Lions, Missionaries, and a Senegal Safari

April 6, 2026

Monday we started off by going to the Bandia Lion Reserve. We met up with a senior missionary couple, the Hydes, who are serving a humanitarian mission. It was fascinating to hear about the programs they are helping facilitate for our brothers and sisters in West Africa. 

I'm probably going to get some of the details wrong, but I'll try to share one of the programs. Individuals can receive a microloan to start a poultry business. They receive training on proper chicken and egg care, along with instruction on how to run a small business. Then they are given an incubator and eggs. After 21 days of incubation, it's go time! They have a solid foundation for building a profitable business through poultry farming, egg production, or both.

At the reserve, they drive you into a large enclosure with the lions. Then the employees place raw meat on the roof of the truck, and the lions crunch, drool, and slobber as they eat it directly over your head. It's quite the experience.

Here is a video of some of our adventure.

Because the lions and lionesses are at a preserve and getting fed regularly, they feed them horse and donkey meat, which is leaner and less fatty.

These animals are massive, and I really had no idea just how large they were until I was sitting so close to them. Their bodies stretched nearly the length of the truck, and just look at the size of this paw.

Chris & Angelique Vore, me, Brian and Parker

After the lion experience, we headed down the road to the Bandia Wildlife Safari. The missionaries serving in Senegal were able to join us on their P-day (preparation day) for an African safari.

They were from Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, Australia, the United States, and probably a few other countries as well. They were happy to be together. Chris and Ang moved from one group of elders to the next, chatting with them mostly in French.

Luckily for us, almost all of them knew at least some English, and we were able to visit with them too. Parker fit right in with the group. They talked about missions, school, and the MTC (Missionary Training Center). It was fun for me to watch Parker interacting with them and to think that he had been serving just a couple of countries away not too long ago.

We had also brought some Fun Dip candy to share. The elders from the U.S. were thrilled to have a little taste of home, and the other missionaries were eager to try it.

There was a small gift shop (with A/C!) and an outdoor art market.

It was hot and dry. I was thirsty. Everyone was thirsty. After about a 90-minute wait, we loaded onto a truck to see the wildlife.

The land was parched, but Chris and Ang said it looks completely different during the rainy season. 

Afterwards, we ate at the restaurant. Parker was just so happy for the missionaries. He would shake his head and say, "They will remember this forever." Or "We never did anything like this in our mission." 

Elder Hyde took care of preordering the food, and he ordered a large pizza per missionary. Parker was so happy for them. He knows the poverty most missionaries from Africa have experienced their entire lives. I think watching them enjoy such an amazing P-day brought him almost as much happiness as if the day had been planned just for him.