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Part 72: Where All Journeys Grow

Chapter 16: Deckhand

V2.0 – 10/07/2025

I woke into darkness from a deep sleep. I reached for my phone and found it. Activating the phone illuminated the small room that swayed back and forth, creaking eerily. My phone told me that it was ten minutes until 4am. I lay there for a moment grappling with my current reality.

Deckhand.

On board a cargo ship bound for Argentina.

There was a sharp knock on my door. I heard Juan growl from the other side of it, “Andrew get up. I’m leaving some clothes for you here. Meet me in the mess in 10 minutes.”

I listened to his heavy footsteps fade down the hallway. I rose from the bed, crossed the tiny room, and opened the door. There was a pile of clothing on the ground. I gathered it up and took in back to the bed, closing the door behind me.

I sorted through the clothes I had been given. A pair of waterproof pants, shirt, and a large pair of workers’ overalls. I wasn’t the first owner of these clothes based on the numerous patches and small rips in them. I was grateful, nonetheless. I quickly changed into them. The shirt and pants fit, but the overalls hung on me like some Halloween costume. I stared at myself in the full-length mirror that was bolted to the wall opposite from the bed. I looked like a school janitor or perhaps a wannabe mechanic.

I took a deep breath, made my bed quickly, tidied the room, and went out the door. I hurried down the narrow corridor that lead to the mess hall. I stepped in to find everyone else already awake and eating their breakfast. The smell of eggs and coffee filled the room and woke my appetite. I saw Juan sitting with a group of men across the room. He waved me over.

“Get some food for yourself and hurry.” Juan told me motioning toward the buffet that was arranged on a table along the far wall.

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I walked over and gathered my breakfast onto a tray. The coffee smelled wonderful, although I didn’t see any cream anywhere, so I’d have to drink it black. I sat at an empty table and ate as quickly as I could.

After a few minutes, Juan joined me at my table sitting across from me with a fresh cup of coffee. He considered me for a moment, then said, “I was told you’ve never been aboard a cargo ship before. Not to worry. I’ve trained many a man to work the decks of a ship.”

“I’m eager to learn.” I told him in between bites of egg and buttered toast.

“Good,” He said, leaning back in his chair. He brushed a strand of black hair from his face and pulled his beanie down tighter on his head. That seemed to remind him of something.  

“I found this for you as well.” He said, pulling another black beanie from his pocket and tossing it to me across the table.

I picked it up and pulled it onto my head. It was snug and warm.

He proceeded to test my knowledge of Spanish. I did my best to keep up with him, proving to him that I could, at least, maintain simple conversation in the language. He told me that I would need it when we arrived in Argentina.

“What are we hauling?” I asked him.

“Mining equipment. Explosives. Stuff like that.” He replied.

“Dangerous stuff then?” I asked.

“Could be. But we are professionals. We take safety seriously aboard ship, as you’ll find out soon enough.” He told me.

“Are you from Argentina?” I asked.

“No.” He said with a smile, then added, “I’m from good old U.S. of A. I was born in Chicago but moved with my family to Virginia when I was 8 years old. You?”

“I was born in Denver, but never really lived there. My family moved around a lot when I was growing up.” I replied.

“Well… enough chit chat. Let’s get the day started.” He said, pushing back from the table and taking his cup over to where the dirty dishes were placed.

I followed him and placed my tray of dishes on the counter with the others.

“Thank you.” I told the cook behind the counter. He nodded at me and continued his work.

Juan handed me a life jacket, and I put it on. “Gotta wear one of these at all times if you’re out on deck. There is one in your cabin under your bed as well.” He told me as he put his on.

I followed Juan out into the corridor and up a staircase to the main deck. We emerged into the dim light of early sunrise. The wind was blowing gently as the massive ship cut through the water heavily. I could only see ocean as far as I looked on all sides.

It all still felt like a dream.

The day flew by. Juan taught me everything I needed to know to do the job that was expected of me. He showed me where the daily cleaning checklist was. It was a list of cleaning tasks above deck that I’d be responsible for each morning. After lunch I was to take a watch on the fore-deck scanning the sea for hazards. “The most boring job in the world.” He told me. After dinner I would do below deck maintenance and cleaning work. My day would start at 5am and would end when my evening tasks were finished.

I learned that we were in fact transporting explosives and other mining related equipment on this voyage. I learned that the trip would take us just under 22 days at sea if the good weather stayed favorable. I learned that I would do all my tasks alone and unsupervised, but that Juan would be checking my work throughout each day.

I tried to learn my job on board as quickly as possible. Nothing I was assigned to do was difficult. Most of it was tedious and boring. I focused on doing the best I could. At meals I would sit alone and eat. I noticed quickly that most of the crew kept to themselves.

The spiritual atmosphere on board was mild. I sensed my guardian angels alert and on watch as I went about my tasks above and below deck. There was no sign of the Dark One and his minions, and for that I was grateful. God was always present. I could feel His presence as I worked.

When I finished my daily tasks I would collapse into my little bed exhausted and pass out almost instantly. To say that life aboard became routine quickly would be an understatement. The weather remained pleasant, and the seas held their calm.

The days passed slowly.

I had the sense of being completely in another world. We were far from land cruising first down the coast of Florida and then out into the deeper waters of the ocean traveling always South toward our destination.

I quickly discovered that the night safety drills were the worst part of the job. I would be awoken by a blaring alarm and the Captain’s voice over the intercom screaming, “Drill. Drill. Drill.” I’d scramble to get dressed and throw on my life jacket then rush out into the corridor and up to the main deck to join the others in the cold air outside. We’d stand there while we were counted. We’d act out how to deploy the life rafts that were built into the lower part of the bridge deck. Then we would be dismissed to go back to our cabins when the Captain was satisfied at our readiness for disaster.

One night after we had finished a particularly long safety drill, I returned to my cabin to sense that God wanted to speak. I sat on the edge of my bed and allowed my spiritual senses to sharpen. I felt Him with me, filling the room.

Before He could speak, I asked, “Where is Meribah?”

There was silence for a few moments and then I heard the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit whisper, “Meribah is in Israel atop the mountain that you will climb.”

I thought about that for a time, then asked, “But I’m not heading toward Israel.”

“Do you trust Me?” God asked.

“I do.” I replied.

There was a long pause. I sat in silence just enjoying the presence of God filling the room. I felt peace in every part of me. I loved the moments we shared when words weren’t needed or used. It was a very comfortable silence. This was something that I’d had to learn to enjoy with Him.

God broke the silence, “I will take you to Meribah in my own time. Trust me. Lean on me. Continue to serve those you find yourself around. Be diligent. Follow the path I have laid out for you. Listen carefully for my voice. Listen to it and obey.”

I bowed my head and acknowledged His words. There was something in the way He had said, “Listen carefully for my voice.” That sounded very much like a warning of things to come. I got the message and tried to store His words in my heart.

I lay sideways onto my bed and sleep claimed me.

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