5/19/98: Arrived safely in Harare, Zimbabwe at 8am, our first time in the Southern Hemisphere. Met at the airport by Doug E, one of the missionaries we will be working with. We are excited to get started on our first service project of the trip.
5/19/23: On the road for 57 days at that point, and with our mini-tour of sites related to Biblical history concluded, we were chomping at the bit to get to work. We spent over 4 weeks in Zimbabwe, and our work ranged all over the map. (See image below). A few days in the capital of Harare started with a long nap, a visit to downtown to stop at an ATM, a visit to the grocery store, and dinner with Doug and Nancy E.
A much-anticipated aspect of being in Zimbabwe for me, was looking up into an entirely different night sky than I was used to. It was the first time I had been in the southern hemisphere, and the constellations are, of course, entirely different on the “bottom” half of Earth. I had been familiar with looking for Polaris, the North Star, as a directional reference in the night sky. It is the tip of the tail in the Ursa Minor (or “little bear”) constellation. More colloquially, it is the end of the handle in the “Little Dipper.” But in the southern hemisphere, there are no bears or ladles! Instead, one finds “south” as a direction point by looking for the star Acrux, which forms a constellation known as the Southern Cross. It resides under the classical constellation of Centaurus. The Southern Cross point approximately to true south. And when you see the southern cross for the first time, you gain a fresh appreciation of God’s handiwork in all that He has made.
Psalms 19
To The Choirmaster. A Psalm of David.1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
