Page 108 - Introduction to New Jerusalem Evangelism

As the team tried persistently to move forward in the cold and moving water in
the forest we arrived at the ‘turning point’ in our minds due to up-to-stomach
floodwater around us: “Shall we continue moving forward or just back off and wait
some more times at the higher spots until the floodwater is subsiding?”. This difficult
question could not be answered by means of ‘multiple choice’ answer, or guessing, or
throwing and flipping a coin. The risk was too large (untolerable), the wrong action
could incite an accident and even a loss of life. A simple survey, a careful sounding and
observation and an accurate analysis had to be performed! So, two young men who
were good swimmers went further and moved forward until we could not see them
anymore.
When they came back their findings were as follows: at a distance in front of us
there was a river with overflowing water which had caused the flood so far. The way
to that river was around 100 meters long and the deepest part of the floodwater was,
in average, to the chest. And here was the good news: there was a bridge made of a
stem of a big tree which lied across the river with both ends tied strongly to both old
large trees at both banks of the river. In the normal and dried condition one had to
mount him(her)self onto the tree-stem bridge across the river, and well over the
flowing water below, and then walk gently and carefully, step by step, while
maintaining his (her) balance well. (How did one keep the balancing condition of one’s
body?). While one walked on the bridging tree stem one could hold on many of the
hanging roots of the overhanging branches of both anchoring large trees at both sides
of the river. The branches of the two trees touched, and some inter-twined, one to
another over-arching the river. Uuughh…………! What a challenge to cross the 20-m
wide river at night in Tarzan-like manner! What a negligence to nullify its possible
danger! Crossing a forest river with no record of its depth, its possible crocodiles
(alligators) and its other hostile water creatures at night in the flooding condition?
Oooh my God, please save and hold us tightly!
As the Sota women in our team pushed the team to move further the men in
the team had no choice (did we?). We moved slowly, meter by meter, in the up-to-
chest floodwater. Finally we arrived to the mentioned anchoring tree beside the river.
The situation at the proximity of the river looked very different than what had been
reported. Well, it might have changed due to the abnormal condition i.e. the rising
flood and the darkness of night. And the flashlights were directed to the said tree-stem
bridge at which everybody looked. And looked! There was no tree stem crossing the
river or, otherwise, it became invisible due to the rising floodwater. After a simple
checking and the depth sounding of the ground near the anchoring tree one was sure
that the tree stem was just drowned half-meter from the water surface but still well-
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