A maverick from Denmark and a bashful girl from Kansas met at an African market. Andrew Andersen's restless spirit had prompted him to leave home for the U.S. and later to accept an invitation to mission work in Kenya. He built houses, sawmills, bridges, and dams, getting to know the people and their languages. He was called "Bwana Fundi," meaning "Master Craftsman."
Vivian Waldron was a shy, strong-minded young lady, and soon, under the flamboyant blooms of the Nandi Flame trees, Andrew proposed.
Andrew and Vivian established a family, schools, churches, and mission stations. Their youngest child, Mary, was dubbed "Missy Fundi." She experienced the life of missionary children in Kenya at boarding school, at home, in remote villages, and on vacation safaris. This was amid the natural beauty of the country, the people, and the wildlife, all of which uniquely tempered her for adjustment to life in the U.S.