Smol tok nomo |
Smol tok nomo |
This adventure begin as many others, another trip to Big Bay. As I set the alarm for 5 a.m. anticipating the two hour drive and hopeful to be there in time to open school with them I hear the sound of an enormous amount of rain suddenly begin to beat on our tin roof. Nathan, my husband, huffs in slight frustration, "every single time we go to Big Bay it pours!" He follows it closely with a wise crack as to how if Vanuatu ever finds itself in drought again he will simply plan a trip to Big Bay and that will surely bring on a down pour. We head out a little late in the hustle and the bustle I have prepared a bundle of clothes and shoes to give to the village, Nathan is checking to make sure we are taking enough pencils and writing pads for all the kids, finally I round the corner looking rough with an arm load full and approach the truck. Pasta Peter Solomon and family are waiting in the truck bed, We are supposed to drop them off in the village of Matandas on our way. Pasta Peter looks at me and exclaims "every time you go to big bay it rains!" I smile to myself and tell him to be sure and share that jewel with Missy (missionary) Nathan when he comes out. I cant help but think about how we had finally decided that if we let rain stop us we would never go back! We head out late, but alas! We are on our way. We get a little over half way there and I am realizing even the places that are normally dry have more water than I have ever seen, my heart sinks knowing about the last three miles are solid mud even on a sunny day - its not looking too good for getting to Big Bay. We arrive at the beginning of muddy madness and Nate tries it for a minute and we quickly realize we are not going to make it in the truck. So by foot it is! We walk nearly three miles in one mud puddle after another each and every time the mud is "kakaing" (eating) my kids croc knockoff local shoes so with every puddle we pull them out and then their shoes. By the time we reach the river I feel like I have just been in a tough mudder. The river has changed with the heavy rainfalls from cyclone Donna. In fact, the last small road we turn on has completely disappeared, fallen into the river which is now that much wider. I realize as Nathan tries to find the best place to cross that the kids arent going to make it the last mile and a half trek after we cross the river and I make what I think at the time is the best decision, I will wait this side of the river and let the kids rest. Nathan should go on and handle the meetings without me. Nate tries to make it with the school books that we have lugged through the mud but the river is too swift and they must stay with me as well. So there we sit in the rain and an hour passes. I then make the decision to walk around and explore with the kids but just as I get up to walk with them a bull comes around the corner and we come into its view. It is several feet away but it has obviously been startled by our presence and begins to make these noises and motions. I cant really explain it other than instinct since I dont actually speak "cow" but I got the strong sense it was telling us to leave its territory. At this point I have probably never been more terrified in my life and all I can think about is what I am going to do with my kids. I scan my surroundings quickly and there is two options: if it charges I can jump into the rushing river or there is a tree I might could throw my kids up into. Neither option seems good. I slowly start walking backwards. I tell the kids to be absolutely quiet and oddly, after years in churches and food establishments of them not listening, this time they did! We followed the banks all the while with the bull several feet away on the higher ground still walking towards us threatening us and motioning us to leave. Maybe 25 feet from where we started I rounded a small curve where the tree was and noticed a small cubby hole in its roots. I swept the girls into the hole and could tell the bull was still looking for us. I could feel my heart in my throat and there was no sounds except Jules (obviously she wasn't too scared) still snacking on her dry noodles (Ramen) but making minimal noise. I peered my eyes just above level with ground and watched the bull on top. He had lost us when we rounded the curve. He continued to make threatening noises and "chase us out" of his space not knowing we were hidden in the tree roots. We sat there for nearly and hour until I could see some village people that look like tiny dots coming up from the other side of the river, followed shortly by Nathan. I found out later (yes, yall I am from Texas but blonde at heart) that cows also have horns so my wild bull could have been a wild cow with horns but my lesson was learned. Always, always, always, stick together because you never when you will happen upon a wild "cow's" territory (and he may want you to Moooooo 've :) Sorry couldnt resist a corny cow joke).
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AuthorWife, Mother, Missionary, Teacher, Friend ... just a few of the many titles I gladly wear. Never dreamed this is the journey God would take me on. Archives
July 2022
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