I faced a dilemma: I love our station, I grew here, I know everyone and everyone know me, all of you are dear to me. But I don’t want to be such a rescuer at the boat like this that recalculates the equipment all of his life. This rescuer gave me hope but I still don’t know what to do. Maybe I will not be a part of the crew, maybe I’ll not stay at our life station. I want to ask that rescuer to become a part of his team.
- Just think about it! What are you talking about? Don’t you remember what happened with Ern. – replied Olden.
- Yes, I do remember! Even if something like this happens to me but I will save someone’s life truly before that.
- But he’s not from our station.
- But he saves people’s lives!
That guy said literally everything that was going on in me during those last weeks but I couldn’t talk about it so boldly and openly as he did. But he talked about everything as it was. I felt shame.
We started to name our desires out loud. And at least half of us shared the same desire – to leave the coast. Some of the old ones who became an attraction of our boat and station disagreed with our opinion. They said we were too young, we would die as that disobedient rescuer that was lost several years ago, and more than that, we would waste the belongings and even at this point there was lack of it. Some of the young rescuers doubted the soundness of our ultramodern ideas. Eventually the crew of our boat was divided into 2 camps.
I couldn’t understand how they were not tired to pretend to be rescuers while not even one person was rescued by half of our team. We raised rescuers but our new comers were growing at our boats that were moored to a pier for many years and never left for the open sea. The time will pass and they will find disciples that will be taught in the same way, they will learn how to sit in a comfortable boat and recalculate the equipment.
At the same time that rescuer continued to rescue people truly, not like we did.
When the boat of a rescuer moored at our pier the next time, I took courage and spoke to him. Before we didn’t even think to ask for advice from someone who was not a part of our life station, we thought that we knew everything and no one could teach us something new. We reckoned that our work is the most important and stability is our highest goal, we considered a pier to be a place where we wanted to spend all of our life and we didn’t understand at all how it was possible to live anywhere else besides our home life station. But after some time our views started to change.
Making several bold steps toward the rescuer I told him with respect:
- Hello, my name is Nickolay.
- Hello, I’m Noland.
- Noland? Sounds familiar.
- Are you Russian?
- My grandmother was Russian. But there’re also Scots and Irish people in our family.
- I see.
- Can I ask you a question?
- Sure, I’m listening to you.
- How can you move so freely, reaching the pier and then leaving to the sea again? For a long time we thought that it was impossible to go to the open sea and come back. You started to tear our strongholds down. Can you help us? We want to go to the open sea using our boats as you do. We also want to rescue people truly.
The rescuer told me: “Your boats are attached to the pier. Leave your attempts to budge them and come to our boats. We’re going to new territories and your help will be very relevant.”
Three rescuers: Owen, Robin, Barnbie and I jumped into the boat, others decided to stay, they couldn’t imagine a life without their old pier.
When I was coming over to the rescuer’s boat, he gave me his hand and at that moment I felt something special, the feeling was similar to what I experienced twenty years ago when a rescuer… and at this point I realized it was Noland! How couldn’t I understand that before! It’s him! When I came to my senses we were far away from the coast and I wanted everyone to know that the rescuer that once started our life station came back. He who saved most of us twenty years ago came back. He who was an example for us all the time came back. He who was respected by everyone at our station.
~I AM A PART OF A TEAM NOW~
Everything changed now, we became a part of that boat which disrupted our quite lifestyle and challenged us. I was watching every move of the rescuer, followed every word he spoke. I was attentive to everything that was going on with him. I felt that I was inexperienced even though I was called a rescuer for a long time. Now it was a reality.
First of all, he gave us life-jackets. Since that moment every one of us had a life-jacket. Before I was wearing it from time to time when it was my turn. I was wearing it during the crew meeting and gave to the next one after that, we took turns. Of course, I explained everyone the importance of our lives, I was giving lectures on this topic but I confessed to myself sometimes that I couldn’t understand fully what was the sense of it and why should I wear it.
Once Robin fell overboard, it was a surprise for us that a life-jacket saved his life, it carried him on a surface and he didn’t die. I was afraid of the open sea before. I was afraid to drown. And now when I had a life-jacket and I know that it will work out this fear left me. I’m not afraid to drown, I’m not afraid of a sea, I’m not afraid of insatiable dark waters because the life-jacket would carry me. And I understood that you personally need the life-jacket. And a safety ring is made not for you to swim and enjoy the sea, it’s made for others.
The passage from “The Book of a Rescuer”: “A decision to put a life-jacket on is a decision to trust a Rescuer. A life-jacket is a great gift for every rescuer. It will keep everyone who wears it, it will not let him drown.”
