This morning I woke up in a cave. We cooked biscuits and boerwurst sausages over an open flame as the sun went down last night. We proudly introduced the fine art of S’more making to the seven little Taiwanese boys, their leader, Becky and our South African guide, Peet.
I love the land out here in this little forest haven tucked away in the mountains of South Africa—what Trumpy calls his ‘backyard.’ It is all so rustic, and yet these people sure have perfected camping, complete with foam mattresses and a grill spit for cooking multiple sausages for the hungry masses. The next morning, instead of cooking breakfast for ourselves in the cave we awoke early to meet Trumpy at 7:00am with all of our gear to ride back in the old logging truck that needed to be on a downward slope so it could be started with a rolling jump start—so rugged!
We were met with a true Boersman breakfast with yet more sausage, porridge, eggs, fried peppers, onions and toast. It was marvelous. Really, it all made me miss my dad, down to the sausages and eggs. He would just love these South Africans with their rough edges and tough guy exterior, but with a glint in their eyes when they’re happy and a cracked smile that can’t help but show their tender heart a bit on the outside. They are just like him. I know he would love the pine tree forests we’ve been tromping through these past few days even though they are manicured and definitely not native to the area. I can’t look around at these woods and this landscape though and not stand in awe of God. I’m quite sure that’s how my Dad communicates best with the Lord too—out in nature.
It was here in this landscape that God decided to meet us in a powerful way and show His mercy and love to a man in desperate need. Let me paint a picture of this encounter through my mental musings as we journeyed again to this cave…this time with no surprises, just an overwhelming sense of awe…
My mind was reeling as I took in all the sights and sounds and smells of the forest as we climbed higher in the logging truck heading for the cave. As we were riding up the same wandering dirt road through the trees towards the same rock overlook, I couldn’t help thinking of the last time we had passed this way. I stared into the distance pensively from the back of the logging truck that was laden with all of our goods for camping; food, blankets, water, cups and kettles…and kids. Seven Taiwanese youngsters laughed and chided each other loudly in their own language as we bounced along the road. They’re with a group called Beyond Borders and are here in South Africa to learn about the environment and ecology—animals and survival and all that. So, off we went to sleep in a cave for the night.
I mentally flashed back a week prior to our trip in the Land Rover where it was just our team and Trumpy, the founder of Eagle Ministries. I thought back of how oblivious we were about what was to happen that day. How could we have known? We weren’t prepared for it and we could not have been. We were simply bounding along on this forest road discussing our dreams and what we’d do with 98 million dollars if someone were to hand it to us tomorrow.
I looked around at the rest of my teammates from the back of the logging truck and could see on their faces that their minds were as far off as mine were, perhaps going back to that same day with Trumpy. The seriousness of it all shrouded the sounds of laughter and games that surrounded our physical presence. The reality I was living was in my mind, back to that day we spent together in these woods, as the Land Rover pulled up to a nice silver truck stopped at the top of the mountain and how our light conversation turned at once to seriousness and then shock as we noticed the hose out the back of the truck and the near unconscious state of the driver inside.
This day was not a mistake.
I remembered as we climbed further up the same mountain with all these children in tow how we had intervened in this man’s death only days before. How we watched and were a part of God going after one of his lost sheep—even to the highest, most seemingly remote mountains in South Africa. We were there as death turned into life right before our eyes. As Trumpy spoke to him and as we prayed out on that rock overlook and declared life over this man, God had his way and a miracle occurred. We wouldn’t have passed that way if it weren’t for the fact that it was Linnea’s birthday and we were having a day of fun. How could this be a coincidence? In another half hour we would have happened upon a dead man.
I thought about how these kids, only 9-13 in age, would have had their little worlds rocked had they been the ones to come upon this scene, which would have been quite likely as Trumpy told us he’s never seen anyone up on this road before. My thoughts went there, even though I struggled to turn my attention on something else, there to a picture of what shock and horror an adventure into the caves would have been had these boys first encountered this, with a man sitting lifeless now for over a week. I shuddered at the thought and praised the Lord that this wasn’t the case—that this troubled man was not lifeless, but that he drove away from us that day with life in his bones and life in his soul. I praised Him this day that we could truly have an adventure with no tragic surprises at the top of the hill.
As we reached the spot where all this had occurred (pictured above), a sense of reverence washed over me and I just peered out into the same overlook I had last viewed through tears and in my heart said thank you. Gratefulness filled me as we slowly circled the huge rock overlook peering at an amazing sunset in the background, my teammates and I giving knowing glances and the boys being loud and oblivious to it all. I could have shouted and jumped and wept all at the same time. As the wind blew my hair in front of my eyes in just the same way as it had that day, I could not help seeing this place as I had recognized it only a week before…
This was Holy ground.
…for a mighty move of God had occurred here and I know I will never ever forget it. Praise God for His never ending love for each one of us!
Thank you Lord that you see me wherever I go.
Thank you for not loosing sight and continually going after me, one of your previously lost sheep.
