Esther Bote wakes at dawn in southeastern Zimbabwe. For this 14-year-old, it’s just a regular day. She cleans the house, lights the fire, cooks, bathes, and puts on her neat gray and white school uniform. 

Now for the most dangerous task: walking three miles to school. 

Esther must travel along bush paths and through forests where dangerous animals might lurk. Littler kids must do the same. Some as young as five go to school with older children holding their hands. 

“Sometimes we see animal footprints,” Esther says. “We see their footprints and can tell that the elephants are still around.”

This part of Zimbabwe has experienced drought after drought. Food and water have grown scarce. People and animals compete for them. Wildlife moves in closer to where people live. That’s hard to get used to! 

One day, Esther and her friends spotted elephant footprints on the way from school. They reported their find to a wildlife ranger. 

“We usually walk in groups to feel safer,” says Esther.

On a recent day, two dozen children sit outside on dusty ground in searing heat. A young ranger teaches them. “Don’t approach an animal,” she says. “If it’s a lion, it’s looking for food. That’s why it’s in the community. It is looking for cheap, easy prey, and you could be the easy prey.” 

Training doesn’t take away the risk. But Esther says it helps. “We now know a lot of things about animals that we didn’t know before,” she says. 

The kids can identify different wildlife footprints and animal sounds. They know how and when to take cover.

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. — Psalm 121:8

Why? Children in other parts of the world face dangers we don’t. We can pray for them.

For more about dodging wild animals, see Mumsi Meets a Lion by Kim Stegall in our Recommended Reading.