LIGHTNING FLASHED AND thunder roared as the storm sent wave after wave crashing against the small boat. The furious wind shoved the passengers in every direction while simultaneously drenching them with torrents of water. Jonas clenched both fists to the cargo net holding their few boxes of possessions and food rations. The wind whipped his wet hair across his eyes. He squinted in pain from the sharp sting, never releasing his grip. The wind and rain were deafening, and Jonas could barely see or hear anything that was happening to his family and friends, but he clearly sensed the danger of the moment.
His parents, who became born-again Christians during his first year of life, were now escaping persecution for their beliefs. They had prayed they would find refuge for their family in Newfoundland. They were not alone. They had their friends with them. Together they had decided to flee Cuba after much consideration and well-laid plans, but the storm was never predicted by human minds. How could anyone have known?
Jonas was battling fear as he continued to grip the cargo net he so desperately clung to as the water pelted his face. He could hear his heart pounding in his chest as he screamed, “God, help us!”
The boat continued to move forward with no change in the weather. In his mind, Jonas wondered how long they could all continue to survive the storm before the boat suffered some severe damage. From what he could see through squinted eyes, he knew water was everywhere, and the violent wind was a force to reckon with. Only the adults knew how many more miles were left to travel before they could plant their feet on solid ground.
Minutes seemed like hours, and Jonas was holding on with all the strength he had left in his body. He could feel himself weakening physically, but tried to keep his mind alert. The boat appeared to be slowly moving in a new direction. Jonas could see a bluff off to the right side of the boat, and just barely in the distance ahead he caught a glimpse of a sandy shore.
Suddenly a gust of wind with greater force descended upon the boat and its crew. Waves taller than any they had yet experienced tossed the boat back and forth. As the boat rode each wave, Jonas was afraid it would capsize. The weight of the cargo boxes shifted with the next rolling wave, and Jonas felt the net pull from its anchors. Within a matter of seconds he had lost his grip and was sliding across the deck of the boat. There was nothing to prevent the boxes from sliding into the cold Atlantic water, and there was nothing to prevent them from taking Jonas overboard too.
His feet lost contact with the deck as his body sailed backward suspended in air. Only seconds passed before his body was submerged into the frigid water of the ocean. The shock to his body quickly signaled his brain to take immediate action. Frantically flailing his arms and legs, Jonas prayed he could hold his breath long enough to reach the surface of the water. As his face emerged, he began coughing and spitting in order to gasp the precious air. He could finally breathe, but it was just a small sigh of relief to his body encased in the frigid waves of the storm-tossed ocean.
Jonas could barely think, but he knew that as he battled the elements of wind and rain, his only chance of surviving was to reach land. Filled with terror as the waves washed over him, he began swimming toward the bluff and sandy shore. The perilous journey had begun taking its toll, and he cried out to God, “Help me, Jesus! Help me!”
With each stroke he inhaled a new breath of air and then breathed out again. Swift movement of his arms and legs propelled him forward, but not nearly as fast as he wanted to travel. How can I go any faster? he thought to himself. This water is unbearably cold, and the waves push me back almost as fast as I can swim.
He glanced ahead between strokes and noticed he was getting visibly closer. As he neared the bluff, he realized the waves were actually beginning to push him toward land rather than pull him away. He was greatly surprised at first by this revelation, but knew he shouldn’t be. After all, he had asked God to help him.
With a renewed hope, Jonas stayed focused with a determination to succeed and stay alive. I can do this. I know I can do this. I’ll make it to the bluff. I’ll get there. He pushed and pushed himself forward until he could actually touch and hold on to the rocky bluff. It was a small relief to his tired, cold body. He edged himself from rock to rock as he tried to round the corner of the bluff. He knew the sandy shore was ahead. As he stopped for a brief moment to catch his breath, he glanced around and saw some of the supply boxes and other debris being tossed in the waves. Shivering and trembling he continued to inch his way along the rocks, placing one hand in front of the other.
The rain continued, but Jonas broke his mental focus momentarily to think about the boat and his parents. He was quite sure that he was the only castaway. He couldn’t see or hear any other person in the water, and the boat was gone from his vision. Knowing he had no one else close to help, he turned his focus back to the bluff and began to pray.
