Rescue at Sea
Years ago, in a small fishing village in
Holland, a young boy taught the world about
the rewards of unselfish service. Because
the entire village revolved around the fishing
industry, a volunteer rescue team was need-
ed in cases of emergency. One night the
winds raged, the clouds burst and a gale
force storm capsized a fishing boat at sea.
Stranded and in trouble, the crew sent out
the S.O.S. The captain of the rescue rowboat
team sounded the alarm and the villagers
assembled in the town square overlooking
the bay. While the team launched their row-
boat and fought their way through the wild
waves, the villagers waited restlessly on the
beach, holding lanterns to light the way
back.
An hour later, the rescue boat reappeared
through the fog and the cheering villagers
ran to greet them. Falling exhausted on the
sand, the volunteers reported that the res-
cue boat could not hold any more passen-
gers and they had to leave one man behind.
Even one more passenger would have sure-
ly capsized the rescue boat and all would
have been lost.
Frantically, the captain called for another
volunteer team to go after the lone survivor.
Sixteen-year-old Hans stepped forward. His
mother grabbed his arm, pleading, "Please
don't go. Your father died in a shipwreck 10
years ago and your older brother, Paul, has
been lost at sea for three weeks. Hans, you
are all I have left."
Hans replied, "Mother, I have to go. What
if everyone said, 'I can't go, let someone
else do it'? Mother, this time I have to do my
duty. When the call for service comes, we all
need to take our turn and do our part." Hans
kissed his mother, joined the team and dis-
appeared into the night.
Another hour passed, which seemed to
Hans' mother like an eternity. Finally, the
rescue boat darted through the fog with
Hans standing up in the bow. Cupping his
hands, the captain called, "Did you find the
lost man?" Barely able to contain himself,
Hans excitedly yelled back, "Yes, we found
him. Tell my mother it's my older brother,
Paul!"
Years ago, in a small fishing village in
Holland, a young boy taught the world about
the rewards of unselfish service. Because
the entire village revolved around the fishing
industry, a volunteer rescue team was need-
ed in cases of emergency. One night the
winds raged, the clouds burst and a gale
force storm capsized a fishing boat at sea.
Stranded and in trouble, the crew sent out
the S.O.S. The captain of the rescue rowboat
team sounded the alarm and the villagers
assembled in the town square overlooking
the bay. While the team launched their row-
boat and fought their way through the wild
waves, the villagers waited restlessly on the
beach, holding lanterns to light the way
back.
An hour later, the rescue boat reappeared
through the fog and the cheering villagers
ran to greet them. Falling exhausted on the
sand, the volunteers reported that the res-
cue boat could not hold any more passen-
gers and they had to leave one man behind.
Even one more passenger would have sure-
ly capsized the rescue boat and all would
have been lost.
Frantically, the captain called for another
volunteer team to go after the lone survivor.
Sixteen-year-old Hans stepped forward. His
mother grabbed his arm, pleading, "Please
don't go. Your father died in a shipwreck 10
years ago and your older brother, Paul, has
been lost at sea for three weeks. Hans, you
are all I have left."
Hans replied, "Mother, I have to go. What
if everyone said, 'I can't go, let someone
else do it'? Mother, this time I have to do my
duty. When the call for service comes, we all
need to take our turn and do our part." Hans
kissed his mother, joined the team and dis-
appeared into the night.
Another hour passed, which seemed to
Hans' mother like an eternity. Finally, the
rescue boat darted through the fog with
Hans standing up in the bow. Cupping his
hands, the captain called, "Did you find the
lost man?" Barely able to contain himself,
Hans excitedly yelled back, "Yes, we found
him. Tell my mother it's my older brother,
Paul!"
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