We
are finally in AFRICA! It feels like I have been here only a few
days, but actually we have been on African soil for over a week.
That would be due to our crazy travel day… or rather, travel WEEK.
If I had a journal to share with all of you, it would probably look
something like this:
Sunday,
October 31st:
11:00
AM – We just landed in Johannesburg, South Africa! Finally after a
12-something hour flight with 2 layovers and virtually no sleep, I’m
so glad to be here! Ready to get on a bus and get to Malawi.
6:00
PM – Just kidding… Apparently our bus was canceled, and no other
transportation can be arranged to Malawi on Sundays. Just had a
flash back to Prague and the Czech Republic. But we are spending the
night in a beautiful hostel here in Johannesburg and praying for a
bus tomorrow. We were also amazingly blessed by 2 strangers pitching
in to help pay for P-Squad dinner when we went grocery shopping…
Thank you Ginny and Nick!
Monday,
November 1st:
9:00AM
– Just had the most amazing night of sleep ever. Thank you God for a
real bed! Now after some awesome devo time, I’m all packed up and
ready for us to get on that bus at 2 PM. Malawi here we come!
10:00PM
– ….. Or not. I guess that bus fell through, so we are spending
another night here. So instead we had some INTENSE P-Squad worship!
Talk about rocking the house. Singing, dancing, yelling, bustin’ a
flow, we got it all.
Tuesday,
November 2nd:
1:30
PM – Ok, today we are getting on that bus! Packed and ready to go,
65 passenger bus comes at 2 PM. Did I mention we have exactly 65
P-Squaders?
2:00
PM – Yep, the bus came at 2 PM…. With no cargo room for our bags.
So we unload and wait for them to go get a trailer. When they get
back let’s hit the road.
6:00
PM – So we got all loaded up, only to be told if we leave now, we
will hit traffic. So we unload, eat dinner and after a while we get
back on. I’ve got Robin as my travel buddy for this 40-something
hour bus ride…. FINALLY we are on our way! A beautiful sunset
starts off our bus ride right!
Wednesday,
November 3rd:
2:30
AM – Drove all night, just hit the South African/Zimbabwe border.
Going to go get our passports stamped out of one country and into the
other. Praying hard.
8:00
AM – JUST finished getting everyone’s entry visas into the country of
Zimbabwe. 65 Americans are an easy target to extort for extra
fees…. And extra time. But the scenery is incredible here! South
Africa was very westernized, but Zimbabwe is legit. The scenery just
makes me want to draw!
10:00
PM – Arrived at the Mozambique border. It’s closed, so we will be
spending the night here. 65 people. On the bus. With no
air-conditioning. Rejoice in the Lord, again I say rejoice.
Thursday,
November 4th:
5:00
AM – I just spent the most miserable night of my life on that bus.
My seat is in the second to last row of the bus… With no windows
and no air-circulation whatsoever. I’m pretty sure we all wanted to
go crazy. I tried to sleep on the floor under one of the benches,
but people kept stepping on my legs and it was hard to breathe, and
then when I sat up it was even hotter. And we SMELL! Just getting a
little bite to eat, some water and ready to hit the
Zimbabwe/Mozambique border when it opens at 6 AM.
2:30
PM – We just crossed the border. That colorful little visa sticker
in my passport took 8 hours…. just so we can travel THROUGH
Mozambique. It was a battle, and we worshipped through it. It’s
pretty clear that the enemy doesn’t want us to get to Malwai, but
nothing can hold us back! Now we are praying that we make it to the
Mozambique/Malawi border before it closes at 8 PM. It all depends on
a certain one-way bridge. If we are delayed, we won’t make it.
8:00
PM – We caught the bridge at just the right time and we arrived at
almost exactly 8 PM… Where we learned that a storm had caused them
to lose power and close at 7 PM. Looks like another night on the
bus. But the boys are on guard duty shifts and sleeping outside, so
they are sacrificing for us girls. The Lord is going to multiply our
rest tonight.
Friday,
November 5th:
5:30
AM – I actually slept from 11 PM until now, and it was amazing! God
certainly did multiply my rest! I was out like a light underneath
one of the benches… Who knew it could be so comfortable?
Apparently Tommy got caught pooping in public last night and they had
to pay a bribe so he didn’t get arrested. Of course that would
happen to Tommy. It is pretty funny, but I’m ready for MALAWI!
1:00
PM – We crossed the border without a hitch, traveled the last few
hours and have finally arrived at our final destination of Blantyre,
Malawi. Praise the Lord. Our 40-something hour bus ride turned into
65 hours of sweat, pain, worship, trials and testing. If this is how
hard the enemy tried to keep us from Malawi, I can’t even imagine
what God has in store for us here! BRING IT! 😀
So
that is my pretend diary of our travel week to Africa presented just
for your enjoyment. This wasy when I get back home and the words:
“One time when I was on a 65-hour African bus ride…” come
out of my mouth, you will know what I’m talking about. Exactly.
