Hello! This is Katie again. We had a fun day today!
We started our day early this morning to meet with the bushmen. On our way we saw a very dangerous site, which seems to common here. Some guy was hanging onto the side of a safari vehicle and also riders on the top of the vehicle. Then when we approached them in a tight area, the guy handing off the side of the vehicle had to jump onto the windsheild in front of the driver so we would not hit him. Safety is not first with the Tanzanians, but it is called survival. When we got to them the men were cooking up the antelope they shot yesterday and they gave us each a hunk to try. We saw the head of the antelope hanging on some stakes and the hide hanging on the side of a tree. We met the women and watched them make beaded items. Jaclyn saw stakes in a tree, which we were told let to the top to get honey, and she just had to climb it. She was awkwardly helped by a guy, but didn't get too high up. A couple men then took the hide that was hanging on the tree and began stretching it. Then is was time to hunt. We followed about 5 guys around out in the bush. They shot two birds which were still alive when they showed them to us on their arrows. We wondered how they would finish them off and then they bit their necks. Quite a deal! Towards the end they started chucking parts of the yucca plants up in to a boboa tree to knock down the fruit. We got to take the fruit with us. When we finished the hunt we got to shoot a bow. Needless to say I was not a good shot like the others, Jaclyn even hit the target!
Next we were off to the Datoga tribe where we got to see them do their blacksmith work. We saw them melt metal and put the liquid in to a mold to make a bracelet. On the other side of the hut a guy was making nails in to arrow heads. After a while we went to another hut where some women showed us how how to grind maize with a stone. We each got to try it.
After lunch we went to the elephant cave. We hiked a trail with a an awesome view. When we got to the elephant cave we watched the baboons run around for a while and the guide told us how the animals lick the soil for the calcium, iron, and phosphorus. The female elephants go for it more than the males since the need it during their 22 month pregnancy! We began to journey a little more and found the waterfall. Very neat and very high up!
We had a great time and saw a vast variety of God's beautiful beautiful creation. Now we are going to relax and play some cards. Maybe tonight we will teach Julius a card game we know, so one of us can win!
Once again thanks for all of your support and prayers while we are on this mission!
–Katie
