Chapter 25: One Day
Away
“After that cold rain this campfire sure feels good.”
Everyone nodded at Sutton. He then said a few more
words. “Our Khmer friends told me that we should
reach the temple by tomorrow afternoon. They think
around noon. I don’t know about the rest of you but I
think tomorrow is going to be a day we’ll never forget.”
One of the
many pictures that Maria took on Elephant Mountain
photo by:
Mr.
Charles Pieters
Soon everyone was laughing, each with their own
reasons to agree. Of course, Maria was Nick’s
daughter. Her feelings were special. The last time
she saw Nick alive she had been daddy’s little
girl. He told her bedtime stories—The Little Scarlet
Fish and, The Three Bears. How can you
possibly describe what she felt? How does one’s
deepest feelings—ever—a daughter’s love for her
father—exposed to such a great loss and sorrow—age
over time? What does such a young girl go through?
Such painful feelings at first, but over the years
hammered down to almost no recollection at all. How
could she even fathom what meeting her father was
going to be like?
Sutton’s relationship with Nickolas was also unique. He
first met Nick in 1963. That was such a long time
ago—time that was mostly filled with guilt. Sure, there
had been some good times but loosing Nick and
the others had destroyed any fond memories that would
have otherwise stayed alive. Sutton’s remorse even drove
him into joining JPAC—The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command—that
led him back to Vietnam several times in search for
America’s lost heroes—and later—most recently—deep into
Laos looking for that bomber. For so many years he had
wanted answers but sadly, countless examples prove that
life seldom divulges her innermost secrets. Except
now, for some odd reason, she was about to—perhaps being
forced by a higher authority. As far as how Sutton was
feeling about all of this—well—needless to say the
moment was weighing heavily upon him.
Blake was also aware of the importance of the hour. His
perspective had originated, developed, transformed, and
grown beyond belief. Instead of the luxury of time to
think about it, like a series of accidental,
high-voltage shocks, he had been thrust into a drama
that really, he had nothing to do with at all. At first the
series of events seemed plausible enough. A phone call
from Sutton. For Blake, what
started out as a rather straight forward mission to look
for a missing bomber had quickly turned into something
entirely different.
Actually, it began with an undeclared war inside Laos
and Cambodia and then, years later, with a pile of rocks
and a buried letter. Blake often thought about these
things. That’s when the drama began to unfold: learning
that Eleni was no longer alive; falling in love with
Maria, the daughter of the very man he was now trying to
find—a man that only four months ago Blake and Maria
didn’t even know was alive. And now, on a trail—in one of the most
isolated jungles in all of Southeast Asia—there he was—looking
across a campfire at Maria—so beautiful—and falling in love
with her. Needless to say, Blake was experiencing great
emotions.
Finally there was Judy—sipping green tea around a
campfire with people whom she barely knew. While the
others had been given some time to comprehend what was
happening, Judy had been given none. Suddenly out of
nowhere these new faces had appeared, needing so much
and so quickly. And to make things even more intriguing,
a man whom she now couldn’t stop thinking about, sat
next to her.
Yes, for Judy this was going to be a week to remember—a
sudden trek deep into an area that few dared to
explore—to somehow meet an American soldier who had
somehow survived the Vietnam War—abandoned by his
country and now about to meet his grown daughter. So
Judy’s perspective was most unusual. In fact, you would
think that Judy’s mind would be reeling at the sudden
turn of events, but really, the opposite was true. And
Sutton could sense that quality about her—her ability
to stay equipoise through what obviously—for most
people, would have been stressful, to say the least. No
wonder she was able to handle running an orphanage. All
and all Judy had a very charming effect on everyone.
So there they sat, these four friends—newly made
friends—watching the yellow and orange colored flames
flicker between the logs.
Soon it began to get dark. A few more sticks were thrown
onto the fire. Maria had her knees drawn up so that as
she sat she could place her chin on top of them—her
arms wrapped around, grasping her hands for support.
Looking at everyone, she lifted her head. Smiling as she
sat up straight, she began to speak.
“Well, this has certainly been an exciting week for us.”
Her three companions all nodded in agreement. “I have
been thinking about my father’s letter and what it all
means. I’m not exactly sure what to expect tomorrow. Especially
after that Khmer said that my father had married
him and his wife. My father was a soldier, not a priest.
