Chapter Nineteen
Ministry Begun
I felt my grip on Captain Hiro slacking and I forced myself to grip harder as I tugged the injured Captain along behind me. Suddenly I was beside something solid and then there were hands pulling the Captain from the water and then me.
In a sort of dazed awareness I felt hands pressing me up a ladder of some sort. Then against all odds I found myself in Colt’s arms and I latched on with everything I had left in me.
Could this really be true or was it a dream?
I looked up to see that it really was him. Suddenly there was a jolt that threatened the integrity of my stomach’s constitution and then the feeling of increasing movement.
Dazed I asked, “What’s going on?”
“We’re trying to outrun the storm and reach the shelter of the island. You were among the last survivors that we found. Thank God!”
I buried my face back against his chest and just held onto him. With time I gradually became aware of my surroundings. I was on the deck of the surviving battleship and all around me lay the bodies of injured and dying sailors.
“How many ships made it?” I asked in anguish of spirit.
“This is the only one left.”
I closed my eyes as tears pressed out of them. So many had died and yet because of their brave actions so many more were going to keep on living. Victory always comes at a cost, but it had been an especially dear one today.
The storm, as all the storms seemed to be in this sunken realm, was particularly vicious. Fearing for the integrity of the ship even within the confines of the harbor the American Captain took no chances, but beached the battleship deeply into the shoreline of the harbor.
Despite the tempest that was already beginning to blow the native islanders rushed forward to offload the injured sailors from off the top side decks and carry them to their homes sheltered from the storm within the rocks of the island. No more lives were lost as everyone worked together putting aside old hatreds to help those who needed it most, as the lives of all were worth saving.
*****
The day was calm the storm having passed by several hours before. It had been a relief to hear the howling winds dissipate and see the orange glow come back to the clouds. I still couldn’t really believe that everything had happened as it had.
There was no report of the city, other than it had been destroyed in the storm.
It had been a welcome surprise to learn from the Sea People that even more survivors than what the battleship had managed to pick up had survived the storm from beneath the waves.
It was clear to me that my brother had no intentions of ever leaving his sea bride or the responsibilities of his new position as a Prince of the Undersea Realm.
I had no intentions of ever leaving my Prince either. I glanced up smiling at Colt who walked beside me and he in return smiled at me as we continued to walk hand-in-hand along the beach.
He pointed out to sea and glancing out to where he pointed I saw the tail section of a plane sticking up out of the waves.
The plane’s number was still visible on the tail section and with a start I recognized the number as belonging to the plane that both I and Colt had gone down in. I glanced uncertainly to Colt and he nodded in confirmation that it truly was the plane.
We continued on along the beach, which is when I saw some debris washed up on the shore. Colt headed for the debris piles, but I held back as I really didn’t want to discover anybody’s half rotted corpse. I had already seen far too many.
I watched Colt foraging for a moment and then out of curiosity I asked, “Nothing over there is going to make me heave my breakfast up is there?”
He gestured me on and so I came up to discover what had him so engrossed. He was tearing saturated cardboard away from the inner contents of a box that looked to be packed in plastic. Now this was exciting!
I waited as Colt pulled the plastic apart to then reach inside. He pulled out a Bible that showed no water damage whatsoever. He handed it to me and then continued digging into the bag.
My hands framed around the Bible they held. It was a missionary’s Bible. I glanced up from the Bible in my hands and took in the sight of the natives and sailors moving about on the island all around us.
I had the strongest feeling course through me at that moment. The message I’d received was undeniable. I had been called to share the gospel with these people.
I knew so little from which to do so though. It had been so long since I’d even read the Bible. Surely God couldn’t really be calling me to this ministry?
My spirit said otherwise and I made the decision to obey the calling on my life that I had received. Tingles shot throughout me as I made that life-affirming decision to be obedient and faithful to do that which I had been given to do.
That God would use me of all people to reach the lost!
It was both a miracle and the most humbling of honors. I wiped a tear away and saw that Colt was looking up at me strangely.
