Friday, February 25, 2011
In November, Blake and I were in Zambia for a field missionary retreat. This was really our first break away from Rwanda since we arrived last January. I have already shared that Lusaka had some nice comforts and some “little things” that made it feel like a retreat for me. Along with this time in Lusaka, we also did have a truly relaxing time once we made the drive from Luska to Livingstone (a 7 hour drive, and we can safely say Blake only drove on the right hand side of the road – the wrong side in Zambia – 1 time, oops.)
Many will remember that in 2008 on our first trip to Africa, we had the opportunity to visit Livingstone, and it was nice to return. We had full days, of teachings, devotions and worship, but we also had a couple of days for site visits and that was a blessing. We watched a baboon try and steal bags of candy, from one of our other missionaries, in the end, she did what I would have done – throw the candy to the baboon and run the other direction! Blake on the other hand, may have fought the baboon for his bag of candy, and I’m not sure who would have won, the baboon was VERY intimidating. We visited a crocodile farm where I had the opportunity to hold a baby crocodile, don’t worry he was too cute to be vicious. On our final night we went on a boat cruise, and Blake and I saw for the first time hippos OUT of the water! Usually we only see their heads pop up and down, so that was a truly new experience for us!
Among all that we did we also had the opportunity to go back to Victoria Falls, and I must confess, it was an entirely different experience this second time! We arrived, just as dry season was ending, so the falls were just that, dry! But, with there being only a small amount of water, we had the opportunity to visit areas of the falls we didn’t get to see the first time. We got to take a hike over rocks that were filled with water the first time and got to get pictures from “behind” the falls, where the water was high and you couldn’t get to the first time. Ever since our first visit, Blake wanted to go visit the Devil’s pool – if you are not familiar with this pool, you really should youtube some of the videos of it. Basically, when the water is just the right height, you are able to swim to the edge of the falls, and lean over a rock bed that stops you from going over. If the water is too high you can’t go in. Thankfully, the water was high enough for Blake to cliff dive, but too low for him to be able to look over the side by the rock bed (phew…I didn’t have to be worried, or have to see a picture of him leaning over the side). Either way, this experience was something Blake couldn’t stop talking about for weeks, so I am happy that he finally got to go!
This visit to the Falls got me to thinking about how the Lord works. Don’t we sometimes in our lives get so much rain; we think maybe it will never end? Yet when it finally does, sometimes the outcome of the rain is MORE gorgeous and MORE precious than the times, when maybe there is no rain and the struggles may be few. Those are the times; we may not see the outcome of God’s handy work as clearly. That truly was the experience of Victoria Falls. So, while the rain is sometimes hard to handle, I do pray for times of rain, so that I may experience God’s goodness in a way I never would have, had the rain not come! Of course, I still hope for some dry times as well, so that I can experience every piece of God’s creation!