As In a Mirror

Okey dokie! I have finished Chapter 5 (already) of the dramatic saga, Never Be Lost. I know, it is the fifth chapter and I am still just covering the introductory stuff, but from now on we should be delving into the meat of the story. Get ready, get set, go!

About an hour after sunset, Alex and Ben were just wrapping things up before they retired for the night.
Alex: Whew, yunno some say it’s hot in Kansas, but man, it’s hot out here!
They collapsed into two chairs on the deck for a breather.
Alex: Well, buddy, get ready for another day tomorrow.
Ben: What, you plan on sleeping?
Alex: Yeah, gee, what you gonna do?
Ben: Lay awake I guess, I mean, how can you sleep after what happened here?
Alex: Well, I wondered about that, too. But hauling that heavy equipment sure gave me a good reason. Please, Ben, don’t go on a mystery hunt. Don’t get distracted.

By this time, the boys were ready to head to the cabin, but approaching footsteps on the deck were quickly followed by Kip’s voice.
“Hey, Ben, you wanna talk just a minute?”
Ben glanced at Alex. “Sure, is right here good?”
Kip seated himself, “This will do. Yunno, I have been thinking an awful lot since we talked out there. Yunno…you want to find out more about what’s been going on down here over the past 20 or 30 years, don’t you?”
Ben: Yes sir.
Kip: Yeah, you mentioned Annie Marshall. There have been a whole lot of others. Mr. Decker talked about ‘em. You know, if you really want to know about this stuff, and not just experience the Amazon, not just see the present state of these Indians, but know why they are where they are, why missions are at where it’s at, then I think you’re on the right track. Thing is, I know that some people really want that information and can’t seem to get it. Well… I guess I just felt it right to tell you, that… if you want answers, here is the place to get them. God put you in this place, in this time, for a reason, and it might not be to save all the Indians in the Amazon…not exactly. But, take advantage of every moment, and don’t waste it. Redeem the time, son. The days are short, and the future, as they say, is in the hands of young people like you boys. It’s high time young men took their place to lead, to do what God’s called them to do. God calls His people to go and tell. Maybe you won’t spend half your lifetime in the jungles like my family did, but… don’t forget, that God has you where you are when you are for His glory. Don’t miss it. What has been happening around the world regarding the advancement of the gospel is so important, and yet often little known to the church in the free world, because they are so far away. Life is a vapor. Take that time to save a soul, huh?

Ben was speechless. Had Kip known what was going on inside his heart?
Kip spoke up again, “Hey, and while you’re at it, you might want to look more into that Indian’s story. One warning: Don’t be too straightforward, if you know what I mean.”
Ben quietly chuckled. Kip stood up to leave. “That’s all; just wanted to say. Good night, boys.” Both boys replied, “Good night, sir. Thank you.”
After a moment Ben stood up and followed Kip, “Say, Kip?”
Kip: Yeah?
Ben: Sir… I’ve just got to thank you. I mean, it was exactly what I needed to hear. I… I don’t know if you know what really has been going on inside me for months, and even my whole life….
Kip smiled and stretched his hand out to shake Ben’s. “It’s all right, son. I might not know, but we both know Who does, huh?”
Ben: Thank you, sir.
Kip: You are welcome. Get some good rest; you are gonna need it tomorrow.
And he walked away.

Ben stood on the deck for a moment. Then he looked up to the sky, with a heart so heavy, but it really felt a bit lighter since Kip’s talk. “Jesus. Father, Kip really doesn’t have any idea, but thank you for sending him. I look the same as everybody else on the outside, but inside there is so much turmoil… Do I even know what’s been holding me back? Jesus, be my strength. Help me to heed Kip’s advice, to follow You.”
Slowly, he turned back towards his and Alex’s cabin. Alex was by the door.
“Hey, man, first I say that thing about the mystery and then jungle man comes and says go ahead.” He chuckled quietly, then continued, “Well, just know, I won’t stop ya, buddy. Just remember what he said, and stay focused, eh?”
Ben: Gee, thanks, Alex. Maybe we can do this together.
Alex: Woo! Let’s get some sleep first.

