12/31/2022
Newly Wed’s Trip To Mission Field/Zambian Railroad
I just watched a documentary about the amazing 1800 mile long Tanzara Railway from
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania to Zambia built by the Chinese in 1970. Dubbed the most dangerous
Railway in the world. Brings back some memories.
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Nancy and I got married November 29, 1968 in Shirley, Arkansas. We packed our
wedding gifts in barrels for shipment during Christmas, and boarded the plane for Africa in
January.
We had our first major disagreement on a stop over from Ohare in New York City when we
found out we had too much luggage and it would cost $500 to send it on to Zambia. Being
the man of the house I said, “leave it behind” and she said, “no problem, we will pay it”.
Well I won, we left with it with a Harding friend in New York, and continued on our way much
to Nancy’s displeasure. (Never heard the end of that!)
Somehow the air planes got off schedule, so we ended up spending the night in London, and
arrived in Lusaka Zambia the next day. Since this was before cell phones, and the mission
had one phone that did not always work, we could not coordinate getting picked up for the
300 mile trip south to Kalomo where the mission was located.
Greatly against Nancy’s urging, I decided to take the Zambian railroad to the mission. In extremely
hot and muggy weather still in our winter coats, with lots of luggage, we boarded the train
for Kalomo. We arrived at primitive Kalomo when it was getting dark. I was major worried. If we cannot
get in touch with the mission, we would have to walk the 3 miles in the bush to the mission. I could see the
headlines, “Missionaries Get Eaten by Tiger”.
By God’s grace, there was a pay phone by the railway, and I was able to reach the mission. Roy
Merritt came out to pick us up. I was so thankful.
