“The Smoke That Thunders”

“Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” — from Matthew 28

After a year’s walk, in September 1855, the twenty-seven men marched into Linyanti again. They were heroes! For days they told everyone about the sea and the ships.

Now David set off east, to follow the Zambezi River down to the Indian Ocean. More than a hundred of Sekeletu’s men went with him, with a guide named Sekwebu. David had heard of a great waterfall that the people called Mosi-oa-Tunya, “the smoke that thunders,” because of its clouds of spray. In November 1855 Sekeletu’s men took him by canoe to an island right at the edge of the falls. He lay down and looked over into the deep gorge where the whole river crashes down.

David named the falls after Queen Victoria. But the people living there had known them for hundreds of years, and had brought him there. Today the old name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, is used beside the new one.

On 14 January 1856 the party came to a river they had to cross. Many armed men were gathered on the other side, and David’s men feared an attack. That night David was worried. Then he read Jesus’ promise: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” He wrote that it was the word of someone with perfect honour, who would never break his promise. He felt calm, and decided not to slip away in the dark.

The next morning he took his men across in a canoe, a few at a time, and he stayed on the bank himself until the last of them had gone. The people watched, and nobody attacked.

On 20 May 1856 David reached the Indian Ocean. He was the first European known to have crossed Africa from one side to the other. But Sekwebu, who sailed on with him, drowned on the voyage, and David grieved for his brave guide.

Jesus promised to be with his friends always. When you are afraid, you can hold on to his promise, just as David did.

Dear Jesus, thank you for promising to be with me always. When I am afraid, help me to remember your promise and to trust you. Amen.