I’m just more confused than ever.” As she spoke, no one
said a word. It was obvious that the feeling inside her
were about to over flow. The tears in her eyes said so.
She needed to speak but her feelings were making it
difficult.
“My mother was a deeply religious person. Even more so
after my father was lost. She prayed every day. I prayed
with her. Is this how God has answered our prayers? And
as far as all of us, we have not even known each other
that long. Judy, I just met last week. And the two of
you, only a few months ago. Even so, my feelings for
Blake are obvious. Yes, I love you. All I know is that I
believe in God. I believe that Providence has placed us
here, together—so all of you are the most special
people in my life.”
One of the logs on the fire popped, kicking out a small shower
of sparks. “I must admit that Cambodia and Angkor
Wat—with all the statues of Buddha and Vishnu go
completely against everything that I was brought up
with. Not that other religions are wrong—just
that I’m not comfortable with them. But these are the
people and the culture that have given my father
protection and I feel a deep gratitude inside me.
“Tomorrow our journey ends. But another begins. I have
been praying every night. I need strength. Especially
now. It appears that my father is alive and well. What a
miracle! From what we know he has taken what God has
given him and prospered. But I would be lying if I said
that everything is fine. There are just so many
questions. As you know, my great grandparents and my
grandparents are all from Greece.
My mother and father, as well as myself, are Greek
Orthodox. We celebrate the birth and death of our
Savior, Lord Jesus Christ.” Again tears could be seen in
Maria’s eyes. “I’m sorry for burdening you with all of
this. It’s just that there are so many feelings swirling
inside me. Feelings that I am not used to. How can my
father, a Greek Orthodox, be marrying people out here in
the middle of a jungle? Cambodians are Buddhist. Is my
father now a Buddhist? And finally, in my father’s
letter he talks about Krishna and Vishnu. Can you
understand what I’m feeling? Will he even remember me?”
Heads turned to Blake. Any of them could have reached
out to comfort her but Blake was the one that had to
step forward. His love for Maria was obvious. Blake
began to speak, not even aware of Sutton or Judy, but as
if Maria had been only speaking to him.
“Maria, I think you are expressing some of the same
thoughts that we all have had. Your questions are only
natural. We are not sages. We pray to God, yes, asking
Him for favorable winds, but at certain times, life is like being cast
out upon an ocean with many storms to overcome. We are all
in a storm right now and a strong wind has swept
us far from our homes. Just a couple of months ago none
of us would have ever imagined that we would be here.
This jungle, alone, is frightening enough. Plus the way
everything has happened so unexpectedly. I don’t know
about everyone else but as I climb this mountain—with time to piece this all together
in my mind, I, too, am feeling what you are. Maria, we
all are.”
Again everyone nodded. Blake kept speaking. “Please,
keep on praying. Pray for us all. I think we have all
felt closer to God. As far as tomorrow, how can any of
us know what lies up ahead? If there are any lessons that I
have learned over these past few years—with the sudden
death of my fiancé and now all this—it is that life can
change on a dime. One minute things can be safe and
familiar and the next—well—we only have to look around
to know what I mean.
“Never before has God
seemed so real as He does right now. If everything
around me can change so suddenly, at least I have His
love to rely on. God is
the one person who will never forsake us. As I have been
walking I have been saying the Lord’s Prayer over and
over—and the more I say it, the more peace I feel.
Blake closed his eyes: Our Father who
art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us
this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not
into temptation but deliver us from evil, for Thine is
the Kingdom, the power, and glory, forever—amen.
Maria reached out her hand and took Blake’s in hers.
“Yes, that is a wonderful prayer. It is one of my
favorites. It tells me where God lives and that His Name
is holy.”
Later that night as everyone slept, Maria prayed. She
then fell asleep. She had a wonderful dream. In it she
saw her mother, Eleni. They were drinking from little
tea cups with pink flowers painted on them. Her father
was there with them.
Just before daybreak a soft rain began to fall as
clouds turned everything into fog. When
Maria woke—peaking out of her window—an almost
heavenly sight greeted her. Remembering her dream, she
could still feel her parent’s presence; their warmth.
Lying back down on her sleeping bag all she could
think about was her father. But there was still a few
more hours of climbing. Up ahead the mountain loomed,
mostly covered in a shroud of deep mist.
