Thrill of a Lifetime

Well, I've got three days left here, and then it's off to London for two nights and then back home. I can't believe the time has already come. I'm definitely looking forward to being home (I haven't taken a shower in five weeks - all bucket baths), but it's going to be hard to leave my friends. I'll comment more on the end of our time here after I get back, but for now, I must tell you all about our trip to Livingstone this past weekend.

Livingstone is the home of Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is absolutely incredible. The sheer magnitude of the falls is breathtaking; we spent quite a bit of time walking from one end to the middle and back again (we couldn't go to the other end, because it's in Zimbabwe and that would require a visa). I was struck by the might of God, that He could create such a place, and yet to Him it's just a drop in a bucket.

We got to drive through a game park and saw many different kinds of animals - zebra, giraffe, elephants, impalas, hippos, etc. The park didn't have any big cats, so no cheetah or lion sightings, but it was still incredible to see these animals in their natural habitat.

Still, the biggest thrill came on Sunday morning- bungee jumping. My stomach was churning with anticipation, so after a breakfast of two pieces of toast, I was ready to head to the bridge over the Zambezi river connecting Zambia to Zimbabwe. We waited for awhile, signed some paperwork, forked over a wad of money and made our way to the middle of the bridge. The bridge is close to the falls, so the view was incredible. We reached a small tent on the bridge, and some men began to put Sam and I in harnesses right away. I decided I had to watch someone else go first, but I didn't want to wait until the end, so I went second. Sam had an incredible jump, and watching him go simultaneously calmed my nerves and made me more nervous. You'd think that wasn't possible, but it is; I experienced it. Then it was my turn. I wish I could describe it. It was the most fun, most petrifying, most thrilling, most scary, most glorious thing I have ever done. I have a video, and I'll try to post some clips when I get home if possible.

Unfortunately, I'm out of time. I'm off to meet with one of the students for our last one-to-one before I leave. I won't be posting again until I get home, so you'll have to wait about a week. But, when I do, I hope to have pictures - lots of pictures. See you all Stateside!