Melissa Haynes - Learning to Play with a Lion's Testicles

The final goal was to inspire just one reader to volunteer in whatever capacity he or she has, whether it’s in their community, or across the globe. If just one person experiences the magic of giving, the world will swell with joy, and we will all be the better for the effort.

If you want to volunteer, start with your passion and see where it takes you. Maybe it will lead to saving gorillas in Uganda, cheetah in Botswana, great white sharks in South Africa, or providing leadership at your local Boys and Girls club. These are some of the organizations I have volunteered with and/or support.

http://www.edgeofafrica.com

http://www.bigfivevolunteer.com

http://www.theexpeditionproject.com

http://www.nourish.org.za

http://www.whitesharkafrica.com

http://www.pacificwhale.org

http://www.shark.org

http://www.cheetah.org

http://www.govolunteer.ca

http://www.davidsuzuki.org

Melissa Haynes created and orchestrated successful national campaigns for major corporate players, and opened and ran a prosperous business in Mexico. Her project management experience landed her a handful of Olympic contracts for the 2012 Winter Olympics. She ghostwrote a column about entertaining in the Vancouver Courier for years and a chapter in the award-winning chef’s cookbook Inside the Recipe Box . She is a self-admitted chronic adventure junkie and travel addict. She is passionate about animals, adventure, conservation, and scribbling. Her greatest accomplishment and adventure to date was volunteering in Africa and living to write about it.

This book would not have been made possible without the generous support and encouragement of so many amazing, wonderful people. I’d like to acknowledge a few of them here.

In Africa: Roger Wynn-Dyke of The Expedition Project, Dayne Davey of Edge of Africa, Kim and Hein at Umkhondo Big Five Volunteer Project, Melanie—my Kindred Spirit in South Africa, Ryan Roberts, The Drill Sergeant and Kittibon who had the tenacity to slap me every day until I finally woke up.

This book would have never been finished if it weren’t for the unlimited support of some incredible friends. Juani and Cuchi, Judy, Betty, and Pilar—thank you for your wisdom and faith. To Paul; those three words are not enough.

Samantha, my big sis who is also my best friend, thank you. Will and Jack—my most attentive listeners at bedtime. CW, thank you for everything. William Landay, Best Selling Author, thank you for the direction.

To KM and HW, the support of life-long friends makes anything possible. To Anne Opotowsky, author and editor, thank you for your editing expertise. To Moksha Yoga, you brought stillness and clarity when I needed it. Namaste.

To the people who have brought this book to you, the reader, words can not express my eternal gratitude; Maryann Karinch of the Rudy Agency, whose patience goes unmatched, and Lynn Price, of Behler Publications; what an honor that you believed in me enough to publish my first book, thank you.

And finally to my mother and father who taught me the value of hard work and encouraged me to take chances. I love you, this book is for you.

Behler Publications

Learning to Play With a Lion’s Testicles

A Behler Publications Book

Copyright © 2013 by Melissa J. Haynes

Cover design by Yvonne Parks — www.pearcreative.ca

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Haynes, Melissa J.

Learning to play with a lion’s testicles : unexpected gifts from the animals of Africa / by Melissa J. Haynes.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-933016-82-5 (pbk.)

1. Wildlife refuges--South Africa. 2. Haynes, Melissa J.--Travel--South Africa. 3. Animals--South Africa. 4. Volunteers--South Africa. 5. Grief. 6. South Africa--Description and travel. I. Title.

SK575.S5H39 2013

639.90968--dc23

2012044344

FIRST PRINTING

ISBN 13: 978-1-933016-82-5

e-book ISBN 978-1-933016-81-8

Published by Behler Publications, LLC

www.behlerpublications.com

Visit Melissa Hayne’s website: http://www.melissajhaynes.com

Manufactured in the United States of America