However, as they had predicted, sleep did not come easily–not for any of them. As Lanie lay awake, she recollected how out of the blue, this Indian showed up carrying a small sick boy to the doctor. She remembered the baffled look on his face when Doctor Bentley tried to speak to him in the local tongue. Then when the doctor turned to Lanie and started giving instructions, the Indian spoke up, “Senor, I can speak.” Dr. Bentley and Lanie froze. Were they imagining something? Who was this? He was certainly not an ethnic Latin American. He was Indian, but not from around there. He spoke again, “This boy, his eyes, they are not good. Please look at him and see? What can be done for him?” Dr. Bentley decided now was not the time to quiz this man, but rather to take care of the boy. He examined him and Lanie helped. Finally, probably with uncertainty regarding the small boy’s condition, he let out a deep sigh and took off his glasses. He sent Lanie to get a medical book, and to tell Mr. Decker what happened. When she was done, she ran straight for the kitchen where her three friends were, to tell them the news. Then Ben marched out the door, with Alex on his heels. After that, business went as usual for Lanie, but she felt herself trembling a little– she wasn’t sure if it was excitement or nervousness. What was going on? And when they discovered the Indian had a Portuguese name… that was even weirder. Tonight, Lanie resolved to find out more.

Alex, too, lay awake in his bunk as the frogs and birds carried on their nightly symphony. Wow, he thought. He and Ben had known each other since he was six years old, and he had never seen Ben as riled up as he was when he heard about that Indian. “Just wait til he starts talking to him!” he thought. He prayed that nothing bad would happen. Who could know? Who in the world was this Indian guy? Did he run away as a child, get raised by wolves, and then stumble upon Rio de Janeiro one day? Hmmm, this is sounding rather typical. He smiled to himself as he thought, “Juao, huh? Should have been, ‘Mowgli.’ ”

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Yayayayayayay!!!! I know, I am SO sorry that it has taken me this long to post another story update. I really did not expect it to take this long, but I know everybody forgives me. So here we go! This is Chapter 4, and… I have the next part ready, so, will hopefully be coming soon!

Where we left off….

Lanie comes running breathless into the room where the other three happened to be.
Lanie: Guys! There’s an Indian out there speaking English!
The others were a bit perplexed.
Alex: What do you mean?
Lanie: You see, he’s not from around here. Indians pointed to him and said he’s from a totally different tribe, so Dr. Bentley thought he’d be having trouble communicating, but this guy spoke in English when he heard Dr. Bentley, and he says his name’s Juao, and he brought a little boy with an eye problem from all the way down the river! That’s really far, and I heard Mr. Decker saying all this stuff to the doctor afterward about that part of the river not having been reached before or something…
Alex: And English isn’t a common language out here.
Ben: Well, where is this guy now? He still here?

And now, the continuation!

Lanie: I think he’s talking to Dr. Bentley about medicine for the little boy.

Ben shot up without a word and marched out the door. Alex followed close behind.

Alex: Keep your cool, man. You can’t go marching up to an Indian and start asking questions.
Ben: I’ve just got to see him.
They soon entered the clinic office where the Indian and Dr. Bentley were talking. He was surely a little different looking from the local Indians. A bit taller, more bronze-colored than olive-colored, thinner eyes a bit farther apart. Strangely, he had no obvious tribal markings.
Both boys winced at the sight of the little boy’s eyes. He must have been only five years old.
Dr. Bentley was asking the Indian all sorts of questions, like, “Is this boy related to you?”
With a bit of an accent, Juao responded: I am his parents’ friend, and we have heard there were white men with medicine here. We were afraid he would die.
Dr. : You know of our medicine?
Juao: We have heard before of the white man’s medicine.
Dr. Bentley gave Juao very detailed instructions on how to use the medicine.
“Will you be able to come here again?”
Juao: My village is very far away; I came here on a long, hard journey to save the boy.
The Americans wondered how a pagan Indian could speak that way.
Juao: I have brought things to trade for more medicine.
Dr. : He may have to stay here for a while; but do not worry, I will give him the medicine as a free gift.
Juao smiled with an understanding that baffled the Americans.