“Jesus, can You see me? I need Your help. Help me!”
Jonas prayed there was nothing in the water that would be a threat to his safety. All he could think about was reaching the sand, and it wasn’t far away now. He dipped his hands in the water one by one to wash the blood from the cuts created by the jagged rocks. He carefully continued to inch his way around the curve of the bluff. He could see the sandy shore now and knew it was only a few yards before he could reach it. He felt great relief to know it was so close, and some of the panic he had been feeling was dispelled.
With the last of his energy, Jonas flung himself into the water and began to swim the last few feet to shore. He was so thankful when his hands and feet could touch the sandy bottom of the ocean and he could crawl to dry ground. He was too weak to stand, so he rolled over and collapsed on his back.
The storm was no longer threatening as the lightning and thunder receded into the western sky. There was only a drizzle remaining on the calming waves of the ocean. Jonas was now able to enjoy a short reprieve as he lay on the sand catching his breath and not moving a muscle. He was totally exhausted, but thankful to be alive.
While his heart rate and breathing were returning to normal, Jonas’ mind was racing with thoughts of the unknown. He had no idea what time it was, but that seemed insignificant right now. More importantly he wondered what he was to do now that he was all alone. I wonder what has happened to my mom and dad. Are they safe with Jordan and Nadia? Are they looking for me? Do they even know that I slid off the boat?
He suddenly faced the thought of his aloneness, and panic began to sink into his thoughts once more. Who is going to help me? Are there other people on this island? Are they friendly or will they try to hurt me?
Lying motionless he stared at the sky above him. It was finally calm; no lightning, no thunder. The clouds were white, fluffy, and nonthreatening now. Blue sky stretched from east to west behind the clouds. As nature began to return to its peaceful state, Jonas was able to turn his mind to more peaceful and calming thoughts. He wiggled his toes inside his soggy tennis shoes and dug his fingers into the sand. He became overwhelmed with a sense of joy as he realized that he could have very easily perished in the storm-tossed waves.
“I’m alive!” Lifting his arms straight above his head he screamed as loud as he could to the God in heaven. “I made it! Thank You, Jesus!” Jonas let the severity of the past few minutes sink into his thoughts, but this time he did not panic. His heart became grateful for the help that God had provided to rescue him from the clutches of death. As he thanked God for His help, Jonas’ heart drew him closer to God, and God seemed more real and personal now than at any time in Jonas’ past.
The peace of God and the warm tropical air surrounded Jonas like a blanket. He sat up and stared at the glistening water of the ocean. It was a moment of time that sparked a renewed hope in his mind; hope that he desperately needed and would continue to hang on to in the days ahead.
Jonas surveyed the landscape around him and wondered what he should do first. He felt weak and suddenly realized how hungry he was. Surely there would be some edible food somewhere on this island. He stood to his feet and began to take in the landscape around him.
The sandy beach was not a very large area. The majority of the beach was covered in large boulders and gravel. To his right was the bluff that he had managed to cling to. It sloped upward creating a small mountain covered in trees and brush. Directly across from the ocean and to Jonas’ left the beach turned into more brush and trees. It appeared to be quite dense, but as Jonas approached it, he realized there was plenty of space to walk between the bushes under the canopy of the trees.
He walked slowly and carefully ahead. He turned around several times to make sure he could still see the beach. Where are my parents? Have they safely reached Argus Island or did they fall off the boat too? Will someone come looking for me? These questions began to swarm in Jonas’ mind and would continue to haunt him as long as they remained unanswered.
Being completely alone, he was scared to get lost, and in his mind he knew that he would only be seen by his rescuers if he was standing out in the openness of the beach. The growling of Jonas’ stomach reminded him that he was going to have to search for food, though, so turning once again away from the beach, Jonas trudged on. He had no idea where he was or what was on this island, but he knew he couldn’t survive if he didn’t plunge ahead. He was thankful that his parents had taught him how to be aware of direction and not lose track of the north, south, east, and west. He also knew he should break branches at eye level to create a trail as he went. Getting his bearings straight in his mind gave Jonas confidence to continue his search for food deeper into the growth.