“Are there more Bibles?” I asked.
“Yup, a whole bunch of them plus some study guides.”
I nodded and then asked, “Colt you are my husband and as my headship do I have your permission and blessing to share the word of God with the people of this inner world?”
He glanced down and then back up, “I’m not going to stand in your way honey. Do whatever you feel led to do and I’ll support you. I’d like to start over with God myself.”
I smiled down at him radiantly as eagerness filled me at the prospect of starting this new journey into faith with my husband by my side. He was the best mate ever!
“Will you stow this stuff away from the seawater for me please?”
He nodded quickly and I left him to walk off a ways to sit down with my back to a tree as I began to read the Bible once again. It was a life-affirming experience because as I read the Word it seemed to read into me in a way that I had never experienced before much less welcomed as I did now.
Time passed by, I’m not sure how much time, but I glanced up to see Colt standing there with a serious expression on his face. I closed the Bible in my lap and set it to the side as he handed me an unopened salt encrusted box.
I took it and read the address that was still legible. It was addressed to my parents!
Slowly I turned the box about in search of a return address. I found it.
This was the box filled with the damning evidence of my past sins! It had been on the same plane that I had been on in route to beg my parents for forgiveness.
They had never received it!
The box fell from my fingers and I leaped up to my feet screaming with a joy that was inexpressible. Colt continued my jump upwards towards the heavens by grasping my waist and lobbying me upward further. My eyes closed and in my heart of hearts I cried out brokenly to my Creator, “Thank you!”
Colt caught me as I fell back to Earth and I opened my teary eyes to behold him face-to-face. In a way I still couldn’t believe it.
Overcome with emotion I said, “They never got it!”
His face was one big smile and incredibly I watched as his eyes grew moist as he stared into mine.
In a husky voice he said, “I’m so happy for you!”
I kissed him with all the passion that I felt for him, but surprisingly he broke it off after only a short moment.
In surprise I looked at him only to hear him ask, “Want to have a bonfire?”
“Yes!!!”
*****
I watched the box burn brightly along with its contents on the fire made from dried palm branches. I pressed back against Colt lovingly in whose strong arms I rested.
I was so blessed, but especially with the man I was blessed to share the rest of my life with. He hadn’t even asked to see what was inside the box. I’d have let him look, but it meant more to me to know that he preferred the woman that I was now to what I had once been.
I wanted to bless him for being so caring and I smiled as an idea came to mind. He’d have to wait for a little while though as our bonfire had attracted attention.
I left Colt’s arms with Bible in hand and went to the center of a natural seating area and waited as Islanders and sailors from both sides of a war that was finally over sat down around me as if drawn by a force that none could see. I saw Captain Hiro make his way down to sit in the sand moments later to be joined by the old chief of the village.
The headman of the village looked around and said, “My people, in my heart I sense the need for change. I believe she is the change I’ve waited for in expectation. Listen and may we learn together as to what she will teach us.”
Captain Hiro nodded and added, “Likewise. Listen men. This woman’s faith is strong. It is good to listen to what she has to say.”
I looked at the suddenly crowded throng gathered all around me that stared at me expectantly as if I was a messenger from heaven. I swallowed away the last of my reservations in a desperate unspoken prayer for help before I began to speak, “I am but a woman. A woman redeemed by grace. A redemptive grace unearned by anything that I’ve ever done or could do in this life to merit such redeeming favor from my Creator. I want to share with you by opening the words of this book that was written by the hand of God, the life saving knowledge of the Savior who came and lived as a man and was sacrificed for all of us who have fallen deeply into sin. It is not I that will teach you, but rather it is the Spirit of the living God ministering through me to you so that you might know the truth and by acknowledging that truth be set free by the redeeming blood of Jesus.”
I had their attention. I opened the Bible before me and let the Holy Spirit continue to put the words needed to be said onto my lips as I had no great private knowledge or mastery of the Bible with which to speak sermons. I had but the will to serve and that was enough.
