What could have caused the Baptist purity folks to drive off offended, I wondered.

“Well Rabbi, your a man of G-d, and your carrying on’hea wearing nothing but shorts… no shoes… no shirt… It don’t look right fo’them Baptist purity folks.  Their fixi’n to drop all their support of our mission!”

“…it’s one hundred degrees, and we’re out here trying to get these boats ready.”  I responded somewhat bewildered.

“I know… What can I say.” Answered the Captain with his hands in the air.  “Yo not in Rhode Island anymore brother…”

“Make sure your wearing a safety line!” Reminded Lisa, while I put on a shirt and gathered some tools to go up the mast of the young couple’s boat.   A pulley needed to be changed and apparently I was the only person around who actually enjoyed being up on the masts.    I was suspended up there for almost an hour when I heard a bone chilling sound;  the stainless steel  halliard line I was attached to, snapped with a deafening sound that echoed across the river.   I freefalled for about two feet, then was immediately suspended by that life line that my beloved Lisa reminded me to wear.   I held onto the mast like a cat atop a flag pole on a windy day, waiting for my heartbeat to return to normal, then proceeded with the pulley repair.

We were now close to leaving, but my heart was disappointed.  I had hoped we would be bringing a load of supplies to help not only our children, but their community as well, but unfortunately all we had was barely enough to sustain us.   Then a van drove up.   A team of Canadian sailors had a van load of sails for us to bring for the fishermen in Haiti.   I was in awe.  Truly, when we do our part, G-d does the impossible.  The problem is, the impossible is so outrageous, that we consider our minuscule part to be but a foolish waste of time.   So we do nothing, and wait for G-d, unaware that He is doing nothing, while He waits for us…

At last the day came.   The ladies from the Baptist holiness church arrived at the dock.   They had sewn some scripture on napkins to tie on each of our vessels.   They stood on the shore with their long dresses, and they’re hair in a bun, waving.

Three sailboats were ready for the journey.  Yod Hey was crewed by Justin and Chelsea and captained by Smoky.  La Victoria was crewed by Captain’s son in law Ben, his grandson Michael, Mathew, who left his pizza making job to embark on this life changing experience, our son Gabriel, and senior Captain Raymond.    Aleph Tav was crewed by the prettiest girl I have ever seen Lisa, our sons Andre and Noah, Andre’s wife Karah, and Captained by yours truly.

I donned my talit with shofar in hand and spoke a blessing over each vessel accompanied by a blast of the shofar.   Then, one after another, we pushed off the dock and slowly motored down the Stinehachee river.

Way out front Yod Hey quickly disappeared, as Smoky and his crew caught just the right angle of the wind and took off.

La Victoria raised all her sails and followed south

Lastly, the fast zipping sound of lines rubbing past spinning winches tightened Aleph Tav’s huge genoa, and our sails filled up with a strong and steady wind as evening came over us quickly.

Ready to begin the night shift, I made myself comfortable, with a hot cup of coffee on one hand and an iPad on the other.   In the distance, the faint glow of La Victoria’s mast was the only light piercing through the darkness.

“Yod Hey!… Yod Hey!… Come in Yod Hey!… This is La Victoria do you copy!!!”

“Yod Hey!… Yod Hey!… Come in Yod Hey!…

“Yod Hey!… Do you copy!!!…

To be continued

A day later, the young couple arrived with countless stories of their terrible experience with the prospective vessel and Rambo Ray.   It was clear that the situation with Rambo and that vessel was not going to be resolved or even considered, so we began to look for other options as our departure time was closing in on us quickly.

Finally, someone close by decided to sell their sailboat.   It was small, but with some TLC it would work fine for them.   There was however another problem, the young couple had no experience sailing.   We would have to find a seasoned skipper to captain their vessel the entire journey.

After giving it some thought, Captain had just the person for the job.   “Y’all are gonna love Smoky.” he assured us as we now focused on getting the young couple’s vessel ready.

