns with a chain saw. The Rhinos have been rescued and unfortunately they have been so mutilated their horns will never grow back. They now have steel plates put in place of their horns. The Rhino Rescue Project is an attempt to discourage poaching Rhinos for their horns.