CHAPTER 11 Ta Pure Adiyo

 

 

 CHAPTER 11

Ta a pure adiyo?

     I tramped merrily to Fred's along with Mabior and Samuel. We were excited to be home. Yei wasn't New York or Los Angeles. But it was home and better than those places to The Team. People along our route greeted us with big smiles and waves. They gave us loud and excited Dinka greetings, "Ta a pure adiyo?" Roughly translated as, "How have you woken up?" 

     It was slow-going as Samuel and The Team slowed our vehicles to a creep as they greeted well-wishers. Samuel kept busy giving out hugs to as many of the Dinkas and others as was humanly possible. All of them reciprocated with something like, "Mr. Samuel, how is that blessing from God doing this fine day?" Of course, the word had spread faster than texting throughout Yei of the Winston's newest member. Most likely, the news had been broadcast by those incessant Dinka drums. 

     As The Team walked by Fred's, we were greeted by Fred and staff falling all over themselves to be the first to hug, congratulate, and ask for pictures of baby Aliza. It was a happy reunion for us coffee lovers. You get used to a certain taste, then miss it when it's taken away. We wound up going into Fred's and pouring our own coffee's as Fred was totally distracted. 

     We were on our second cup when a winded Thon, who had gone ahead, ran up to us with important news.

     "Chief, Mabior, our Dinka brothers have let the cows out!" Thon's mind has weird connections, and it scares me when I sometimes understand those connections. It was the Baha Men's song of similar lyrics. Thon was playing the part, "Who let the dogs (cows)  out? Who, who, who, who?" Thon added a circular dance movement to the words. Every one of us spit hot coffee on one another. Thon really was a lovable hoot. 

     Mabior fell out of his chair backwards, laughing. Finally, Samuel was able to get out, "Thon, what's going on?"

     With a roguish grin, Thon pulled his 357 out of its holster and twirled it on his index finger as he answered with, "Saddle up, podnah, the compound is full of cattle."

     Mabior gathered himself off the ground, shouting, "Mooove over, Pilgrim, the cavalry's on the way!"

     And we were on the way to our first round up. It's nice to be home and in the saddle once again. I looked back at one point to see half of Yei following and singing, "Who let the cows out, directed by Thon?"

     As the crowd parted. Some entering the compound, while the younger ones climbed the walls to get the birds-eye view of the cacophony inside. Mabior and several of The Team were raised around cattle. The crowd cheered every person bucked off. Most of the cattle were disappointingly docile. Led by Mrs. Akech, the wives rushed out to meet their husbands with mutual embraces. Food was arriving in abundance. 

     To my surprise, Leah appeared behind Mrs. Akech wearing a full apron and sporting a bundled newborn as she gazed around the compound crowd for Samuel. Upon spotting him, both worked through the crowd to embrace one another. From a distance, I heard her tell Samuel, "Mrs. Akech is teaching me how to cook!"

     Samuel and The Team had gone to an emergency meeting in Tel Aviv with the Defense Minister, Israel Katz, from the hospital, then on to Yei from there. 

     Such a scene of tenderness and, Sadly, this would change dramatically overnight. War with Iran only moments away.

     In the meeting with the Israeli Defense Minister, The Team had been posed a question by Minister Katz, Where do think Christians and The Team stand in the coming conflict. General Iverson looked around the room at The Team. He told Katz, "These men have their own minds and choices, as do all Christians."

     Each man was asked, including myself. Without hesitation, it was unanimous. We stand with Israel. Shermake quoted Genesis 12:3 "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you."

     Minister Katz walked slowly around the front of his office, pacing slowly back and forth as he talked. Randomly stopping while turning his head toward The Team and staring into the eyes of each. He talked like I had always imagined a commander would have addressed his men to mentally prep them for D-Day in WWII. 

    The Minister began, "The Crusader armies covered a great distance and were composed of numbers that were unheard of in that time. This operation will dwarf the Crusades. Hundreds of Israeli planes and their support aircraft will be traveling over 2,400 miles roundtrip to various targets in Iran. As you know, assets are in place to cause chaos and destruction from inside Iran. You'll go to Yei and be with your nearest loved ones for a very short period. Mossad operatives will come to you at the appointed time like a thief in the night. Be prepared. You are familiar with the areas of your coming operations. You have trained for years for just this time - a time - a time that men from the past would have sacrificed everything to be part of. Furthermore, you will tell your grandchildren tales of this time and your exploits, one of the most exciting times in history. Israel and her allies will be attacking a country 75 times larger than Israel, but God has her backed up by the strongest military the world has ever been witness to, the United States of America. Her mighty Navy and Air Force will help watch over Israel during the assured retaliation to come. Team, for you to be a part of this means only God, himself, could have chosen you. Samuel! Give us a powerful prayer!"

     And Samuel did just that. We all felt the enormity of the coming events, and that weight bore down upon us. 

     Hoseini spoke words that personified his spiritual feelings, "Persia, my homeland, Daniel's army is coming to set you free you."

     A peaceful look planted itself upon Mabior's face. I hadn't seen that look since before Mark and Chan's death. I put my arm around him. He looked back at me, saying, "God has answered my prayers to be part of something like this. It was this Iranian regime that made it possible for that monster, Gusev, to kill Mark and Chan. Revenge is God's, but I prayed long and hard to be one of his instruments of revenge."

     I just nodded. What more could be said?

     Back home, a light knock came on my bedroom door around 2 am. I opened the door to a man in khaki slacks and plain white shirt, saying, "General Jefferson, it is time. Assemble the men in street civies without equipment and weapons. Cars are waiting outside to transport The Team to the airport."

     As we loaded into 5 nondescript vehicles, Mabior turned to me, uttering, "Chief, you don't need to do this."

     It was simple, "A thousand mules couldn't hold me back."

     Mabior scrunched his face as he replied, "Speaking of, you are the most stubborn of all the mules!"

     Laughing, I rebutted, "Me! That's kinda like calling the kettle black. You are the most pig-headed..."

     Seeing everyone staring at us, we gave each other a big hug, and climbed into our vehicle with firm smiles.