Surprise Animal Encounters
Cats, Bats, and More Inhabit Kenya
by Marti Fisher
You simply cannot set foot on the African continent without having animal interaction! Some you'll choose — some you won’t. During our Kenya 2009 mission, in addition to seeing the usual creatures, we had a few surprise encounters.
One morning Cassia came out of her room screaming, “There’s a frog in the toilet!” “Really? A sewer frog?” I asked. Sure enough, it was there causing havoc. It had been flushed more than once but each time it returned. It seemed to have staked out its home on the inner lip of the toilet bowl. Finally, I found a pair of disposable gloves, gave them to Esther, and she “fished out” the frog. What a good laugh we all had.
Not long after this first incident, I went to use an outhouse bathroom of sorts. A lovely brown bat rose up to check me out. I knew one thing about bats: it wasn't down there alone. It was probably voted the most likely to find out what was happening in the outside world. I didn't scream (although I had had lots of practice during my years living in Kenya) but waited until it chose to head back down the hole. That was yet another “animal surprise” that seems to always await those who go on mission trips.
Then our neighbors brought home a little kitten that was nearly run over on the road. Naming her Penelope, she was so cute. Most all of us enjoyed this little unexpected animal visitor. When it was time for us to leave, one of the workers promised to take her home with him. Esther is pictured here with the little furry kitty. Both are enjoying a good nap.
We were delighted to learn that the night guard discovered a pair of hedgehogs outside our rooms on the Lutheran Guest House grounds. Not to be confused with warthogs, which can be menacingly ferocious, hedgehogs are small, gentle, nocturnal mammals that are easily recognized by their hollow-hair spines. In my photo collection below is a shot of one little guy that Abby befriended and caressed admiringly.
But the best surprise animal interaction happened on Andrew's birthday, while we were staying in the village. The chief had asked Andrew to join him on a short walk. Apparently, local villagers had recently speared a huge warthog that was repeatedly eating the village's corn crop. Knowing that Andrew loved such adventures, the chief led him through the bush to see it. Andrew carved off a warthog leg, brought it back, and we all enjoyed roasting it, complete with garlic and chili. We called the special entrée “Andrew’s warthog birthday cake.”
Below, please enjoy action shots of a variety of our animal encounters this year in Kenya.
Love,