Easing into his new surroundings, Jonas was surprised at the difference between this forest and the Cuban city in which he had been raised. He admired the beauty of the pink, white, and yellow island flowers. He couldn’t remember ever seeing flowers so bold in size and rich in color. There were so many different shades of green to the foliage that after searching for what seemed like hours, the colors began to blend together and Jonas thought he would never identify anything suitable for eating.
Jonas was thrilled when he finally came across a bush covered in ripe, green grapes. He plucked the vine greedily as he shoved handful after handful into his mouth. He couldn’t remember ever being this hungry. He and his family had been on the boat for three days and, needing to conserve their food supply, they had been eating only small portions at a time. The grapes were a welcomed relief to his empty stomach.
His hunger was dissipating quickly. He surveyed the area and thoughtfully broke some extra tree branches and shrubs. Not knowing how many meals he may have to make out of the grapes, he certainly wanted to be able to find the patch again.
With his hunger satisfied, Jonas set off again to see what else he could find on the island. Perhaps he would find other people with whom he could seek refuge for the night. Wandering through the forest without finding any help made life start to feel uncomfortable and more uncertain. Everything was unfamiliar, and as he glanced around he couldn’t see any signs of human or animal life. He knew he must keep going. The sun was beginning its descent to the western horizon. Are they sending someone to look for me? He could only hope. And hope is what he clung to with every fiber of his being.
Jonas continued moving to the center of the island. He listened carefully and took mental notes as he surveyed his surroundings. Coming into a small clearing, he sat on a smooth boulder to collect some of his thoughts. While trying to assess the next direction he should travel, he realized how thirsty he had become. Water . . . Jonas knew he was going to need water; but where on this island would he find that? With all the lush green foliage and beautiful flowers there had to be lots of rain that fell on this island, but he had been walking for what must have been several hours and hadn’t seen any signs of water. He just didn’t understand. He sighed with disbelief and got slowly to his feet. Sitting and thinking weren’t going to help solve any of his problems. He knew he must keep moving while he had daylight.
His thirst for water was no longer just a desire, but it had grown into a powerful need. He listened for running water, but found no rivers or even small creeks. He glanced into the sky to see if there were any birds flying above him. Possibly they could give him an indication of nearby water. Jonas couldn’t spot one bird, so he continued to plow through the green thicket of vegetation that was becoming more familiar with every passing hour.
Darkness was closing in, and Jonas knew he had to find a place to rest his head for the evening. His body was feeling the exhaustion of such a horrific day. He had physically drained his energy by being submerged in the cold water, scaling a bluff, and now searching the forest for several hours. Mentally, Jonas couldn’t solve any more problems. He was weary and almost welcomed the dark so that he could stop traveling. He knew it would be useless to try and move through the forest during the night anyway.
He found one of the many clearings that made up the interior of the island. After glancing all around, he determined it to be the best location to spend the night. He piled some of the thick grasses into a makeshift bed and since the temperature was beginning to cool, found several palm branches to use as a cover.
Jonas lay on his blanket of grass listening to the sounds of the night and staring at the midnight blue sky sprinkled with gleaming stars. Wow! he thought to himself. The stars are so bright and bold without the city lights to dim them. I feel like I can almost touch them. “God,” he began praying. “I know You are up there above me, and I want You to help me because I’m all alone, and I really don’t know what to do. I love You and so do my parents, but I’m not sure if they know where I am. I don’t know if they arrived at Argus Island and are safe. Only You do.”
With a trembling voice he whispered, “Jesus, I miss my mom and dad, and I want them to find me. I don’t want to be alone. I’m scared.” Tears streamed down his face, and the agonizing pain he felt was heart wrenching. Jonas longed for the comfort and security of his parents, and he didn’t know how he could survive without them. This was the first time in his life that he had ever been truly alone. He had just recently celebrated his eleventh birthday, and now fear gripped his heart as he contemplated the thought of never reaching his twelfth birthday. How many eleven-year-olds know how to survive in these circumstances? Was it even possible?
More thoughts raced through his mind until weariness gave way to a sound sleep. The breeze was pleasant and light as it swept across his slumbering body. In the canopy of darkness were only the sounds of silence and the twinkling of stars above.