Several days later, there was a short skinny man sitting on Doug Black’s picnic table by the dock.   He had a huge fluffy beard, scraggly hair going in every direction, and he was puffing on a vaporizer.   

“Smoky is the name… and you are?…”  The man asked with his hand extended.

“Peter… Every one knows me as Rabbi Peter.” I answered.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance Rabbi”.   He replied graciously.

For the next week, I would wake up at sunrise, and there would be Smoky, pondering on the projects he would have to tackle on that day.  I would offer him a freshly brewed cup of coffee and without fail he would take a sip, then he would pause and say: “ahhh… The elixir of life…”

Sunrise to sunset became a blur.   It is amazing no one got hurt, considering the incredible amount of people in each other’s way, doing their best to complete every project.   In the evenings, having exhausted all our energy, we would lounge around listening to the beautiful young couple singing.  Justin with his muttonchops mustache focusing on the precision of every cord, and Chelsea singing as she gazed into his eyes with the biggest smile.   Every day was a repeat of the last, and a foreshadow of the next for several weeks, with the exception of Shabbat, where rest could always be found in Aleph Tav.

One early Shabbat morning, I unfolded a beautiful table cloth over our galley table, then retrieved the Torah scroll from the V birth.   I then called the young couple over.  They were stunned with reverent awe… I covered Justin’s head with a talit, then I opened the scroll.   Placing a pointer on his hand I said:   “Repeat after me…” ❤️
He spoke each word with tears rolling down his cheeks.   Chelsea looked on with a red face, sniffling her nose.
 
Then, “once’mo again”, as they say in these here parts, the sun rose and it was back to the frantic hustle and bustle; carrying boxes, patching dinghys, tightening cables, designing mufflers, sowing sails and swatting gnats, all in 99 degree weather wearing as little clothes as possible. 

“Rabbi…” Said the Captain as he took me aside, “…Ma’gash brother! dis’hea ain’t nothing but constructive criticism.  The folks from the Baptist Purity just drove off… They are highly offended!”

To be continued

Excited by the prospect of getting a sound sailboat at a great prize, the young couple headed to Marathon. Meanwhile, back at Doug Black’s dock, the hustle and bustle of stocking Aleph Tav continued with increasing excitement. Then we got some wonderful news. Our oldest son Andre and his wife Kerah decided to join Aleph Tav’s crew and sail with us into Haiti. Lisa was delighted to no longer be the only girl on the vessel and I was very glad to have Andre’s help on the crew.

The loading continued. It is difficult to understand how Lisa was able to find a place for all the bags of food and supplies that kept coming, but somehow she did just that with a little room to spare.

Andre and Kara diligently prepared the V birth; their home for the next several months, and Noah arranged his video games and stowed his clothes away. Gabriel was thrilled to gather his things and head out to Captain’s vessel where he received an invitation as a crew member. We were close to our departure and we could feel it.

I ran to old man Mike’s metal shop to pick up the handrails he fabricated for our biminy. When I arrived, I found him staring at a small kitten lying on the dirt. I stepped out of the car, and his dogs greeted me as usual, while the numerous cats and chickens scattered in every direction.

“Is he ok?” I asked as I came close. “He’s dead!” Mumbled Mike. “I didn’t know he was on the back of the truck… I saw him roll down the street out of the rear view mirror.” Next to the lifeless creature was another kitten who lay there as if trying to comfort him. My heart broke. Old man Mike said: “You’ll need a boat cat.”

“Of course I will!” I replied without giving it much thought, so I picked out the scruffiest looking runt of the litter and named her Stow Away.

“Absolutely NOT!!!” Demanded Lisa as she fell in love with the sorry looking runt who would not leave the boat from that day on, except to a couple of vet trips.

“Captain, we can’t do it.” Came the couple’s frantic voice over the phone. “This guy is insane… He is living in some delusional commando wonder land and he’s gonna get us all killed!!!”

“Alright now…” Comforted the Captain “Y’all settle down now. Rambo Ray’s alright, you just need knowi’n him a bit more.”

