Chasing Waterfalls

14 Jan Chasing Waterfalls

If you grew up in the 1990s you probably remember the song “Waterfalls” by TLC.

Don’t go chasing waterfalls. Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to.

This song shared an important message about avoiding the things in life that lure you into a dangerous place because it may seem exciting and beautiful from a distance, but get too close and tragedy might strike.

Recently, our family went on a camping trip to the Aberdare Mountains of Central Kenya in a quest of chasing waterfalls. Don’t worry, there wasn’t a tragedy. As we drove around the 1300 acres of wildlife reserve we hoped to experience some of the exciting beauty that God created for His glory and allows us to enjoy.

Our first day was spent admiring animals such as elephants, buffalo, waterbuck, wart hog, hyena, colobus monkeys, sykes monkeys, and baboons. We spent our first night near a mountain stream crammed into our small tent with two children who wouldn’t stay in their place; and we were tempted to tie them down to tent pegs. It was a peaceful and quiet location until we got into our tent; it was this cue that must have told the colobus monkeys that it was time for their ritual barking and growling.

Our second day would take us on a long drive across the park: traversing the moorlands, bamboo forest, alpine forest, and high altitude bogs up to an altitude well over 10,000 feet above sea level. It was here that our search for waterfalls began. The number of birds and wildflowers was staggering and the antelope would just about walk right up to you. In all, we came across five waterfalls. The tallest being Karuru Falls with a total drop of 895 feet. Standing on the overlook platform that overhangs the top of these falls will definitely get your heartbeat racing.

As I reveled in the beauty of the different waterfalls we encountered, it kept taking me back to the beauty of our awesome and creative God. He didn’t have to create us in a way to enjoy His vast creation; we could have been made like the antelope of the forest, where the only purpose of going near the river would be to get a refreshing and life-requiring drink. But instead, God gave us minds and emotions that yearn for experiences and enjoyment. We have imaginations that take us away from the normal, everyday stresses and cares of life and allow us to soak in the enveloping mist of a created world, whose diversity becomes nearly impossible to explain or even comprehend.

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:7-10

I’m looking forward to a continual quest of “chasing waterfalls” and chasing after God.