Victoria Falls One of the 7th Natural Wonders of the World

The Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya the Cloud that Thunders is a waterfall located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia.)

The Zambezi River begins in Kalene, Zambia where Jacob attended the Sakeji School. The founder of the school was the dad of Jim Hess, a Brethren missionary that lived in Chingola, Zambia where we lived from 1976 till we returned to the states in early 1986.  It is not impressive when you first see it as it is just a small piece of wood with the words Source of the Zambezi River inscribed crudely on it, and there is just a trickle of water but WOW that trickle of water gained momentum as it plunged down furiously and is now known as the infamous Victoria Falls. 

When I first saw Victoria Falls I understood how Dr Livingstone must have felt. He had gone many days without having access to water. Just my first sight and feeling of the dampness in the air miles away before you reached the Victoria Falls gave me goose bumps on my moist skin as I was so hot and uncomfortable.  All four of had wet clothes due to the spray of water. There was one pathetic looking tree with a branch reaching out a ways over the falls, and Pepper at ten years of age climbed the tree and before I noticed him he was way out sitting on the branch of the tree and nothing but water rushing underneath him. I was scarred beyond words, and quietly asked him to climb back down and stand over where we were as the view was still spectacular.   Looking back at these photos I realize how fortunate we were as a family to experience such an awesome adventure.  It was a blessing that Jim and Rhoda Hess drove us to Livingstone, and we were able to stay with Piet and Rosemary Combrink in their home who had children the ages of our sons.