Enroute To Home

Tonight we are sleeping our last night in Zambia in the same bedroom of the guest house we spent our first night. It’s hard to believe that three months ago we were crashing into this bed exhausted from travel, excited for the three months that lay ahead. Now we look back on those same three months with fondness, and we already miss what and who we’ve left behind. Here’s a little update on yesterday and today.

Yesterday morning we (finally) got a tour of the hospital. I don’t know why it took us three months to make that happen, but at least we don’t have to say we never set foot in the place. Kalene Mission Hospital is a well-operated facility that offers medical service for people all around the region, the biggest part of their work being in the maternity department. They are on track to deliver over 1,000 babies in 2016!

The front(ish) of the hospital

The main operating room at Kalene Hospital.

After lunch John and Karen took us to the source of the Zambezi River. It is a national landmark site, and a point of pride for Zambia. You wouldn’t know you were there if there weren’t signs to point you to it, but it is a significant place. The Zambezi is the river that flows over Victoria Falls, and it all starts right here under this stump.

Looking over the source of the Zambezi River.

In reality the marked spot is a little spring that was not even flowing when we were there. It lays at the head of the valley from which the beginning of the river flows, so technically it is farthest-upstream spot from which water flows into the river.

The source is just inside Zambia from the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, so if you visit the source you also visit the border marker that stands about a kilometer away.

An international handshake.

This morning, we loaded up the airplane with all our stuff. We said goodbye to our friends at Kalene (who likes saying goodbye?). That over, we piled into the airplane and off we went.

He enjoyed this flight more than our trip in. He is noticing a lot more than he was three months ago.

We had this afternoon free in Lusaka so we visited a reptile park and saw snakes and crocodiles.

Juve-Nile Crocodiles.

Wednesday’s Flight

Now we are crawling into bed at the guest house. We fly out Wednesday at 4:00pm. The part I am most anxious about is our short layover in Johannesburg. It will be from 12:10pm to 1:50pm Ohio time on Wednesday. If you think of us during that period, pray that we will be able to make the connection to our flight to the States.

This hymn has been going through my mind a lot the last couple of weeks. I can worry about terrible things that will probably never happen, and I have been challenged by the message in this verse, and I leave it with you for your own contemplation.

All the way my Savior leads me.

What have I to want beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

Who through life has been my guide?