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Themes: Redemption J.C. It was an impossible mission, but Ted Schweitzer, a United Nations commissioner for refugees, had to try.
At the Songkhla refugee camp in Southern Thailand, thousands of Vietnamese boat people had a temporary home. An oil company helicopter pilot, reported seeing dozens of refugees stranded on the island of Ko Kra, thirty miles off the coast of Thailand. Pirate boats were also seen coming and going from the island, which meant the refugees were being held captive.
Schweitzer persuaded the pilot to fly him out to the island. Standing on the beach waving desperately were a number of refugees. But the pilot refused to land. He had spotted the pirate boats off shore and was afraid.
Back on the mainland, Ted Schweitzer called the Thai marine police who went with him by boat to Ko Kra. They rescued 157 men, women and children. The tales of terror told by the refugees were almost unbelievable. They spoke of pirates attacking their boats, robbing and throwing people overboard. Many never made it to shore.
Schweitzer kept watch on the island, and on two subsequent trips rescued 97 other people. Then in January of 1980 a message came that there were more boat people trapped on the island. This time the marine police were unwilling to help because of a storm raging in the sea. Schweitzer rented an old fishing boat and its crew. They sailed that night hoping to reach Ko Kra by morning. Two nights later, the storm having passed, they anchored off shore waiting for daybreak to try a rescue. Suddenly, a scream pierced the night. It came from the island. "Pirates" he thought. "I'm only one man but I must do something." He dove into the water. By the time he reached the island he was exhausted. As he climbed around a rock he found two men hiding. He told them who he was, and asked about the screams. They told him how the pirates had attacked their boat and then brought them to Ko Kra and now were beating and torturing those that could not run away. He asked if there were others hiding and the two men led him to more hideouts until 35 half-starved men moved toward the pirates with him. He must confront the pirates. As the ragged band came into the light of the campfires, 50 fierce looking young men rose to meet them. The pirates attacked and Schweitzer was knocked unconscious to the ground.
When he came to, it was morning and the pirates were gone but he could see their boats off shore and knew they would soon return. With no time to lose, he led the people to the other side of the island where he helped them make it out to the fishing boat. By nightfall, all were back on the mainland. Because of his courageous efforts, 88 more boat people survived the horrors of Ko Kra.
In the months that followed, there were many more rescue missions. Through it all, Ted Schweitzer was beaten up twice, shot at, stabbed and threatened, and like Ehud, though an unlikely saviour, he could not stand by while others suffered.
The greatest rescue mission the world has ever seen was when the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. He suffered much more than even the hero of our story. (1 Tim.1:15). He actually died for the ungodly (Rom.5:6).
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Shelly McKenna
