A Southern African Adventure…Victoria Falls.

Before leaving southern Africa, I wanted to take the opportunity to travel to other countries in the region. I am a third of the way through my itinerary. First stop - Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Second stop - Harare, Zimbabwe. Third stop - Capetown, South Africa. Fourth stop - Johannesburg, South Africa.

My experience at Victoria Falls was other worldly. Have you ever seen the end of a rainbow?…I did in Victoria Falls. A lot of people refer to Victoria Falls as the ‘adrenaline capitol of the world.’  In my opinion all of the hang gliding, bungee jumping and white water rafting are just distractions. The real thing to do in Victoria Falls is to actually see the falls themselves by walking. That is what I did. I only wanted to experience this wondrous natural phenomenon and to purchase one of the famous Shona Sculptures. It was great.

I left on Monday morning with a wild whirlwind of a departure. The trouble started when I forgot to turn the volume up on my phone so I could hear my alarm. I overslept. Nightmare! I awoke at 7:12 am. My flight was scheduled leave at 8:45 am. My friend who had come to drive me had been waiting for 45 minutes outside of the gate thinking that I had some sort of emergency. Yikes! I threw on my clothes, packed the rest of what I could and swooped out of the door. In the process I misplaced my keys and forgot my phone charger. But, fortunately, I made it. The fun began when the plane took off and I could relax.

Zimbabwe is a green, bright and happy land of sunshine. I spotted the falls while in the sky. It looked like a tremendous gulf in the earth with huge plumes of white smoke rising. I disembarked from the plane, bought a Zimbabwe sim card for my phone and located my hotel transport. I am traveling on the cheap. Of course, no travel is cheap, but the most affordable options for me are Airbnb lodges/homes. I arrived at the Flatdog Lodge, checked in, changed clothes and headed for the Falls. 

Victoria Falls is a national park of Zimbabwe. As I entered through the gates, I realized that I had arrived in a woodland fantasy.  Broad-leafed trees with tangled vines christened either side of a stone laid walk way. I had on my tennis shoes for this visit in order to get the full experience. It was about 3:30 in the afternoon. As I approached the falls I heard the roar of the water. And then I saw paradise. Millions of gallons of bubbling water tumbling over a stone cliff that was sculpted by Jehovah God himself. It was so tremendous, and even miraculous, that I became emotional and just started praising God right there. Never before have I seen a sight such as this. Countless rainbows arched over the falls. They were so close and so vivid that I imagined that sliding down one of them would be like slipping along a popsicle-like arch of ethereal glowing color. The path is organized so that visitors can see multiple views – each one at a different angle. The falls are about two kilometers long. The path leads closer and closer to the water, so after a while it starts to rain. (I purchased a rain poncho at a craft stall across from the entrance.) There were birds and plants that I had never seen before. The smell of green fills the air there. It is a sweet earthy smell. Please see the photos below.

I spent about a two hours visiting and revisiting the views. After, I went back to my room, showered, changed and went to dinner at a restaurant called Mama Africa. They had great traditional Zimbabwean guitar players. I tried a Shona ‘hot – pot’ dish, which was stewed beef with ‘greens’ and peanut butter rice. (I am referring to ‘Greens’ like the Black American mustards, collards and kale.) Greens, as I have suspected all along, are an Africanism. (Afro – Brazilians eat them as well.)

Most of the population of Zimbabwe is Shona. About 10 to 15 percent are Ndebele. A few are Lozi. It was the Lozi that used to live on the land of what is now called Victoria Falls. The Lozi Kingdom incorporated all of western Zambia, the top most northeast tip of Botswana, the easterly arm of Namibia and the Northwestern tip of Zimbabwe. The Lozi Kingdom, including Victoria Falls, was called Barotseland. The falls form a border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.  The actual name of this huge water fall is a Karanga word, Mosi-oa-Tunya, translated into English as “Smoke That Thunders.” The Zambezi river is the name of the body of water that rushes over the cliffs.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. (My second visit to one this month! Wow!) People from all over the world were there to visit. 

I got up early on Tuesday morning and went again. This time, I walked all the way to the end of the path, and braved the rain. As I walked, the path got closer and closer to the falls and the spray became a constant rain. I saw a rainbow actually arched over the pathway. An overland rainbow. I passed through it. I saw a rainbow encircled around where I was walking. Another across the path onto the trees. I saw the end of these rainbows. As I approached to get closer to the end, the translucent light danced away.  Imagine. The sweet smell of green, the spray of the rain, the roar of the falls and the sight of the rainbows. It was an otherworldly experience. Not to be sacrilege, but I felt as if I was being baptized. It was the closest experience with God’s creation that I have ever had. I was all alone also. No other people were in sight. I do not have photos of this area of the falls because it was too wet to take my phone out for photos. I have to rely on my memory, and you, my readers, on my words. 

I did not think it would be a big deal to see ‘a waterfall.’ I wanted to go, because I was close and I wanted to see. I did not expect to be changed. Anyway, rainbows have always been special to me. God’s own special love language for me. One quick story. I was facilitating a Christian abstinence education program for girls in the South Bronx – an area of the city with one of the highest teen pregnancy rates, HIV transmission rates and child and teen prostitution. A very dark place. With the program as a tool, the light of the Gospel pierced through into each girl’s life. Needless to say, I underwent the most difficult persecution that I have ever gone through in my life. And I was alone with no family support. No matter. God was with me. At around this time, I was also doing a teaching artist residency in the Northeast corner of the Bronx. It was right on the 4 train, which goes above ground. On the way home it rained. Then the sun came out and a glorious rainbow appeared. Not one, but two rainbows. A double rainbow. Right in the middle of the Bronx. Rainbows represent God’s promises. (Genesis 9). Seeing that beautiful double rainbow gave me the encouragement I needed to get through that time. God smiles on me when He gives me His rainbows. I have many more stories, but I will not be able to do them justice in this short account. Another time. Seeing so, so many of them makes me know that many promises are going to be fulfilled within the next few years. 

I made my way back to the gate, trying to inhale as much of the heavenly green fragrance as possible. I said goodbye to Victoria Falls and headed for the craft market. 

Shona sculptures are internationally famous. Before I even left home, I purposed in my heart to get one. They sell for hundreds of dollars state side. Here in Zimbabwe, I got two beautiful ones (sets of twins) for much less. Once I made my purchase, I headed back to the lodge and left for the airport. I touched down in Harare, the capitol city, later that afternoon.