I was 12 and very alone. No one was with me. My world had
been turned upside down in a few seconds. I was freezing cold from the icy wind
that blew over the water. It was pitch dark sitting on the roof. Where I used
to see lights from the surrounding houses I now saw none. In the dark I could
see the shapes of some of the structures still standing. Most had been washed
away by the force of the water that had come pummelling through with no mercy
or warning. I had been one of the lucky ones. My bedroom was on the second
floor when it all started. I had heard the sound of trees crashing and water
roaring from my room. When I got to the bedroom window I saw a glimpse of my
Dad as he was swept away by the raging waters that had caught him unawares with
the sudden surge as he was cutting the lawn. I could only assume something
similar had happened to my Mom and sister.
At first I had panicked. I had screamed for help. None had
arrived. I had sat and watched the water rising for hours. I had seen many
things float by. Cars, houses, boats, cows, horses and yes…..what bothered me
was the amount of people that had gone by. I knew they were dead. It scared me.
I thought the police would rescue me, until I saw what must have been one wash
past. I realised that I was only going to survive if I did it myself.
I watched the water rise and realised I needed to get to
higher ground. I needed a ladder so I could get on the roof and knew there was
no way I was going to get one here. I ran to my parent’s room and tried to drag
a cabinet into the passage way so I could get to the roof hatch. It was too
heavy. I was starting to panic. Water was coming in the doors leading
downstairs. I heard my bedroom window glass smash and knew something floating
past had hit the window. I needed a plan fast. I grabbed the draws on the
cabinet and threw them out one by one. I knew there was no way I would get in
trouble for this. Once they were all out I pushed the cabinet and it began to
move. Inch by inch I moved the cabinet to the middle of the passage way. I
climbed up on the cabinet with water sloshing around my feet. I pushed open the
roof entrance and was about to climb up when I remembered I needed stuff to
survive.
I jumped down and sloshed to my room. It was difficult to
move through the water. There were lots of things in my way. Once in my room I pushed
open the cupboard as best I could while the water rushed in. I reached up and
grabbed a dry blanket and a torch. As I turned to leave the room I stopped. I
was sure I left something important behind. Then I saw it on the bookshelf, My
bible that my dad had given me in third grade. I dashed over as fast as I could
and grabbed it. Carrying the blanket, torch and bible I struggled to climb the
cabinet. I pushed the Blanket into the opening in the ceiling and hoisted myself
up. I turned the torch round and bashed on the roof tiles. As they gave way
daylight streamed in. I made a hole big enough for myself and climbed up onto
the roof. My parents would never have allowed me to be up here. I knew that
this time it would not be an issue. I was safe for now although I did not know
how long. I was alone.
In the darkness I cried. I looked at my bible and wondered
if God did love me, if he really did care. I wondered if he would leave me on a
rooftop to die. I prayed, Lord Jesus, I have always known that you are there.
Please don’t leave me alone now. Send me a fiery chariot to save me from these
waters. As I finished praying a bright light shone down on me from above. At
first I thought it was from heaven I then realised God had sent me a helicopter
with a really bright light. I guess a fiery chariot would have been overkill. A
rope landed next to me with a face on the end. It was a man named John, He was
really nice and let me get my bible before pulling me up to my chariot. I knew
God had a plan. I knew things would be tough moving forward, but I knew I was
not alone. God was going to be with me, I would fear no evil, his rod and staff
were with me.
What would you take if you had a flooded house? What do you
prize more than God? Would you save yourself before others or would you climb
over them to save yourself first? We need to have the faith of a child. We need
to know God is there waiting for us to talk to him. He has our best interest in
mind even though we might not think so.
Cheers
Greg
No comments:
Post a Comment