From: “Brenda Lange”
Subject: Blog, Sept. 25, 2012
Date: September 25, 2012 7:54:00 AM CDT
BUNNY AND THE 7 FOOT MAMBA!
Our team of 4 missionaries sat down to lunch on my veranda today. The crows were putting up a horrible racket outside so I decided to go out and throw a rock at them. That rock was never thrown– I COULDN’T GET TO IT! As I opened the door and stepped out, a 7 foot black mamba was sitting right in front of my rock pile about 3 meters (10 feet away).
From its tracks, it was clear the mamba had just passed in front of THAT SAME DOOR, and was on its way into my front yard where the birds were. THAT is why the crows were screaming so loudly! I most certainly be paying more attention to the kind of bird calls I hear from now on!
The startled Mamba was rising to strike as I came out of the door, and this old Jr. Olympic athlete did an instinctive 180 spin back into the house, slamming the door, and yelling for the guard, all in one movement! My guard knows that kind of yell means a snake, so he came running, armed with a strong 12 foot (4 meter) bamboo pole. Eric and I couldn’t see the snake as it was against the house wall, and we didn’t DARE open the door until we had eyes on that side to tell us all was clear. Once the guard arrived and couldn’t find the snake, we took our weapons and went out to help him search for it. But it’s tracks disappeared at my Kingcab pickup tire. We figured he was in the frame of the car somewhere. Eric was brave enough to get into the car and move it out of the car port as we watched for movement from underneath. He let it run and when nothing happened, he took the truck for a ride around our 40 acres to try and shake it loose.
The snake was never seen again, and we didn’t get too close to the car to try and find it either. So this time, I have to admit that he lives to come back another day. So now we are on “full alert” when opening any doors, and keeping a sharp eye out everywhere we go. Our prayer is that our angels keep him out of our living area!
De Bunny lives to tell yet another snake story! When they get away, it certainly makes my skin crawl for a while. Just glad I didn’t open the door when he was in front of it.
Blessings,
Bush Bunny Brenda in Mozambique