Convergence

I didn’t take too long to get the tent set up and the only part of the tent that was wet was the rain fly which was drying as I inflated my sleeping mattress and lay my nice dry winter bag on top. Next I put all my critical amenities in the tent like my wallet, GPS, cell phone (which had been off the whole trip) and my much needed water bottle.

Time was running out and the large thunder cell that had been forming all day had begun to spread across the sky making it hard for the sun to shine steadily. I hauled the two three gallon water bottles (each of which were near 25 pounds) to an area near the clothes line and suspended one from a tree to be used as my initial water source. When I consider the fact that I had about fifty pounds of water at the rear of my kayak in addition to my 155 pounds of body weight, it became quickly apparent why my kayak was less agile than usual. I looked that the two bottles which I brought strictly for drinking water but realized I needed a bath in a desperate way. I realized that fresh clear clean water was as valuable on this island as if I were camping in a desert, because one look at the river of muddy silt flowing by and I cringed with the thought of using my fresh water to bathe with. It was at this point that my helpful hiding companion had prepared to assist me with the simple process of taking a bath.

Out of all the aspects of his helping nature, this bath time became sort of an initiation into his close presence, fellowship and help. I looked back at the water container hanging in the tree and realized that for my drinking and cooking needs it wasn’t possible to use this water for a bath. I looked back to the huge volume of flowing muddy water and thought about using the river as my place of bathing. I thought ugh! it’s so muddy and I’m considering it as a way to get clean; take a bath in mud water? I went down to the river side and dipped my hand in to watch the water pour off and noticed that a shallow hand full didn’t look so muddy but the temperature was cold and the shore line was nothing but very soft clay and sand. I stood there with my feet sinking into the clay and the darkness of the cloud cover making the cold river even colder to think about. I reconsidered the prospects of bathing in the muddy water and realized that my body with all the sweat and dirt that had collected was more dirty than the water. I thought, if I can get most of the sweat off by bathing in the river, then I could afford a little fresh clear water from my water cache to rinse off with. I also realized that women pay a lot of money to use clay based facial cleansers and decided that a full body bath would be a luxurious splurge. The moment for the miraculous initiation had arrived.

I went and gathered my soap , shampoo and wash cloth and as cold and cloudy as it was, I got undressed and walked down to the river side. I stood on the sandy bank and thought, this is too cold and suddenly the clouds parted and the sun came out with a blazing warmth made more intense by its reflection off the river. Suddenly the chill of standing by the river was gone. I stepped into the river trying to find a way to balance my soap on a log so it didn't fall into the sand making it necessary to wash in muddy water with a dirt bar. The sun continued to shine in its amazing warmth making it possible to stay very warm as I tried to slowly use my wash cloth to dip in the chilly river water and damp wash my body. Suddenly I went to lay my soap on the log and I stood up and fell backwards into the river completely baptized over my head. I stood up in surprise and had to laugh at myself for being so wimpy about getting wet. I felt like a baby and I also felt like a loving father was laughing at my timid approach to taking a bath. I stood up in the beautiful warmth of the sun shine and did a complete wash and shampoo making sure I didn’t miss a spot. The sun continued to shine warmly as I stood up and walked to the shore line and up to the camp area to the fresh water cache. I took a container and filled it with about a half gallon of fresh clean water and carefully poured it over my head and body washing off the residual silt from the river. I noticed that my feet were incredibly smooth and clean due to the repetitive steps I took through the soft smooth clay. After getting completely rinsed off, I took my towel and stood in the warm sun light to dry off. As soon as I had completely dried off the sun went away behind the clouds; the timing was so exact.

I got dressed in my clean dry clothing for my sleeping bag, filled my water bottle and made my way carefully to my tent. There were few if any mosquitoes due to the fact that there was no stagnant water for breeding. I climbed into my tent and with the rain fly pulled back to allow air to freely move through the tent and provide a wonderful view of the clouds back lit by the sun and a forward view up the river; I could hear the sound of the rapid currents flowing around me making for a soothing ambient restful atmosphere. It was when I laid down that I looked towards the clouds hiding the midnight sun and thought about my unseen companion; as I looked at the distant range of mountains to the northwest I expressed a heart felt thanks for all His help and as I did the sun shone right through a slit in the clouds and I could see into the Light. I wasn’t alone and felt the presence of Love in the same way a new born baby would sense the love of what can’t be understood but simply felt. This place where I wound up between two rivers was a place that no one dare enter due to its submerged unseen hazards making for a very dangerous inhospitable river environment, was actually a sanctuary for the most amazing experience with the same Love that brought me into this world; for this Love had brought me here for a special reason that I was going to find out when the new day began out of a light that never goes away.

I lay there on the soft warm air mattress in my comfortable sleeping bag realizing what a miracle it was to be alive. clean and resting in the late night midnight sunlight. It was peaceful and comfortable in the fresh evening air. Then I turned my attention to my body and though I was clean I realized that I was over exhausted; my heart was racing to affect repairs to my body as a result of the intense battle with natural forces that surrounded this tiny island in the middle of a river with a powerful flow. I wasn’t alone and this journey had a special purpose relating to having time to know more intimately who was holding my racing heart. In the hours that lay ahead I was about to experience a profound mystery of life and a closer meeting with the One who was orchestrating every aspect of the convergence; for I was about to discover the full meaning of the convergence where one river comes to its end as it gives its life to a more powerful and far more ancient river; this whole event had more to do with the end of my life as I gave it back to the far more ancient, all powerful One who made the sun, rivers, oceans and controls storms, Who gives and takes life and transforms it to death and back to life again.

At this convergence the discovery that life can become death and death can become life was beginning to happen. I looked into the light of the Sun that was still shining through the broken cloud cover and felt such deep peace. I took one more sip of fresh water and lay down to listen to my rapid heart beat then drifted off into deep sleep with the sound of the river that almost took my life now singing me a soothing melody of life giving rest.

Nothing in this world could prepare me for what lay ahead when my eyes open the next morning.