Hiking Mount Montigo & the Scary Drone

Saturday morning, the whole group, along with the Manys, ventured up to the top of Mount Montigo, a walkable if very much uphill, 5-mile roundtrip hike from Tenwek.  Several people on our team (cough, high school/college athletes) were out front the entire way, seeming to have no problem hiking straight uphill for 2.5 miles.  Others on the team felt their age and physique (or lack thereof) as they huffed and puffed their way to the top.  But the important thing is we ALL eventually made it.  And the views were incredible, 360 degrees around at 7,000 feet.  

There were many photo ops and videos so I'll let those speak for themselves below.  One funny aspect of our time at the top was that as we ascended, we attracted a small entourage of Kenyan children on the way up who went up on top of the mountain with us.  Those children didn't know what to think when Zander brought out his drone.  Some were thrilled, a few were terrified.  But eventually, most of them got used to the alien lifeform floating and flying around in the sky!

Group pic before departure!

On the way up our hike, we passed so many beautiful tea fields like this.

Only the top three leaves are picked off each plant and harvested.  Then they wait for the plant to re-leaf before picking again.  These are the freshest leaves.

Playing hide and seek from the camera with these little girls

Turns out they weren't so camera shy after all!

Drone fun with Zander!

McKinley, Brooke, Kate and Caroline

The Douglass family:  Truman, Lesli, Walker, Dean and Mamie

The Manys and Campbells:  Rees, Heath, Mary Taylor Angela, Josh, Ava and Lizzy the dog!

Angela and Melissa

The ladies

The gentlemen

Mamie and Mary Taylor (and Lizzy!)

The Douglasses and Manys

A well-deserved Fanta moment once we returned from the hike!  They have yummy Fanta flavors in Kenya--passionfruit and blackcurrant were the favorites today.

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In the afternoon, the team planned some fun activities to do with the missionary families' children who live here at Tenwek!  Games, hair weaving, devotional, and fun was had by all. It was a beautiful afternoon and, we hope, a blessing to the missionary children!