Kayaking the High Sea, Fever, Refuge. Day 3 and Day 4.

Sunday morning we spent some relaxing time snorkeling, enjoying the incredible water and visiting with Max (owner of Papua Diving) at his other resort.  Max has a real vision for research, and improving the local environment for the Papuan people and providing work and ways they can have more positive outcomes.  One of his goals is to train people from Sentani to build the long boats there.  Improving their means of transportation, but also providing income in Sentani.  On this journey a man joined our team (whom Darron had helped to select) and he started training on Sunday.

Wading over to Max’s other resort.

Max in his office.

 

By 11:00 a.m. Nathaniel was complaining of his head hurting.  We walked back to our Eco lodge and the thermometer proved that a fever was brewing.  It quickly climbed to 102.  I wondered if it was a virus, dehydration or malaria? 

Several hours later Darron and the rest of the Boyd boys return from their visit with Max, I know that I needed to just stay at the Eco lodge and allow Nathaniel time to rest and recover, rather then put him back on a boat and push him (with me being busy and distracted and less options for food and fluid, etc).

Darron agreed with my decision.  By 3 p.m. the pastor had returned for Darron.  Jacob would stay.  Aubrey and Andrew would kayak to the village.  Max also builds the kayaks here.  He was happy to lend the kayaks to the boys.  He thought the trip would take them 3 hours.  I must admit as Aubrey and Andrew pulled away, I wondered if we as parents were being irresponsible/crazy/unwise?  Then there was a part of me, that loved the opportunity for boys to be free and go and have an amazing adventure.  They had food, water, mosquito spray, suntan lotion, hammocks and nets, and their PASSPORTS (required).

 

We pushed fluids into Nathaniel and controlled his fever with medicine.  Meanwhile Jacob and I relaxed and I listened to him chatter up a storm (probably he was relieved to finally have Mommies undivided attention).  We enjoyed staring into the ocean, spotting lots of sea life,  while Nathaniel slept.

 

The plan was that Aubrey and Andrew would hike to the top of the mountain in the village and check in with me on Monday morning with Darron’s phone. 6:30 a.m.  I was able to tell them that Nathaniel was fever free.  However, fearing that the fever might cycle (like Malaria) I wanted to wait until lunch before committing to coming out to the village to stay.  In our 2 minute conversation they let me know that a storm arose on their journey.  The sea became very high.  Rain paltered them.  The worst part was when they decided to get out of the kayaks.  AND they forgot to get their passports.  Then with that little information, they said, “Mom, we have to go now.  We can’t talk more.”

 

Hmmmm……well from the conversation I could conclude that:  they were alive and well and probably had been “rescued” by the pastor.  The kayaks were tied up in a different location then the village.  And that their passports were in those kayaks still.  Time to pray.  The last thing a foreigner wants to loose is that!

Jacob, Nathaniel and myself spend most of the morning relaxing and resting on the dock.  Enjoying the colorful bean bags.  The sun and wind.  The colorful fish.

At noon, Nathaniel’s fever returns.  I check him for malaria, for as much as I am enjoying our refuge, I don’t want to miss too much of our mission trip experience.  Malaria test negative.  Shortly there after the pastor shows up.  I let him know that we will stay one more night and hopefully tomorrow we can join the group.  He and pastor Desmond are heading to the “city” to shop.  We chat for about 45 minutes about different ideas and needs in relationship to health that I can share with the people.  They also fill me in a little bit on Aubrey and Andrew’s adventure.  That yes indeed the waves became very large.  The pastor dropped Darron off at the village and went and got Aubrey and Andrew.  Pastor Desmond saw the boys hand Darron their passports this morning.  I asked the pastor if he was scared to go and get the boys with the high waves, he said, “not at all”. 

As it turned out, the boys only came out of the water because it was raining so hard.  They intended to keep coming and the kayaks rode fine in the big waves.  Yet the pastor insisted that they go with him.  I trust his judgment.