Ever since I was little l, for an unknown reason, I’ve always wanted to go to Africa. I didn’t have a specific county and I didn’t really have a reason, I just wanted to go. It was number 2 on my bucket list and close behind it was to go on a safari while I was there. I always knew at some point that I would make it to Africa and on my safari. I didn’t know how or why but I would.
Then the World Race happened. For a little background, I actually ended up on the Race after looking at different mission trips to Africa.
So I went on the race.
On May 1st I got to check Africa off my bucket list when we landed in Zimbabwe. I spent a month there (story for another time) before I came to Zambia.
Zambia is my second to last country on the Race which is totally insane to me to think I’ll be home in less than 2 months, but again something for another time.
At Love’s Door in Zambia, the organization I’m working for this month, there was a man who could take us on a safari.
Bucket list 2: check
Three of my other team members and I made the hour trip to Botswana on our off day for a safari. It started off with a boat tour and then moved to the typical safari truck which would take us to our campsite where we spent the night in the park before heading back to Zambia in the morning. (If anyone is ever planning on going to Africa specifically Botswana let me know for our guide was amazing!)
Our safari was amazing and we saw hippos, elephants, buffalo and crocodiles. But then it got better. Our guide got a call that there were lions spotted farther up the river, so off we went! We cruised past things for a small chance we could see the lions before they went into the shade for the day.
To our luck, or God’s timing, however you want to look at it, we made it! We got to see 4 beautiful lions. And not only did we just get to see them, we got to see them active, well kinda.. They were eating a baby elephant who they had killed earlier. It was so amazing to see them and we sat there for awhile just watching them.
But then we had to leave. It was time for our truck time. We saw more elephants, giraffes, warthogs and lots of birds. The views were beautiful and all of what we saw was amazing, but I’m going to jump ahead to the end of the day. Our guide got a call that there was a leopard spotted by our campsite so we were all pumped to see yet another amazing animal! When we got there however, she was gone. Our only hope of seeing her was when we got up at the crack of dawn, so of course you know we were going to try!
After a great night by the fire and under the stars, we woke up, while it was still dark so we could eat and pack up before it even got light. We even heard a pride of lions waking around while we were eating breakfast. Once it was getting light we all jumped in the truck and were ready to leave.
But the other workers’ truck didn’t start.
We sat while they tried to start it, we tried pushing in through the sand, didn’t work. Then we drove to another campsite to get jumper cables and jumped their truck… All the while wasting precious morning light.
I knew we were lucky to have seen all we had the day before and don’t get me wrong I was so grateful, but I was slightly annoyed. Man I wanted to see this leopard!
But I just thought that we would see something cool because of not being able to leave right away. And I heard God tell me:
“Trust in My timing”
Yes! That means we’re going to see this leopard or the pride of lions!
“Trust in My timing”
We were finally off. We tracked those lions for a couple hours, to no avail. And no we didn’t see that leopard. We got to see the same lions we saw the day before, but after seeing them 3 times they were old news..
We were leaving the park, still super grateful about what we saw, but I’d be lying to you if I wasn’t slightly disappointed.
God I waited for Your timing and we saw nothing new today.
So we left. Out of Botswana and on our way home in Zambia. My teammate Alleigh and I were in a taxi. We were talking about zebras, we hadn’t seen zebras in the park because it’s to early in the season for the zebras to be down where we were. There was no chance of us seeing a zebra so that was that. I didn’t necessarily care to see a zebra before we left on the safari, because I thought they would be everywhere and the one animal I saw the most of. When you, well I, think of Africa I think of a zebra.
“How do you go to Africa without seeing a zebra?” I was telling Alleigh on our way home.
No lie, 20 seconds later, our driver says:
“Look a zebra!”
You’re joking I told him. No he was not. On the side of the road there was a dazzle (group) of zebra! I made him stop the car so we could take photos.
As we drove away I was amazed. I remembered what God had told me earlier that day
“Trust in My timing”
Had the truck started right away, had we not needed to wait, had we not been late to the border, had anything been different in the timing of our day, we may not have seen the zebra. Not at all. Ok God I see you.
Me seeing a Zebra doesn’t change the world, actually it doesn’t change anything really. But it does show me that He cares and it shows me His faithfulness. He hears my prayers, and even my non-prayers and He answers.
It may not always look the way I think or I expect, but He does answer, and He does care.
On a safari, in the middle of Africa, I found to be true what is said in Psalm 37:4
“Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart”