At one point I glanced up to see Colt leaning against a tree in the background. He gave me a big thumbs-up and after briefly smiling I refocused on what the Spirit of God had to say even as I marveled at the change in me.
*****
Colt was confused. He’d listened for hours to Kim translate the Bible into her native Polynesian tongue. Thankfully he’d stood next to an American sailor who had interpreted everything she’d said for him.
Her teaching from the word of God had reawakened memories of his childhood. Good memories. He had listened raptly for hours on end and felt the beginning of a rebirth of his own immortal soul.
It was incredible to him to come to the realization that he really could be forgiven for the unjust things he’d done in his past. The innocent lives that he’d taken in time of war and the wasted barren that he had made of his life after the war that had scarred his soul and made him hard.
There was hope for the future, but right now he relished the prospect of spending the present with the person that he loved the most upon the world of God’s creation. The only problem was that she had somehow disappeared on him.
He’d seen her whisper something to the old chief, who’d gotten a big grin on his face and nodded. Kim had straightened and upon spotting him in the crowd had given him a big wink. Then she had disappeared.
He heard a low whistle and looking off to the side he saw the old headman gesture to him from an isolated part of the forest. Out of curiosity Colt drew near to the old man wondering what he was up to.
The old man didn’t waste time on words but instead pushed Colt into a depression in the forest that revealed itself to be a small clearing that was brightly lit by several fires. There was no one there besides him and the old man.
The headman tugged strongly on his shoulders and Colt sat down inelegantly on the ground of the clearing that was covered with colorfully woven blankets. The old man cackled as he said something and then slapped Colt hard on the back before he left the clearing.
Colt looked around completely at a loss as to what was going on.
*****
I glanced through the palm fronds at my man. He looked like a lost puppy unsure of his surroundings and my heart squeezed tenderly at the sight of it.
I could do this. I could do anything for this man, but what I was about to do was out of the comfort zone for me.
I remembered my past and what I had freely given away of myself in front of photographers and rolling cameras. Resolve firmed within me to wash away what had been, with what was now.
I was going to bless my husband. He deserved it just as he deserved all of me and whatever creative potential I possessed. I snapped my fingers sharply as I stepped forward into the clearing and the invisible drummers out of sight of the hidden clearing began their heavy tempo drum beats.
As the drumbeats rolled so did my hips in an ancient rhythm that I had learned as a girl from watching my mother dance. My hands lifted above my head as I moved in the dance that I seemed to remember without conscious recollection of any kind.
The tempo increased and my hips moved faster. As I sinuously shook in time to the beat I let my eyes raise coyly to take in Colt. He was staring at me completely enraptured and I felt something unleash inside of me at the knowledge of how well I had seduced my husband.
He deserved everything I could give or flaunt of my body, which was now just for his enjoyment. He’d not looked at the native girls out of respect for me, but he looked at me now with a hunger that was real and thrilling to behold.
I crooked a finger at him beckoningly as my hips continued to shake rhythmically and he rose to his feet and took a hesitant step toward me. The look on his face clearly said that he was experiencing one of the best moments of his life, which only empowered me to please him more.
I closed the distance to him twirling softly as my bare feet made their way across the woven rugs to him. At last I was before him and looking up into his eyes I lifted the flower lei necklace from around my neck, which was my only covering and placed it around his neck.
In a coquettish manner I asked, “You like your island girl?”
“I like!” He said gutturally and I grinned broadly at the sight of how overwhelmed he was by me.
His hands stilled the beat of my hips and my arms closed around his neck even as our lips melded together in a kiss that was unlike any other. The drums continued on providing a fitting tempo for the rapid beats of our hearts.
I had a calling on my life from God and a man who knew my sins, but held me now as if I was beyond precious. I was beyond blessed of all women to be standing here as I now was. My cup truly was running over with goodwill pressed down from above by a Creator who’d never forgotten me even when I’d fallen so far from His will during my life. To God be the glory for He is worthy of all honor and praise!