Camping. . . Africa Style

Last week we went camping with about 40 other missionaries. We drove about 8 hours west and then north to a beautiful part of the country. As in years past, we camped next to a huge waterfalls – hiking down daily to enjoy the refreshing (and hopefully not parasite filled) water at the bottom of one set of falls. Sadly, someone has begun clearing away our previous campsites and burning it to make a bridge. Who knows what we will find there next year.

So, what does one take camping in Africa? Well, much of the same things you take in America, I suppose. There are the tents (one extra for the boys who are officially too old to camp in the same tent as their parents), the sleeping bags, the clothes, the food, etc. Our truck was filled to overflowing. The boys were mortified! Why does it take so much to camp, they wondered? Well, I said, what should we leave behind – the five gallon containers of filtered water? The coolers and trunks with the food?

What about the tables and chairs so we don’t have to set everything on the ground with the snakes and the ants? The TP and the shovel to dig a hole? What about the medical supplies – including antibiotics for all occasions, Tylenol and Ibuprofen, antihistamines, stun gun for snake bites and scorpion stings, sutures and steri-strips for lacerations, gauze and ace wraps, etc??? We certainly can’t leave behind the 15 gallons of gas we might need, in case we can’t find fuel on the road. So off we went.

We weren’t extreme like some people who brought a little generator. We, of course, made fun of them constantly, though. Their campsite, with the lights strung up under the little canvas gazebo, was a very popular Rook playing spot each evening! Camping with 40 other missionaries is great fun. No one has the responsibility of answering the door, or doing business. It is relaxing to sit around the campfire and sing and play games and catch up on each other’s lives. It is great to relax together. You certainly see a different side of people when they are out of their normal routine of life.

The system that is in place has everyone sharing the evening meals. The campers are divided up for the meals – with different families teamed up to provide for the whole group on different nights. So, on the three nights we camp, each family only cooks once for the evening meal.

Sadly, this year, we didn’t see or hear any chimps or gorillas like we usually do. We did see some snakes, though all of them escaped being killed. So glad we didn’t need that stun gun!!! Overall, despite the work and effort, I certainly recommend camping in the wilds of Africa!!! We go every year in March – so make plans for next year to join us!!!