FAITH and PROVIDENCE on a 2,200-Mile Drift
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WARBURTON, VICTORIA, JANUARY 20, 1964 AUSTRALASIAN:7:. Volume 68 Number 3 .PtQz.4.04Q=4,6=>*1:15'=='gQ:=4 Be Sure to Read: "UP-TO-DATE HEALTH COUNSEL FOR 1964" S. A. KOTZ, Page 12. FAITH and PROVIDENCE on a 2,200-Mile Drift R. W. TAYLOR (Right) The three, survivors in an emaciated condition shortly President, Central Pacific Union Mission after their arrival at Erro- manga. (Below) Wonderfully restored, the three men, Teehu Makimare, Tupou Papai, and OOD HAD BEEN SHORT on the island of Mana- Toka Tuhe, at Lautoka hospi- hiki in the north Cook group, and so, with at least tal, Fiji, on their return journey F two months of dry weather before the annual rains to the Cook Islands. could be expected, the people decided that the able-bodied men should take their boats and sail to Rakahanga, a little more than twenty miles to the north. Four boatloads of men set out, and were returning laden with the food which was to bring relief to the wait- ing families back on Manahiki. Three reached home safely, but the fourth boat, with seven men on board, and laden so heavily that there was only a few inches of free- board, ran into trouble with head winds. The little craft, only thirteen feet long, had a single mast and sail to carry it along; and after vainly trying to tack into the wind, the men, in desperation, decided to head for Puka Puka, an island away to the west. The wind whipped up big waves, and in order to keep afloat, the precious food had to be thrown overboard. Just enough for their immediate requirements was retained. With a compass on board, the men sailed confidently before the wind, which drove them along at a good pace. But days went by and the island did not show up over the horizon. they picked up a floating coconut, and this lasted them for On the ninth day out, a severe storm blew up and car- two days. About a month later, they found another coco- ried away the mast and sail. With no means of propulsion, nut, which they eked out for two and a half days. Their the little boat soon turned side on into the rising seas and only other food was a few flying fish that would fall into capsized. All the men were thrown into the water, and the boat during the hours of darkness. when they managed to reach the boat again, their number had been reduced to five. They did not see the two miss- Their thirst, with "water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink," brought on mental torture, and one by ing men again. one they began to drink sea water. Soon the captain, After hours in the water, the survivors managed to Enoka Dean, father of nine children back on his home right the craft again, and by expert seamanship, get it island, became violently ill. He grew gradually weaker under way by using their shirts as sails and a brace from until on September 29 he passed away. This was forty- the boat as a mast. four days after the boat was blown away from her home Days went by, and the only water they had was what port. they could catch in their hands and pieces of cloth when Of the seven men who set out in the boat, three were rain fell. Eight days after they had jettisoned their food, baptized members of the Adventist Church, and a fourth, (Registered at the G.P.O., Sydney, for transmission by post as a newspaper) [2] 20/1/64 THE AUSTRALASIAN RECORD whose wife was an Adventist, had been sibly one of the longest known drifts in for a long, long while. He had done his having Bible studies and was showing an the history of the Polynesian people. best to alleviate the nuisance by placing a interest in unfolding truth. These men "We knew you would be meeting at the few coconut-leaf mats on the floor: Yet continually prayed to God that the boat mission session in Rarotonga," said the even our very breathing seemed to raise a would not break up, and that they might men, "and we had hoped to be present dust in the place. Where was his family? be brought to land. too for that special meeting; but seeing His wife was long since dead and they had Until the boat capsized they had read we could not be there, we were praying had no children. Who cared for Jere- from their Bibles, which they had with that God would bless those who were miah's meagre needs? A distant relative them, but these were lost with everything present." or two and the local church members. else on board when the boat turned over. "And we were praying for you, too," I Immobile, almost alone, with barely an Now they could rely only on verses they assured them. In fact, Pastor G. Lee said article in the world to call his own, Jere- had committed to memory in Sabbath to me several days before the meetings miah sat looking peacefully out into the school and MV meetings, and what a began that he felt the lost men were safe gathering dusk of Sabbath. One might comfort they were! Sometimes the little somewhere, even though they had been have thought the hardness of his lot group sang hymns, and when asked their missing for two months. Then, as we would have etched some lines of bitter- favourite, Teehu, spokesman for the gathered on old Aitutaki, and the relatives ness on his face. There were plenty of group, answered, "Do, Lord, oh, do, Lord, of the lost men joined with other breth- lines there, and doubtless some might oh, do remember me." No doubt these ren from various islands, what earnest have been constrained to serve this pur- words took on new meaning as this prayers were offered, and finally, what pose, yet I could read naught but peace chorus became the anguished cry of four rejoicing was heard as while still in ses- on his face. lonely lost men on the vast Pacific Ocean. sion the news came through, "The lost What a sermon you are, Jeremiah! men have been found! They turned up As the days went by, the men realized And then I asked him about a story I in the New Hebrides." that they had passed Puka Puka, and had heard. Was it true? Jeremiah didn't even Samoa, and thought they must now "We never lost faith in God," declared answer the question directly. He just be approaching Fiji. And then, sixty- our good brother, and what a joy to be told me simply and plainly in slow and three days after they lost sight of land, the child of Him who watches over the carefully-mouthed pidgin (which he skil- they could hardly believe their eyes as an sparrow when it falls, and much more fully sandwiched between his chomping island came into view. The little boat cares for His human children! jaws) what he had seen. which was now broken around the sides About eighteen months ago, our pastor and appeared more like a raft than the had conducted the sacraments at Sana- small sailing ship that had left the Cook Jeremiah of Sanasup sup church and afterwards had gone to Islands, they steered onto the reef, al- NEIL HUGHES this small hut to share the blessing of though they were almost too exhausted to I was led through the neat mission vil- that service with our shut-in Jeremiah. move. lage of Sanasup, on the southern coast of He had eaten the bread. He had taken Painfully they made their way ashore, the island of Ambrym, New Hebrides. the wine and bowed his head. At that three of them crawling because they were "Come and see one of our church mem- moment there appeared a figure at the too weak to walk, but thankful to be on bers," invited Pastor Masengnalo. "He's doorway—the doorway at which I now land again. They found themselves old and cannot walk to service any more. stood. Then, despite the shortcomings among coconuts, but were unable to open I know he'd be happy to see you." which all acknowledge pidgin to have, he became eloquent. them. They gathered in a pathetic group Following the direction taken by our to offer a heartfelt prayer of thankful- pastor, we headed towards a small native "Hat belong Him he white, he white ness to God for saving their lives during structure of pandanus thatch, bamboo, altogether," And so the description con- the two months on the ocean, and then and bush timbers—a hut little bigger tinued. On the head was a dazzling they fell asleep. than eight by ten feet, I estimated. How- crown. Gleaming white "calico" clothed Him from head to foot. There was no Instead of being in Fiji, as they ever, it was not the hut which primarily doubt in the mind of Jeremiah who was thought, they were 800 miles further west occupied my attention, but the squat old speaking. "Youfella stop faithful, by and than that. Actually they were on the is- man who blocked the doorway with his by Me come ta,kem you with Mefella. Him land of Erromanga in the New Hebrides frame and gazed out at the gathering he no long time yet." And as Jeremiah and 2,200 miles from their starting point.