Victoria Falls Bridge

[1]

Psalm 143:8 Good News Translation

⁸ Remind me each morning of your constant love,
    for I put my trust in you.
My prayers go up to you;
    show me the way I should go.

 

We had long dreamed of taking our children back to Africa to touch base with their heritage. When I mentioned it to them, they all thought it was a marvelous idea. One of them couldn’t join us for several obvious reasons. Esther stayed home “with the baggage,” and so deserves equal shares with those who went “into battle.”[2] When I contacted my physician niece, Andi, about what inoculations we should get, she instantly yearned to join us, which she did.

Sylvia and I have often traveled to places and even taken an extra person along. When it’s far away, we get off a plane, rent a car, and drive until it’s time to sleep. We find a camping spot or motel and then drive on in the morning. Now with seven of us it was impossible to be so spontaneous. Furthermore, there were unpredictable problems, including more extensive crime than we were used to. We couldn’t just sack out anywhere and expect to find our car waiting for us in the morning.

We met on more than one occasion to discuss a desired itinerary. We settled on two definite goals: First, visit Helderberg College where my Dad and Mom had spent over 20 years and I was a child. All three of our kids had been there at least 4 years while they were very young. Second, travel to Solusi University which Dad had founded and where my Mom lies buried. The rest of the trip was devoted to sightseeing and experiencing the natural wonders of Africa.

Special thanks to our daughter, Julia, and our daughter-in-law, Uni, for tirelessly searching the web for the best accommodations and rentals. All of us have expressed an appreciation for a marvelous time reconnecting with our common heritage and experiencing some of nature’s African marvels. The success of our trip was not without a lot of prayer on many sides.

Thank you, Lord, for the chance to see and experience the love and sacrifice our family gave in Africa. Give us their spirit in our daily lives now.

 

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[1] Our Group overlooking Victoria Falls Bridge: Wil, Sylvia, Uni, Fred, Andi, Julia, David

[2] 1 Samuel 30: 24.