“A safety ring is made for a rescue of drowned, it’s a hope of salvation, it’s good news that death will flee”
Everything that Noland was sharing had a sense. When he talked about life-jackets and safety rings we understood that it was not an insignificant talk, he knew how it all worked. When he described the way boats are built and rescuer’s work principles it was not something new for us because we’ve heard something like this at our station but now we treated this information differently. Before we filled our heads with knowledge, now we understood that we actually were going to use it.
After that he started to train us. He asked for our help in different cases. He gave us small tasks. It was not hard to help him, he was the best teacher and trainer that I had ever known. Noland didn’t ask me to drive the boat and control everything. His tasks were not big but all of them were important. He told us about a principle that a country of a Rescuer had: “The one who is faithful with a few things; will be faithful in many things as well”
A passage from “The Book of a Rescuer”: “When a young rescuer faithfully completes a task that was trusted to him it trains him and gives him qualification to accomplish new assignments of a different level of complexity and a different level of influence”
We threw safety rings and helped saved once to get to the boat. We put life-jackets on them and provided the first aid. Our assignment was to deliver them to the nearest pier of a life station where they could receive everything they needed at the moment. We understood that he trains us and at the same time we saved people truly.
~SEPARATION~
Leaving our home pier, we didn’t take part in the establishing of new life stations. We helped people that suffered after shipwrecks or pirate attacks and after that we left them at working life stations nearby. And this is how we helped a local staff of rescue service to accomplish their tasks in their water area.
Once Noland gave us a command to gather together. He said that he had received a message from the Rescuer that one freighter was crashed nearby and we were the only one that were able to come to their rescue at the moment. That day we had a lot of work to do. We didn’t use our own boat only but 3 other boats out four that we had at the ship itself. The fourth got down with the ship, it was not possible to cut a boat loose. It was one of the successful rescue missions, no one from the crew died. We actuall
y were in a right moment in that area.
A passage from “The book of a Rescuer”: “Typically you can find lifeboats and other rescue equipment at ships of different tonnage. It’s a Rescuer’s initiative. One of the goals of a patrol is to establish contact with teams of the ships offering them to equip their decks with rescue equipment. The captains of the ships that are able to place lifeboats at their decks should be offered help in installation of them by crews of life stations of their region”.
There was no possible way to transfer the crew of 62 people to the closest life station. In fact in a radius of 60 miles there was no rescue service. It was decided to leave saved people at the coast of a nearest island with small population and organize a new life station there. It was necessary to do for saved people to come to their senses and receive an insight on what to do next. They needed to decided either to leave here joining the team of a rescue service or go back home to the motherland or somewhere else. There was a big need in a life station at this island for organization of a patrol in this area and save many souls by means of it.
We were a great team. But during the time that we spent together our crew was bigger than it was necessary for ten-oared rescue yawl. After we joined the team of 8 people, the number increased to 12 of us, after that 3 people decided to stay, so the number increased to 15. It meant that the ability of our boat to save people decreased and we needed to do something about it.
I was seeking for a decision several times thinking about that. We could send home those who had little experience or those that were rescuers for a long time. But I didn’t like any of these possibilities.
But when Noland shared the news about establishment of a new life station I started to understand something. It was for a reason that we had a big team. Some of us will stay to direct the new life station.
During 3 weeks we were building it. Not only rescuers of our boat took part in it but also the majority of a freighter’s crew – everyone who was able to help us physically. They were willing to join the building process of our new project. Row boats were used as well; they became a material part of a new station.
Robin, handsome Englishman, was one of those who left our home pier. He became a part of a team at the new life station. He was 3 years older than me. He was calm, thoughtful and wise person. Honestly, when all of us became a part of captain Noland’s team I thought we would never be separated. It was a little bit sad to say good bye but at the same time I felt peace in my heart. Robin became a real rescuer and now when we’re in different places we will be able to save more people.
Craig, the captain’s assistant, left as well to direct the station for some time. He was a big Scottish man with a kind heart. Noland gathered the team of rescuers who were going to stay at the station in order to give them important instructions. The main thing that I understood from that meeting is that their goal was to disciple and train those who decide to become rescuers, organize the patrol in the region and start to prepare a replacement. No one was told to stay there forever.
Craig asked the captain: “How will we understand that young rescuers are ready and able to direct the station?”
Noland replied: “Study the Book and connect with the Rescuer constantly. And you will start to understand everything, you will understand the times and seasons, you will understand the state of readiness of your disciples”.
We left practically all of our equipment at the island, hoping to receive more at the nearest life station that we encounter.
The passage from “The Book of a Rescuer”: “While building the station it’s necessary to organize the work of a workshop that would start the production of the equipment for boats and their teams from the very beginning”.