Later, the team talked.
Mr. Decker: That Indian speaks English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Couldn’t get him to speak the local tongue, though. It’s baffling.

Dr. Bentley: What if we kept trying to ask him questions? You know, I think I’ve got to keep the boy here. I can’t just send them off into the jungle again with some medicine; he’s gotta understand how the whole process works.

While the older staff discussed this, the kids were really thinking hard about the whole thing. Ben realized he was on a mystery case; he decided to get some more information. He could ask Kip some questions! Kip was the son of missionaries; he had grown up in this region, and now he guided others through the place and helped them understand how missions work.

At the time, Kip was cleaning the fishing nets. Kip was a man of medium stance, but Ben automatically felt both comfortable and respectful of him when around him. He was slightly reddened by the sun, wore glasses, and often had on a tan safari shirt and baseball cap. He looked up at the approaching Ben, who offered to help, and was promptly accepted.

Ben: Hey, Kip, you heard of Annie Marshall?
Kip: Yep. I think I was about 10 when she died. We were living in town at that point.
Ben: She died?
Kip: That’s what everybody down here thought after a while. Things were so violent down here from guerillas and drug wars, not even because of the tribes. My family even moved out just about that time. When somebody up and disappeared, you pretty much knew.
Ben: Wow. Did you ever see the effects of the war close to home?
Kip scratched his head and sighed, “Well, I don’t think we ever experienced anything like that. But I heard lots of stories about stuff going on in the area.”
When they were almost done, Ben asked Kip, “What do you think about that Indian here today who spoke English?”
Kip: Strangest thing I ever heard of. Makes me wonder if he’s possibly been to civilization before. I mean, what other explanation is there?

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Yay! The funny thing is, the ideas for this story have been in the developmental stages in my mind for like a YEAR, so now it is just a matter of getting them down in written form when I am too tired to think! So here it is, Chapter 3 of Never Be Lost.

Finally, they were coming close to their destination; a little village, not far from which was their clinic. The group got up at dawn to pray and discuss plans one more time. Afterward, most of the people, who had been on these trips before, set into the routine.

Ben looked out on the scene. Evidence of the flood was unmistakable, even though the waters had receded a few weeks ago. Parts of the high banks were cut off, tree roots lay exposed, while fallen trees lay scattered along the river and the land; everything was covered in mud. When they reached the village, Ben noticed that the huts weren’t all collectivized but rather scattered around the jungle.

The clinic that had been built four years ago had just been repaired by a previous mission, but it was still pretty dirty and unkempt. The mission immediately set to cleaning and organizing, to prepare for the flock of natives soon to be seeking medical attention. This particular village already had its own small church, the fruit of indigenous pastors and missionaries. Mr. Decker had pointed this out to the rest of the group when they set out, but it was different for the kids to see it.

So days became busy with making some repairs, cleaning, and setting up the clinic.

On the third day, Ben and Alex had their hands rather full sorting through the boxes of supplies, and distributing them.

Alex: Here’s some gloves, masks… surgeon’s tools…
Ben: You mean like a chainsaw?
Alex: Not funny. Now here’s some lights, dental tools… what’s this? Spanish for “Day-Quil”?
Ben: OK; three is enough; getting heavy.
Alex: All right, to the dentist’s office.

Ben walked down the whitewashed halls to the dentist’s office. On the west corner of the building, it was airy and sunny. Lanie was working to get the room set up and ready to function. She sighed a little at the arrival of more boxes. On the walls, she had just put up some Spanish posters for the clinic.

Lanie: Hey, this look good?
Ben, feeling slightly awkward at being asked his opinion on an artistic detail, not to mention that wasn’t a fluent reader of Spanish, teasingly remarked, “The middle one’s off center,” and slinked toward the door, not soon enough to dodge the crumpled newspaper packing Lanie threw at him.

