Youth Safari (Part 2 of 3)

Nature Haven

We arrived at our campsite just as the sun was setting in. There was still enough light available for us to see the bathrooms and where the tents were set up. As is often the case lately, the power was out, so we would need to rely on flashlights and candles.

Immediately I started imagining how and where I was going to be sleeping. Would I be crammed into a tent with 10 girls? I didn’t bring a pillow or sleeping bag. What would I do? I had calmly figured out that I would be just fine using my jacket for a pillow and my towel for a blanket.

When we unloaded the bus we were greeted by the pleasant smile and familiar giggles of a man we know as Mr. Winnes Massawe. It was strange and surreal to see him here as he is an employee of the Northern Diocese and the architect on the building at Nkiraawanga. What was he doing 5 hours away from Moshi at a wilderness camp? He led the way for us into this beautiful thatched roof, open air dining hall and started serving everyone juice and popcorn. We were hungry and this snack was delicious, so we didn’t question much we just sat down with the youth and ate.

The kids took turns finding their tents and taking their showers, first the girls and then the boys. We sat waiting to find out where we would be sleeping and eventually we were led off to some little cabins. These rooms were as nice as any African hotel room I’ve stayed in where we each got our own rooms with a bathroom and hot shower as well.

I felt a little bit guilty for enjoying such a nice room while the kids slept out in tents, but the bed was so comfortable and sleep came so easily that my guilt disappeared with my consciousness. The next day I found out that the kids slept 2 per tent and each tent had two mattresses in it with blankets and pillows as well. Whew, those would have been great accommodations too.

That evening we gathered back in the dining area for a meal, which was delicious, followed by a youth seminar. As he does in his sermons, the youth seminar was no different - Pastor Mmanga really got going! The seminar was supposed to be 30 minutes long, but it lasted about an hour and 15 minutes. This wouldn’t have been that bad had it not been 11:45 p.m. when it all ended.

Of course the baby was there the whole time, and at some point during Pastor Mmanga’s message, Pastor Shao leaned over to us and asked us if we though the baby looked like him. Yes, she did. It was Pastor Shao’s baby, and Omega is babysitting her. That answered a LOT of questions I had. So we entertained ourselves during this long lecture in Swahili by watching little Loveness explore and play.

In the morning we had a hot shower and a delightful breakfast and when we paid the bill for our stay we learned that Mr. Massawe is actually the owner of this campsite. He is also a very generous man who cares about the church because he gave us a very very good deal on our stay. They also sent us off with box lunches to take with us into the crater and gracious invitations to return to Nature Haven in the future.

I do think we will.




A few more pictures from Nature Haven

I was having a conversation with Pastor Shao when I looked over and saw these two boys standing right next to me.  I third boy was taking a picture of them, and me.  I think they were too scared to ask me for a picture so they just though they'd get one near me.  I had the kid take one with my camera too.

It's been awhile since I was a youth director, it is a "thing" now to get in fireplaces and pose for pictures?  Another kid, who I think was the "official trip photographer" was taking a bunch of pictures of this kid and he was posing like they were his senior pictures.  Then he got in the fire place!  I thought it was so funny I had to get a picture too.