This story takes place at Victoria Falls in Livingstone, Zambia. On the edge of death. I decided to go zip lining, canyon swinging, and bungee jumping. I wanted to ease myself into it by going zip lining first, then canyon swinging with a partner, and then bungee jumping last. I didn’t really want to bungee jump at all, but paying for the other two separately was $10 more expensive than getting all three for the package deal. So of course, for the sake of saving $10, I had to do all three! I couldn’t bare to pay for all three and only do two of them, it’s just not right.
I went zip lining first, but unfortunately they made me bungee jump second. So basically, I was terrified. So much for easing myself into it!
I stepped out over the huge canyon, onto the metal grate jumping platform, which happened to be held together very officially at the joints with duct tape. Super comforting.
I sat on the bench as one worker wrapped towels around my ankles and started fixing my chest harness and strapping my legs into the ankle harness. He was very nice, I’m going to call him my friend. Another man was video taping the whole thing (that I could later purchase at the totally (un)reasonable price of $60). My friend harnessing me in was so good to me and told me to say something to the video. I turned my head and awkwardly said: “Hiiiii.”
This is how the conversation went:
Scared Leah to the video man: Hiiiii… .. . Do you believe in God?
Video man: Yes.
Scared Leah: Oh good.
Scared Leah turned to harnessing friend: Do you believe in God?
Harnessing friend: Yes I do!
Scared Leah: That’s good, me too.
Harnessing friend: Yes, and God was with you when you signed up to do this and He will be jumping with you off this bridge!” as he pointed to the edge of the platform aka. My doom.
He smiled and told me to stand up and guided me as I hopped to the edge of the platform and he told me to hang the tips of my toes over the edge. As I did that, him and his accomplice jammed their toes under the back of my heals. So pretty much the only part of me touching the ground is the balls of my feet, that’s it. There’s no turning back now.
My friend said, “Are you ready?” And through my nervous giggles and the smile on my face I said “No!” And they chuckled and started yelling their very fast countdown… “54321.Bungee!!!”
They lifted up their toes, therefore lifting up my heals, and pushed me off the edge!!!
I was upside down and bounced SO HARD that I ended up standing straight up in mid air, TWICE! It was totally crazy!
I was there bouncing upside down for about 4 minutes and then once the guy repelled to get me, it took him about another minute to get
My safely strapped to him and off the bungee cord so he could pull me back to safety.
However, in those 4 minutes of hanging upside down, bouncing 150 feet in the air… I felt so much peace.
You want to know why?
Because my friend was right.
The Lord did jump with me off that bridge. I felt Him there with me. And as strange as it sounds, I felt so safe dangling from my ankles by a string. God wasn’t going to let me die. He wants me to finish this World Race! Haha
I’ve always known that God is with me. I always picture Him on some cloud floating next to me, watching over me as I go through life… but for the first time, I didn’t picture Him like that. God doesn’t sit safely to the side on a cloud to support you. The Holy Spirit is inside you. Inside me! And I was hanging upside down by my ankles. So you know who was hanging upside down by their ankles too? God was! In that moment, I felt so close to Him, knowing that He was still holding me in His arms as we were hanging upside down together. Wow. What a wonderful Lord I love.
I was in no hurry for that guy to repel to me and bring me back to earth.
But he did, all too soon.
I made my way back up to the bridge so I could go canyon swinging next, and I saw my friend. He said, “Look who it is, with a smile on her face!” I told him that I was so thankful that God gave him the words to say to me, because He really did jump off that bridge with me. I’m so thankful for that sweet man.
I’ll see him again in Heaven. How exciting! I’m meeting so many friends on this race, that I’ll get to see in Heaven! <3
My kind harnessing friend.