The afternoon continued with the flurry of activity, in everyone’s minds the anticipation of Indians needing medical attention.

Alex and Ben had finally got the big equipment set up in the dentist’s room, when Jade came in to announce the long-awaited “Break time!”

Jade: Room looks nice; it’s starting to take shape.
Alex: Yeah, say, we got those posters in Espanol? Cool, about flossing, other clinical services, and the gospel!
Jade: They look really nice, Lanie.
Lanie shoots a reprimanding glare at Ben, who suddenly finds great interest in the corner of the ceiling and whistles a spontaneous tune.
Jade: Well, we do seem to be getting into a schedule.
Alex: Quite a schedule! Boxes, boxes, boxes! I’m gonna be smelling latex and cardboard for weeks after we get home!
Lanie: And whitewash.

Once the place got all set up, the typical busy schedule of a medical missions trip ensued.
The kids learned basic phrases in Spanish and the local tongue from Kip Jones, and even learned to understand and communicate through gestures.
The schedule was busy, but fun. Sometimes, though, it was hard to see the sufferings of the people.

One day, Jade and Lanie were busily preparing a stew in the kitchen, when Arlene poked her head in and said, “Lanie, Dr. Bentley’s asking for you. There are some kids who need attention, and he wants you to hand him tools and keep the kids calm.
Lanie: OK, be right there. Sorry to leave you all alone Jade.
Jade: Oh, don’t worry about it. See ya!

About two hours later, Lanie comes running breathless into the room where the other three happened to be.
Lanie: Guys! There’s an Indian out there speaking English!
The others were a bit perplexed.
Alex: What do you mean?
Lanie: You see, he’s not from around here. Indians pointed to him and said he’s from a totally different tribe, so Dr. Bentley thought he’d be having trouble communicating, but this guy spoke in English when he heard Dr. Bentley, and he says his name’s Juao, and he brought a little boy with an eye problem from all the way down the river! That’s really far, and I heard Mr. Decker saying all this stuff to the doctor afterward about that part of the river not having been reached before or something…
Alex: And English isn’t a common language out here.
Ben: Well, where is this guy now? He still here?

I figured this humorous side of the story would be a nice interval in between very somber and challenging material. You may remember that my intention is to take REAL challenges and struggles for missionaries, Christians, South Americans, and others and put them in story form. So feel free to tell me what you think. And as a sidenote, the title, “Never Be Lost,” has a dual meaning, which will be communicated in later chapters!

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Yay! I have finally prepared the next portion of my story update. Please visit The Brick Buster, who got us started on this, and read what he’s got so far!

Ben followed Alex out to the deck, where the girls were waiting with the chief of the mission, some doctors, builders, dentists, and other volunteers. The chief, Mr. Decker wrapped up what he was saying to the adults, then called the kids, the four and some others, down to his office.

“Kids, I hope you all understand that this is not a vacation by any means, not an adventure. We are not here to help some helpless Indians; they do not need our help; they need Jesus. They also need things for their lives. We are here as nothing more than servants. Work is not going to be easy or even fun at times; there’s gonna be a lotta tension; there’s a lotta diseases, disasters, different cultures and languages. But if you are here for nothing other than to serve the Lord, believe me, you will have fun! Ben and Alex, I’m gonna put you as on call; do all the heavy lifting for the old folks.”

The boys grinned.

“Jade and Lanie, let’s put you in with Arlene. She sorta helps direct the projects, but she will be calling you do work in the kitchen or give the doctor a hand giving a kid a shot, etc. And for all of you, Kip Jones is the one to talk to if you’re having trouble with the language. He knows it all, and will show you how to communicate with the Indians without words. You’ll see what I mean.”

He continued to give everyone their assignments, then appeared to be done. But with a sigh, he took his glasses off and said, “These people are really desperate; and it’s only because we are on a relief mission that the government even let us down here. They want to keep outsiders away from these Indians as much as possible. There are so many people whose lands are being threatened by crooks who want it. There’s also a lot of violence down here, a lotta war. You remember Operation Auca? Yeah, stuff like that is still going on, but not all of it has such a happy ending. Remember Chet Bitterman? But at least they found his body; others they never see again. Russell Stendal was held hostage, but lived to tell about it. Unfortunately, it’s not always that way.”

