Our house seems to get a little quieter each day. On Wednesday we took five of our houseguests (Richard and Angie Prather and their daughters Chelsea and Cortney, plus Michele Broadway) to Livingstone to catch their flights back to the US. The Prathers were leaving from Livingstone on Thursday afternoon, while Michele Broadway was scheduled to leave on Thursday from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, along with Wil and Jenny Pippin and their two-year-old son Jonathan. The plan was to take Michele and the Pippins to the Zambian border crossing Wednesday afternoon where a driver would meet them and shuttle them across to Victoria Falls. There they had arranged to spend the night at Russell’s Lodge before flying out on Thursday morning.
We arrived at the border a little after 4:00 and began to wait for the driver from Russell’s Lodge. We waited, and we waited, and we waited some more. Wil tried many times to reach Russell by phone, and finally succeeded. Russell thought the driver was waiting on the Zimbabwean side of the border and said he’d phone him and send him to Zambia. We waited some more. At 5:15 time was running out. It gets dark before 6:00 here, and no one wanted to be crossing into Zimbabwe after dark.
About that time a man in a double cab pickup arrived at the border gate. Richard Prather sized him up and thought he looked like a nice guy. Richard briefly explained the situation to the man and asked if he might be willing to deliver the group to the other side of the border. The man quickly agreed, telling us that he was the descendant of some of the early missionaries. He was also acquainted with other friends of Zambia Medical Mission in Vic Falls. He knew the location of Russell’s Lodge and was willing to take the passengers there. We quickly stuffed the many pieces of luggage in the back of his truck, said our goodbyes, and watched as Michele and the Pippins climbed in the vehicle. Richard offered to pay our new friend, but he refused, saying he was glad to help. Off they sped across the Zambezi River Bridge.
Wil Pippin called an hour later to report that they were safely settled at Russell’s.
We didn’t see any wings sticking out of this guy’s T-shirt, but we think he just might be a Shuttle Angel.
David & Linda Gregersen.
About Us
- David and Linda Gregersen
- Mount Vernon, Missouri, United States
- My husband and I lived at Namwianga Mission in Zambia for five years from 2005 until April, 2010. This blog began as a chronicle of our time there. We are now back in the United States and living in Mt. Vernon, Missouri. I am still connected with the work at Namwianga and still post now and then about something related to Namwianga or Africa, and sometimes a personal update.
1 comment:
Dear Linda, It's cj winn here, and I am so Thankful that God answered your prayers and got your house guest on their way safely. I pray for you constantly now and have spread your blog site to many of my christian friends. I enjoy your blog so very much and am starting to collect baby clothes for the next July trip. I don't know if Davy can come next year but I will get the items to Mrs. Hambey on time. God Bless and KEEP You and David, Hugs, prayers and much love cj
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