Victoria Falls: Celebrating in the Downpour

The low rumble can be heard and the rising fog seen from far outside the park. It is clear why Africans originally called Victoria Falls "Mosi-O-Tunya," meaning "the smoke that thunders."

The day was overcast and a fine mist followed us throughout the park as we embarked on the adventure to see Zambia's claim to fame, one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

My first glimpse left me awestruck at the enormity of the falls and the sheer volume of water… and amazingly, only 25% of Victoria Falls is visible from the Zambia side. The majority lies across the Zimbabwean border.
























I thought I was well-equipped with my rain jacket… but as we got closer to the falls I realized the rental ponchos were a must. After Kayla and I got all geared up in plastic cape ensembles that would make April Cox proud, we set off to Knife's Edge, the bridge that runs in a very close parallel to a portion of
the Zambian falls.

I had this funny idea that I could stand on the bridge and take pictures, because you know, that's what you do when you go to beautiful places.  Maybe in dry season, but right now, that's a joke. The rainy season has turned the falls into a swollen, raging monsoon.

Standing on the bridge you gasp for air and laugh uncontrollably through burning lungs and try to keep your stinging eyes open for long enough to catch a glimpse of this wonder. Water rushes under your feet and you realize that despite the poncho, every square inch of your body is soaked. And you're not even standing under the falls. Just near it.

As I stood there, a certain Rend Collective lyric kept coming to mind:

Your mercy rains from heaven
Like confetti at a wedding
And I am celebrating in the downpour

But this ain't like no confetti.
Clearly.

Yet we were celebrating this downpour of water that so vividly depicts the outpouring of the grace and the mercy and the power of our God.

Later that evening after getting dried off and warmed up, I read Psalm 42. It begins,

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God…"

The psalmist is thirsty for God. And what response does he find?

"Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me."

We thirst for just a drink and he plunges us into an enormous waterfall of his grace and goodness.