“The teams of boats should receive the equipment at the station”
“Remember! Boats were not made for a station, but a station was made for boats”
~ VISITING LIFE STATIONS ~
While travelling by sea we regularly stopped by the life station piers so the saved could get off and we could take food and equipment.
The passage from the Book of a Rescuer: “The crews working in remote locations far from their residence can refill the resources of food and equipment at the closest stations which they encounter on their way”.
We saw multiple stations, some were very similar to those I had already seen, the others were very different. The difference was clearly seen in boat design, construction technologies, and in rescue operations. However, I saw no difference in life-jackets and safety rings. But the main component that united all the life stations was the Great Rescuer and His Purpose to save all people. Seemed like all the difference originated by personalities of those who founded the stations, who managed them, and included ethnicity and membership to one or another rescue family. At the beginning I had quite critical attitude to everything that was unlike to the place where I grew up to the things I got used to. But as the time passed that difference stopped annoying me, and did not prevent me from seeing what a great job all the rescuers were involved to. Since all the stations, all the rescue families submitted to the Rescuer and to His Great Mission.
We approached to a pier of quite a big station. We were welcomed by local management accompanied by a dozen of rescuers. That day I was assigned to represent our crew since Noland stayed on a small island to have quiet time with God. He felt like getting new instructions and direction while conversing with God. We had to pick him up on our way back.
“Hello!” greeted us a short middle-aged man with large bald patches. He seemed to be a boss of all local stations in the area.
“Hello” replied I with great expectations from an important conversation we were about to have.
“What led you to our harbor?”
“We’re mainly working in the latitude where life stations are not yet established. We’ve had quite a long time travelling by now and …….
“Excuse me, what do you need?” aged rescuer pretended as if he did not hear what I had just said, and by that reduced my introduction speech. With no further delay I got down straight to the business and told it in one breath:
“Do you have any medication, life-jackets, blankets and food? I need to refill the resources.”
“But what happened to yours? Why didn’t you take enough at your station?”
“You see, we’ve been sailing quite long and left almost all our resources at the newly built station”
“What station does your boat belong to?”
“Our boat registered at the stations located in St. George Strait. But our crew comprises many people from different stations and rescue families. For instance, I and two friends of mine come from a different station located in Bristol Bay. We need just a small amount of food and equipment.”
“Sorry, but you seemed to be out of our life station list and our rescue family. We cannot give you what you ask for.”
“But, sir! Does it matter who throws safety rings? You or me, result is still the same that is saved people.”
“But how can we give you the equipment when we’re even not sure whether you can call yourselves rescuers? Honestly speaking, our management believes that those like you need to be rescued as well.”
“Your management!? But you even haven’t made an attempt to speak to anybody. Listen, the Rescuer told us to go to the sea and save people. And we do so.”
“I think we could give you some food against receipt, but only if you bring saved people to our station and change registration of your boat to our place as well.”
“We’re heading hundreds miles away to the south, how on earth we can bring saved people to your place? This is impossible even physically.”
“Listen, young man, seems like we won’t get to any agreement. We have nothing to help you. Is that clear?”
“Well, yes, clear enough.”
“More questions? What else can I do for you?”
“Nothing, thanks. This is time for us to go, at least some
body have to do the assignment the Rescuer left to all of us.”
Without hesitation we got into the boat and headed to that small island where we left our captain a couple of hours ago.
I was really mad, and eager to tell Noland what a welcome we had at this station.
When we approached to the island our captain had been already waiting for us on the coast. Seemed like he saw us from afar and hurried up to get down meeting us at the old port. His face expressed surprise. He expected us only by tomorrow morning with food and equipment refilled. Taken the line, he helped to unusually silent crew to get onto quite shabby quay at the same time he tried to see what was in the boat. But there was nothing to see.
We had two-three more hours before the sunset so we’d given out the duties and started preparations to stay there overnight.
Some of us went fishing; some went off to find firewood. Owen and Barnaby followed captain’s instruction and found wild strawberries, so we were promised to have dessert that night.
As for me and the Captain we headed down into the island to get some drinking water. We passed ruined houses of those who lived in the island some time ago but now by the reason unknown to us they moved to another place maybe somewhat better than this one. Having gone through the forest we came up to a hill and went around it following an old path walked by several generations of island habitants, and then we reached a valley surrounded by three hills. There was a drinking water creek just in the middle of the valley. We found a good spot to fill our flasks and cans with water.
All the time I was thinking about how to tell him what happened, but he was the first who started the talking.
“I see you’re upset.”
“Yep, I don’t have words to tell this.”
“That’s right you shouldn’t pay too much attention to what happened. Don’t worry about it.”