(in a word) .Drenched.

We had the privilege of visiting Vic Falls recently. Sara hadn’t visited the Falls in over ten years, and I hadn’t been since October (dry season). In all my visits to the Falls, this one was the wettest so far. Whew! Indescribably wet.

Sara and I ventured out over the walking bridge. The floor of the bridge was a rushing river, and the water was pounding so fast and hard I could hardly manage to see where I was going (my eyes got flooded!). There is such a thing as water, and then there is WATER.

Good news is it usually doesn’t take long to dry at the Falls, thanks to the lovely sunshine.

So far, my favorite time to visit the Falls is between wet and dry seasons when there’s still a good deal of water at the Falls, but not so much that viewers are flooded!

before :) 

As Heather always says… “It [The Falls] never gets old.”

ready. set.
get wet

that thundering "mist" (more like a super downpour) is what we walked through

cute :)

Heather, this is for you- your rock ;)

the Smoke that Thunders

the resident baboons are major pests...
but these are a couple fun shots Sara took

this guy is enjoying someone's chips (french fries)

fun stuff (in Zim)

looking into the courtyard at the cottage

a fabric shop! a fabric shop!

fires in the fireplace

and cat-warmers for the toes :)
and a Scottish wool blanket

To be God's people in this place,

Live His goodness,

Share His grace,

Proclaim God's mercy-

through His Son,

Be His love-

to everyone

~text & music Charles F. Brown~

(to my sisters: I'm looking forward to the next time we sing together)

Sara and I had the privilege of meeting with a small group of believers in this lovely thatched-roof building

Sunday morning in Harare. The beauty and details, and yet over-all seeming simplicity of the structure

made it feel like a perfect place of worship.

sorrow

I was awakened at 4:30 this morning by my phone buzzing. It was our neighbor asking for transport to the maternity ward at the local hospital for his "sick" wife.

Their baby girl was born breech shortly before I arrived at the compound (a mere 300 metres away). After some minutes, the middle-aged couple and two neighborhood grandmothers emerged from the small house and entered the vehicle with a lifeless bundle. Together we proceeded to the hospital.

The nurse at the maternity ward sent us to the OPD (Out Patient Department), where the nurse told the couple to go home and wait until morning, then go to another clinic in town.

I wanted to cry and offer some comfort to their pain, but I could find no way to communicate my grief and solidarity. I left them at their doorstep just as dawn was breaking in the eastern sky.

I drove home, quietly unlocked the back door, and nabbed two more hours of fitful rest on the sofa before starting my day for the second time...

...i love coffee, i love tea.... i love the java jive and it loves me.... (anyone want to sing along?!)

a place called Pistachio's
we sat out on the veranda

A smattering of shots from our coffee and tea dates in Zimbabwe

Cute Sara and her Belgian chocolate cake

clean.friendly.perfect.

imagine that.
just imagine it!

darling!
you should have seen the tea sets they had for sale here too

those block letters are cut out of traditional fabric
super cute idea to tuck away

this place was absolutely charming!
unfortunately we arrived just as they were closing so we didn't actually get to stay for tea

fresh flowers. oh how wonderful.
my own pot of tea- wonderful as well :)

fun!
(even if it's spelled wrong)

another peek into Pistachio's

Veldemeer's Belgian Chocolates!

super cool.

nothing like fresh flowers to make a table feel elegant

ritzy shopping villa

link to the Java song

Bulawayo

Thought you might like to catch a glimpse of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Jake at the wheel

Cairo this way
Cape Town that way
:)

fun fact for all the Americans:
traffic lights are called "robots" here

Thanks to Sara for most of these city shots.