Lanie interjected, “Yunno, I read a lot about the history of missions down here before coming, and one story I learned about a lot was Operation Auca. Even Ed McCully’s body was lost on the river within a matter of days; they never found it.”

Mr. Decker smiled, “So you decided to come prepared?”

Alex: “Oh, that girl does her homework.”
This lightened the mood and make everybody chuckle.

Mr. Decker’s voice grew solemn once again, “Missionaries have been leaving these countries because of the danger; there have been a lotta people killed by the guerillas. White people’s presence sometimes threatens the Indians! Yunno, about twenty years ago in Colombia, my mission got news that a missionary had left her village by canoe, and never returned. It was during one of the hottest times of the war, and others had warned her not to go. What was her name again? Ann…?” He paused. “Arlene, what was the name of that missing lady missionary? Twenty years ago, I think the search first started. They quit some years ago?”

Arlene: “Oh, yes, Annie Marshall, an American. Left to find out what happened to an Indian courier. Never came back, friends said. They even hired professional detectives and search pilots from different countries to find some trace of her, for about 3 years. Didn’t get a lot of media attention, but what was covered made it sound like a woman wandering into the woods and getting lost.”

Mr. Decker: “Yes, so that is the grim truth out here, and that is not the only instance of stuff like this happening. So as you can see, there’s an awful lot of danger down here, much of it from nature itself. The cost is just huge, but not compared to Calvary. It’s easy to get scared sometimes, but really, the most that man, beast, or nature could do to us is take our lives, and that’s just nothing! So remember kids; remember why you’re here. Remember what has brought you here, from where you came, and remember to let Him work His will.”

While the kids left to start getting familiar with the tasks ahead, they pondered Mr. Decker’s talk.
Lanie: “Colombia. Wow, that country’s suffered so much. And to think it’s not too far away from us.”
Jade: “No, it isn’t. But even on these mission trips, doesn’t it seem that it’s still so hard not to look at things from the inside of the boat? It seems we are so afraid sometimes.”
Alex: “Or maybe it’s that we’re distracted. Yunno, I really think that we should always be praising the Lord for His goodness, and not focus on the evil in the world. Cuz when we look at the One who owns the world, we know that He’s in control, so we’re not afraid to step out of the boat.”

Alex to Ben: “Not saying much, are ya now?”
Ben: “Talk little, think much.”
Alex: “Good policy, but I would give a penny for your thoughts.”
Ben holds out his hand.
Alex: “Silly. I traded all my change for pesos when we got here.”
Ben: “Well, I think the last penny you gave me will suffice for this thought. I’m thinking about what Mr. Decker said about us remembering why we’re here. Then I think about those who came before us. Weren’t they here for the same reasons? Like Jim Elliot and those guys, Chet Bitterman, Russell Stendal, and… Annie Marshall, and everybody else whose names we don’t know. Didn’t the same One who sent us send them, and wasn’t He working His will? But what will in the death of those people? Their death was the end of a lot. What’s the big picture? We can look at Jim Elliot and Nate Saint spell out that if they didn’t die, the Huaorani wouldn’t have been saved. But what a high cost it was for those families! And what about Chet and Annie? I wonder sometimes if we are too blind to see what the big plan is there, or what’s going on.”

Alex: “I guess you do think much. Let’s get the eye doctor’s office set up, eh?”

So it is rather long, but I think that’s a good thing because I was able to get to it WAY sooner than I expected. It was kinda funny writing, cuz in between all that serious stuff there are humorous bits. Feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think so far; I am so desperate for your thoughts. I also wanted to say that I am SO excited about everybody else’s stories, cuz they sound just so GOOD so far! (No pressure, anybody!) And let me know if you are starting to feel heartwrenched, cuz… I was thinking it would get REALLY intense, but I am willing to calm down for the sake of my readers.

