Walking with Lions, Zimbabwe

I felt like an old explorer with my walking stick as I set out across the African Savannah. Bouncing playfully alongside me were four lions, each were nine-months-old.

I took time to visit a research center on the African lions while I was in Zimbabwe. It was the coolest thing! I got to play with some lion cubs that were around four-months-old. They were as playful as kittens, but MUCH bigger and a lot stronger. Their coat is not as soft as it looks. It feels like really coarse hair. The cubs love to play and chase strings, just like kittens.

This research site is trying to breed southern African lions with east African lions. The southern lions are dieing out due to a virus. The east African lions are resistant to this virus, so they are breeding the two.

We walked with the older cubs through a small game reserve. The purpose is to get the lions interested in other animals. It’s preparation for when it’s time for them to hunt and kill. Right now, stalking is just a fun game for the cubs.

Believe me, while these were just nine-month-old lions, they were still really big and STRONG. You couldn’t turn your back to them, or else they would playfully attack (to them playing, but they are so strong that it’s not playing to us). I watched my four young companions stalk a large kudu. It was very surreal to crouch with them in the tall grass and scope out a possible kill.

After the lions reach 18-months, they begin to learn to hunt and they go out at night with the researches to do this. At two years, the lions will be released into a sort of “half-way” park. Here, there are animals that they can find to feed on, but the park is not huge. This allows them to get the confidence in making their own kills – but allows the researchers to keep track of them. After they turn three years, the lions are then transferred to a large game reserve. Animals are still fenced in, but it’s pretty wild.

The goal is that the second generation of this cross breed will be born in this large game reserve. These second generation cubs will be wild and able to survive in game parks all over the southern African region.

So, if you are ever in Zimbabwe – take a walk on the wild side!

Thanks for praying!

Thanks for praying for me during my recent trip. I made it in and out of the country safe and sound. I didn’t even have problems while I was roaming around. While I was in Zimbabwe, there were three journalists arrested, beaten and jailed. I thank God that I wasn’t one of them!

While Zimbabwe allows Christians and missionaries in the country, the government does not like journalists. Journalists have to sneak in and out to write stories about the oppression going on in this country.

The purpose of going to Zimbabwe was to write some stories on how God is at work in this down-trodden country. At one time, Zimbabwe was the “jewel of Africa.” It was the most advanced country in Sub-Saharan Africa. Now, instead of feeding most of southern Africa, the country depends on foreign aid. A recent report lists Zimbabwe’s inflation at 4,000 percent this year. Here’s an easy way to put this in perspective: Let’s say a loaf of bread costs 50 cents. With inflation rates of 4,000 percent that means the loaf of bread now costs $2,000.

This picture is of money I exchanged on the black market (where everyone exchanges money, even government officials). At the beginning of the week, it was worth $50. By the time I left it, that same pile of money was only worth $20.

You are only allowed to take $1.5 million out of the bank each day. That means people live on less than $15 US dollars a day. Can you imagine a family of six (average size of a Zimbabwean family) living on less than $15 a day?

The poverty line for an average family of six is reported to be around $5.5 million a month. This is an impossible salary for most people, even teachers and policemen do not make this much money a month. Because of this, the country is suffering greatly.

Pray for Zimbabwe!

Nairobi Street Kid

I love hanging out with the street kids in Nairobi. You'd be very surprised at their sense of humor. Every time I visit with them in the mornings, they have me laughing so hard. They are especially good at doing imitations of people. I haven't convinced them to show me their imitation of me yet.

I'm posting some photos that my friend Justin, a photographer, took while going to work with the street kids. The picture of the young girl is of an American sixth-grader who lives in Nairobi. She goes with us early in the mornings to work with the street kids, too. She wakes up at 4:45 a.m. She plays with the kids and helps hand out food. The older boys on the street are all very protective of their "little American sister." We finish up with the boys around 7:30 a.m. and then this sixth-grader heads off to school.

One day I asked this sixth-grader why she did this when that meant a super long day at school twice a week. She looked at me pretty surprised and said, "I like to tell people about Jesus." Her unspoken look continued with, "DUH! Don't you like doing the samething? It's what we are supposed to do."

Guess this sixth-grader shows that no matter what your age is, the Children of God are to tell of His Great News.

U.S.A.

I spent most of the month of May in the States for meetings. I had the chance to visit some friends along the way, so that made the meetings more enjoyable - ha!

One of my meetings was very interesting. It was a gathering of 53 media people from around the world. We viewed each others' projects and talked about how we could all coordinate efforts and work together. There are some very talented people around the world.

The best part about my time in the States is that I attended two major league baseball games. One had an hour and a half rain delay, but true baseball fans will wait through rain - especially if it's been five or six years since you've seen a game and you have front row, third base seats!

Keep watching this blog for adventures. I'm gearing up for another heavy travel schedule to some very interesting places.