I crawled to the nav station and turned the sailing lights on, then I laid motionless on the floor.

“That’s it, I can’t take it… I’m going to throw my body overboard and fill my lungs with water!”  Announced Lisa.   “Wait, first let me turn my phone on and see if I can pick up a signal out here.”  Lisa picked up her phone.   “Oh my goodness… We have five missed calls from Captain.  I have a signal!!!” exclaimed Lisa.

Then the phone rang.  “Rabbi!… Where ya’ll are?… My gaaaash, I’d been tryi’n to call ya’ll for two days. Ya’ll need to answer your phone!…”

“Well Captain, it sure is good to hear your voice.” I mumbled, “We are completely spent with no way to start the engine, and nothing but a headwind and current coming against us.   We have to sleep here for the night, then we will figure out what to do tomorrow.” I explained

“Rabbi, ain’t nothing to figure out tomorrow that can’t be figured out right naaa!”  Captain ordered.

“Trust me; there is NO WAY we can get this engine started, I have absolutely no strength, and I’m burnt from getting sprayed with scalding engine cooling water;  I wouldn’t just be saying that we are done for the night if there was the slightest hope of getting out of here…” I explained certain I could make him understand.

“Brother, I’d been there.  Ya’ll need to find some strength and get on down he’a now.  And answer your phone! Maaaa gaaaash, no one can ever reach you!!!”  Captain complained.

“You don’t understand Captain! I have done EVERYTHING!!! This motor just won’t start.  I’ve been charging these batteries for two days, but when I press the ignition button, the electricity in the entire boat drops… The engine won’t even turn over.”

“Ignition button???… Take a jumper cable from the batteries and jam it right into the starter… Or take a screwdriver and stick it on there.  It will spark like the fourth ‘o July, but it will start. That’s all there’s to it. Stop mess’n round with the hot water, and fo’ goodness  sake Rabbi: answer your phone! Maaaaa gaaaash!!!…”

Captain just didn’t get it.   Never the less, I got a big screwdriver and jumped the connection at the starter.   Sure enough, it sparked like the forth ‘o July, and something else; the engine who had been silent for a couple of days, started right up!

We were all beside ourselves.  Although we had absolutely no strength at all, joy opened up a reservoir of strength we did’t know existed, and before long, we were motoring straight to Ile a Vache.  Though the night was as long as every other night, this was by far the best night we had in approximately one year.  

This would be the last night of our long journey.    Every minute brought us a little closer to our destination.  In the morning, we enjoyed motoring in zigzags, bringing sodas to all the fishermen in our path.  

“Bonjour…” Waved Gabriel after tossing cans of Mello Yellow into the ocean next to the dug out canoes. “merci! merci!…” Shouted the beautiful fishermen, waving the white palm of their hands.

Noah was stuck at the helm, while Lisa and Stow slept soundly.   We came around the last tip of the south coast of Haiti, and there it was right in front of us:  Ile a Vache!!!  This was the moment I had dreamed of for, exactly 363 days since leaving everything we’ve ever had in Rhode Island.  I wanted so much to wake Lisa up to show her the place where we would finally rest from our journey… but she was resting, so I let her sleep. 

About one hour before entering Port Morgan bay, the entire crew of Aleph Tav woke up.   No one said much.  Lisa, Gabriel, Noah and Stow sat on the fore deck taking in the moment.   We were entering the same bay that the great Captain Morgan entered some ….. Years prior, to bring all his treasures and retire; except, we were entering having lost everything to bring a Torah Scroll and begin our full time work in Haiti.  Oh, and one more thing: captain Morgan’s Ship never made it to shore.   It was shipwrecked about a mile off Ile a Vache’s coast where it rests to this day.  Aleph Tav however, despite the countless times it could and should have been shipwrecked, coasted safely into the harbor to meet up with Hazak (Strength), and La Victoria (The Victory).  

We arrived exactly 363 days from our departure out of Cranston Rhode Island.    Exhausted for several days, we did nothing but rest in a very messy Aleph Tav.  I was curious as to the number of days it took to bring a Torah scroll that survived the holocaust, to the nation who’s vote helped the rebirth of Israel.   What I discovered was not surprising, yet astonishing none the less…

To be continued