“No way!!! This guy is not playing with a full deck. We are coming back right away!” Informed the couple as they hung up.

Moments later, Captain’s infamous rooster phone began coca-doodle-doing.
“Captain, the mission has been compromised. Psyops on the subjects revealed that they are unstable, delusional and psychotic… quite frankly, they are spoiled brat jerks! Avoid contact at all costs! Ray out!…”

To be continued

The Vow

I graciously waited for their embrace to end…  I waited, and waited, but they wouldn’t stop hugging and crying in each other’s arms. 

I couldn’t wait to see the reaction in Bill’s face, the moment I was waiting for this entire trip, but they just stood there rocking  gently back and forth as they held one another.

Time passed… then I thought: how can I possibly change the mind of an 83 year old man with a picture… Was this “moment” for Bill, or was it really for my sake…  While pondering these things I realized yet something else: Captain Raymond sacrificed exactly the same way I did to go help this man, but he had no picture to prove any point at all.   Did that make my sacrifice greater than his…

Finally, I surrendered to what I knew to be the truth; I do know my place, and indeed, I was placed here to serve this man, not because of the color of my parents skin, but because I have Emanuel’s blood flowing through my veins, and He is the servant of all… So I said nothing and began to walk away.

Bill finally kissed Rose, wiped away his and her tears, then came to me.   His chin quivered as his eyes flooded once again.

“You…” He said with a profound pause, “You are my blood brother forever!…”

I smiled and said: “I AM…”

“Not to change gears on y’all, but we really need to get focused on gett’n these he’a vessels ready rabbi.”   Reminded Captain as Bill and his Rose drove away.

We worked under the hot sun for several days making last minute repairs, and loading up the boats for the journey that was nearing quickly by every moment.

“We have seen your web page, and also Rabbi Peters web site, and we feel strongly that we are being led to join you in your mission to Haiti.”   Came a young man’s voice over Captains phone.   Sure enough, several days later, a beautiful young couple showed up and stayed several days on La Victoire, one of captain’s boats.

Loving them was easy.  They were on fire for the things of G-d and ready to embrace whatever adventure He set before them.   They had tried to purchase one of Captain’s vessels, but were unable to come up with the necessary funds.  We all began looking to find them a vessel they could afford so they could come with us on this journey.

“Captain!” Came a voice over the Captain’s phone, a voice I had not heard before,  “…I have special ops intel on a civilian vessel suitable for those kids! Have them meet me in Marathon City Marina at o nine hundred sharp this Monday. Gotta go, this line might be tapped… Out!”

The intrigued look on my face must have said it all…   “Oh Rabbi…” explained the Captain, “That’s Rambo Ray.   I’ll have to tell you about him some other time.” 

To be continued

An 83 year old couple was sailing on they’re way to Belize to enjoy the rest of their golden years.   In the middle of the journey Rose, Bill’s high school sweetheart of 65 years, came down with an mysterious heart illness.   Devastated, frightened, and with his dream shattered, Bill was left sailing his sailboat with one other crew member, hoping to find a place where he could dock and sell his boat.   The crew member abandoned Bill at a refueling stop, and he was left alone and stuck.

Rose called Captain Raymond desperate and in tears.  

“Rabbi, we ain’t got time for this’hea foolishness!   We need these vessels ready to go, and I mean yesterday!!!   Is what’is!
Is this’hea mess our responsibility? NO!… Is this Bill feller go’n make it?” Captain swiped his hands together and threw them up in the air, “…don’t know.  What do you do?…”

“Well…” I answered in my poor attempt to sound like a southerner, “I reckon wee’s gonna go and rescue Bill’s behind…”

“Alright, let’s  grab a bag and get goi’n!” He answered without hesitation. “If all goes well, we should have him home in one or two days.”

Incidentally, Rose and Bill were strangers to us, but seeing their terrible predicament moved our hearts and we couldn’t look the other way.

A 24 hour weather window opened, and we drove to meet Bill and sail him home.  As soon as we arrived, that 24 hour window closed, and we were stuck with Bill for five days going nowhere.  

