Next Stop: Safari

Covering Sunday June 22nd 2008

Acts 16:4-5

As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

We left the next morning after praying and saying our goodbyes to Sevo's parents. The vans were much lighter this time since we weren't carrying the school resources and groceries. As we were leaving Western Kenya, April waved to every single person-- which accounted for some weird stares. Lance and her ended up playing a game to see who could get more waves on their side. It wasn't near as long of a ride coming to Butula because we stopped midway at a safari lodge. I had an extremely nice lunch-- at this point we had to be careful about what drinks we ordered money wise. No more entertaining juices for me!

It was tough going from living in a room with four other girls with the bare necessities and then going to the safari lodge which was luxurious. April and I shared a room, and we both got queen size beds with fancy mosquito nets. There were incense rocks-- April said they were mosquito repellent. We also had complimentary soaps and shampoos along with all the other normal wonders of a vacation stay. I crawled into bed and passed out-- essentially. I think that was the deepest sleep of the whole trip.

April said everyone else went swimming. I woke up in time to go downstairs and watch the traditional dancing. A few people from our team ended up dancing with the dancers. Then I had another safari style lodge meal-- which were full of choices that were all delicious. Except, the dessert always tricked me. There was a man going around singing songs on his guitar and he ended up singing for one of our tables.

The next morning we would have to be up early for the safari. I think I was awake by five in the morning. After dinner we checked out the gift shop and were surprised by the prices that were five to six times higher than those at the market from Nairobi. I bought a couple of postcards even though I knew they were slightly overpriced. Then April and I talked for awhile in our room and I checked some of my video tapes and realized I had been filming a lot more than I realized. I had over ten full tapes of footage. I then fell into a deep sleep again.

Short Swahili lesson

Simba - lion
Mufasa - last king of the Bagada people of pre-colonial Kenya
Sarabi - mirage
Nala - gift
Rafiki - friend
Pumbaa - be foolish, be dumbfounded, be astounded
Shenzi - barbarous
hakuna matata - no worries or no problem
"Asante sana, squash banana, we we nugu, mi mi apana," roughly translates to "Thank you very much, squash banana, you are a baboon, and I am not."

The next our rough translations from the songs.

From Circle of Life:

Nants ingonyama bagithi baba (There comes a lion)

Sithi uhhmm ingonyama (Oh yes, it's a lion)

Siyo Nqoba (We're going to conquer)
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala (Here is a lion and a tiger)

From Rhythm of the Pride Lands

He Lives in You:
Mamela (Listen)

Ubukhosi bo khokho (Throne of the ancestors)

We ndodana ye sizwe sonke (Oh, son of the nation)

Hela hey mamela (Hey, listen)

The Lion Sleeps Tonight:
Lala kahle (Sleep well)

Ingonyama ifile (The lion's in peace)

Ingonyama ilele (The lion sleeps)

Thula (Hush)

Ixesha lifikile (Time has come)

Kube:

Ngi vulel' Indlela Kube (Make way for me, Kube)

Kube Kube Kube-Tu (Kube, please)

Lea Halalela:

Fatshe leso (Our land)

Lea halalela (Is holy)

Uli-buse le lizwe (You must rule this land)

Izwe lethu (The land of the people)

Mhlaba wethu (Soil of the people)

Uli phathe Kahle (Handle it with care)

Izwe lethu (This land of ours)

Uzo libusa (You will rule)

Le lizwe (This land)

Uli buse kahle (Rule it with care)

U'zuli qondise (Keep it in order)

It's Time:
Moshanyana weso bo' itumele (My brother, be happy)
Ngwana weso bo' ithabise (My sister, celebrate)
Ithabise (Celebrate)
Tsatsi lahao (Your day)

One By One:

Ibambeni njalo bakithi (Hold on tight my people)

Ninga dinwa (Don't get weary)

Ninga phelelwa nga mandla (Don't lose your strength)

Siya ba bona (We can see)

Bebe fun' ukusi qeda (They wanted to hold us back)

Ngeke ba lunge (They will not succeed)

Sizo nqoba (We will win)

Ibambeni njalo bakithi (Hold on tight my people)

Ninga dinwa (Don't get weary)

Ninga phelelwa nga mandla (Don't lose your strength)

Ngoba thina (Because)

Siya zazi (We know who we are)

Ibala lami (The color of my skin)

Elimnyama (That is dark)

Ndiya zidla (I'm proud)

Ngalo (Of it)

Ibala lami (The color of my skin)

Elimnyama (That is dark)

Ndiza kufa (I will die)

Nalo (With it)

Lala:

Oh mta ka mama wam (Oh, my mother's child)

Oh mfo wethu (Oh, my dear brother)

Ndi ya ku khumbula mna (I miss you)

Ndi ya ku khalela mna (I cry for you)

Motswalle waka (My dear friend)

Ngwana mme (My mother's child)

Ndiyani khumbula (I miss you)

La la kahle (Farewell)

We sangoma ngi velelwe (Oh, spiritual healer, I'm troubled)

We baba ngivelelwe (Oh, my father, I'm in pain)

Busa:

Busa le lizwe (Rule this land)

Busa lomhlaba wethu (Rule this land of ours)

Busa ngo xolo (Rule with peace)

Shwele baba (Hail to you, Father)

Siyakubongela (We are grateful to you)

Usi lethel' injabulo (You brought us happiness)

Noxolo (And peace)

Liqhakazise baba (Brighten our future)

Ngo thando (With love)

Bayede baba (Father, we salute you)

Sikhokhele bo (Lead us)

Busa ngo thando (Rule with love)
Busa ngo xolo (Rule with peace)

Ubuse ngo thando (You must rule with love)

Busa Simba, busa Simba (Rule Simba, rule Simba)

Vusa amakhosi (Wake the ancestors)

Vusa amdlozi bo (Wake the spirits)

Busa Simba iyo (Rule Simba)

Noyana:

Sikuyo (We are)

Indlela (On the path)

Yelizwi (Of the voice)

Lobomi (Of righteousness)

Ikhaya labantu (Home to people)

Behleli ngendweba (Who lives with peace)

Nina ka (Some of you)

Nehluka (Are different)

Kuthixo (In the eyes of God)

Ngo kona (Because of your sins)

Nithini (What do you say?)

Noyana, noyana (Are you going? Are you going?)

Phezulu (Are you going to Heaven?)

Nithini noyana (What do you say? Are you going?)

Noyana (Are you going to get there?)

Noyana phezulu (Are you going up there?)

Luke 8:1-3

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.