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Yay! For two nights I have been able to work on my story! This is just the introduction; it is bound to get far more intense. The title of this work is, Never Be Lost.

Ben sat on his cot in the small boat cabin, contemplative, almost pensive, writing in his journal. That was something he did when there was something pressing on his mind and he needed to get his thoughts straight. He gazed out the small window, and saw the trees, heard the birds– but they were different trees and birds than what he was used to. He was on a mission trip to the Amazon region of Brazil. This particular region, where the mission had started building a clinic just a few years earlier, had recently been flooded. The mission came here to help rebuild, and treat those with diseases and injuries as a result of the disaster. A bulletin about the prospective mission had been posted in Ben’s church only a few weeks earlier. Ben signed up for it with Alex MacAdamson, Elaine Rivers, and Jade Cooper from his church. He sat and reflected his reasons for coming here, to the humidity, the bugs, the mud, the foreign language and culture, the odd schedule, and the hassle of travel.

Of the four youth, Ben Caldwell was the oldest at 19, usually the quietest and least social. He loved physical work, challenges and books. He loved to build something, to watch something grow, and see the results of it. For years he had been contemplating how he could use these passions for something meaningful. He had been thinking of this very topic intensely, especially since he had recently been quizzed by an older man, “So son, what’s your line of work?” It was certainly the worst time for Ben to answer such a question. He somewhat haltingly replied with a grin, “Well, I sorta just do what needs doing.” When he was younger, he had thought of being a builder like his father. But in the great scheme of things, what could he do? Concerning what matters most, that the kingdom of God be built strong, what would he do with his life? Almost right away, he saw the bulletin at church. His buddy Alex was going, but Ben struggled with the idea for about a week. He finally ended up praying, “Jesus, I want to know what you would have me do. My life is not mine to spend, and I believe that it was no accident the poster about the mission trip was put in this place right here and right now, as I am asking You what You want of me. I don’t know where the journey will lead me, but I believe You want me to go, So I’ll go.”

The trip was to be two weeks long; a boatfull of missionaries and volunteers were going as a relief party to the villages along a tributary of the Amazon. So here he was, on the mighty Amazon. Travel had been a little exhausting– the airport, the hustle and bustle of Brazilian cities and especially those buses!

As he sat writing, Ben’s buddy Alex poked his head in the doorway to their tiny barracks. “You gonna sit there all day? Doc’s waiting.” Chuckling, Ben responded, “Just one minute.” He needed a moment to finish his thoughts and awake from the pensive mood. Both boys were fairly tall, though Alex was a bit on the leaner side, with jet black hair and bright grey eyes. He always seemed to have something to say to brighten the mood; witty, good-humored and always smiling, he and Ben had been pals from Day 1. Ben’s hair was dirt brown, parted off the side, matching his thin brown eyes and defined eyebrows. The girls on the team, Elaine and Jade, hadn’t known each other very well before, but they got acquainted plenty well in the weeks before the trip. Lanie was of medium stance, with dark brown hair and bright hazel eyes, along with a ready smile. She was certainly the outdoor lover, always ready for adventure, never known to anyone to back down from a challenge. Jade’s beautiful sleek blond hair was often kept back in braids, and her deep blue eyes shone with compassion and zeal. Others knew her to be a dependable lass, also a lover of art and beauty. As the bunch set out to carry on with the tasks of a Christian relief force, there was no way they could have anticipated what was to come.

Well, there you have it. As I said, it is only the introduction. I hope I didn’t take too long in introductory explanations or character portrayal, but these are the details that get important later. That’s what I think is so cool about a story: every detail is a thread, and in the end, they all tie together to make an amazing tapestry.

I have vivid ideas of the plot of the story, basically that cover the real-life aspect of things, even the sad and heart-rending struggles that a missionary has to live through, or the burdens one has to give to the Lord when he finds out they are hindering him. But I don’t know; I wouldn’t want to overwhelm anybody with a simply fiction story!

So tell me what you think of it so far, eh?

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