Deep in the Heart of Botswana

Botswana is comparable (in size) to the state of Texas.  Part of our responsibility is Housing.  We arrange for and check the conditions of the flats used by our missionaries.  We have a large group in Francistown, which is 5 hours north of the Mission Office.  We took the bus up to Francistown.  The Winklers (a CES Sr Missionary couple serving there) were busy with a Gathering Point meeting for young single adults at the church building and couldn’t come to fetch us. Checking the map, we found the chapel to be a 17-minute walk from the bus station.

So, off we went, dragging our suitcase!  As we walked, people greeted us kindly, some saying “You’re My People!”  One kind man stopped his car and asked if he could take us where we were going.  Sister McCuistion stated   “Some of our missionaries are a little lazy, so we want to show that even old people can walk from the Bus Station to the Chapel.”

Once there, we found two dozen young singles having fun in a wholesome way.  We were glad to assist.

The next day, we joined the Winklers in a drive up to Kasane.  While the Mission Office (in Gaborone) is at the bottom East of Botswana, Kasane is at the top East.  Next door is the Chobe National Park, one of the best in Botswana.  The 1-lane road to Kasane is populated with trucks from Zambia, and is often pot-holed.  It’s always an adventure.  But we made it after another 6 hours of driving.

Monday was our adventure day.  In the morning, the Flame of Africa tour group brought a really nice open-side jeep just for the 4 of us, and we ventured into the Chobe park.  Unfortunately, the Botswana rainy season had started during the last week.  That means the animals no longer need to gather dangerously near the river and can escape back into the bush.  The week before, 3 other Senior Couple missionaries said they saw tons of animals.  We did not.

After the morning drive, we retired to a boat.  Launching out onto the Chobe River, we were served a fabulous lunch while we watched the hippos, cape buffalo, crocodiles and birds.

For dinner, we had a reservation at the Chobe Safari Lodge restaurant.  It was just as you would expect, sitting beside a river in Africa having dinner.

Rather than drive the 12 hours back to Gaborone, we elected to fly.  There is a direct flight from Kasane to Gaborone, but the airline is sketchy and gets canceled often, so we chose to fly AirLink, which takes us through Johannesburg.  But we got home, so success!