It is difficult to spend so much time in close quarters with some one, without getting to hear their view on what’s wrong with the world.   Bill was a loaded gun carrying confederate, wearing a confederate cavalry hat.   He were a loan star pin on his lapel and flew a very proud confederate flag off the stern of his boat.

We waited and waited, then finally there was a weather break and we pushed away from the dock.

“The problem is…” Explained Bill, “…they let trouble makers into office, then all these damn inferiors get all riled up and forget their place.   They forget they were put here to serve… But the worst of it all is, when these blacks and whites interbreed. what on earth do you call what comes out?… Damn molatto half breeds!”

Captain glanced at me…  I chuckled “Boy don’t I know it!  You better keep your eye on these damn molattos…” I responded with a cheer, as I raised my glass for a toast then downed what was left of my wine.  On that very moment, I vowed in my heart to find an opportune time to reveal who I was.

“So, where are you from?” Asked Bill, taking a break from explaining the world’s problems.

“Well… where I’m from is not that important.   What is important is that I know my place, and I was placed in this world to serve.   So… here I am, at your service.” I smiled as I continued navigating his boat.

“No, seriously…” Bill asked with intrigue.

“Seriously!…” I assured him with a smile. 

Bill waited for an answer.  

“Ok, if you must know…” I proceeded.   Captain’s face looked serious all of a sudden.

“I am a ‘Lisbeon’… I was born in Lisbon… That makes me a lisbeon, right?…”

We all busted out laughing…   “Haaaa, HA, HA, HA… Who would imagine…” Laughed the Captain as he attempted to speak while he rolled laughing.  “A hard core confederate having his vessel  commandeered by a lesbian, Haaaa, Haaaa, HA, HA, HA…”

We all laughed till our belies were sore and our eyes were wet with tears…

Our journey finally came to an end as we brought Bill’s boat to the place where he would be able to sell it, and I did get to hear much more about Bill’s opinion of the races of the world.   And yes, I would be able to describe his opinion in great and colorful detail, if for no other reason then simply uncover someone’s ignorance.   But there is one thing I am not properly able to describe; and that is the moment when Rose limped as best as she could with her arms outstretched to Bill.   He ran and held her in his arms…

At that very moment I remembered the vow I made to my self.  This had to be the moment where I was to reveal my identity and show Bill a picture of my Mom and Dad…

To be continued

Some time later, another heavy metal door opened, and a guard came through escorting the Captain’s daughter. The guard handed her to the Captain and walked back through the door shutting it with a forceful bang behind him.

It was touching to see a side of Captain not often seen, as he briefly held his daughter in his arms. Quickly after, we got in the car and drove off.

As I prepared myself for the long journey back I pondered, how could a simple piece of paper carry so much weight…

“That paper?!…” I asked.

“Oh… this he’a paper is a letter from our county Judge who knows the work I’ve done in Haiti. It is an order to have my daughter released to me and placed in my custody until her court date.”

This was profound to me; 30 years of binding wounds, comforting the broken hearted, feeding the hungry, shining the Light in places of darkness… 30 long years of setting the captive free, granted Captain Raymond the favor of a Judge, releasing his daughter into his care with one single piece of paper.

Suddenly the long ride back from Texas to Steinhatchee Florida was not so long at all. Every mile that past by, I was reminded that our reward is not found at the end of some journey. The reward is the journey. And the step across the finish line, if that step should ever come, will be a step like any other step: amazing and even inspiring to those who are spectators, but common to those who have been running.

We arrived at Steinhatchee and I was delighted to get back to finalizing some last minute preparation to continue our journey. Three, maybe four more days tops, and we would be under sail heading toward blue waters…

“…Captain PLEASE!!! he’s 83 years old, his crew abandoned him, and he is all alone out there… Please, please, please help us.” Came a weeping voice over Captain’s rooster phone.

“Gaaaaalee Rabbi!!! Maaa gash!!! We don’t have time for this! We need to be fixi’n to sail on outa’hea, and I mean like now!…”

To be continued