The ducks fell through the trees like leaves on a windy autumn afternoon. They pitched left and broke into the middle of the decoy spread. They weren’t twenty yards away and ten feet off the water when the command was given, “kill ‘em”. Seven guns went off and the last volley of the season took its’ toll. These last few birds gave the hunting party a total of 28 mallards and that was their legal limit. The last hunt on the last day of duck season was officially over but the excitement was just beginning.

One of the UAM baseball players called me about 1pm Sunday afternoon and asked if I had waders big enough for him to borrow. I happened to have a pair of size 13′s available and he promised to come right over. When he arrived he said that he and a few of his teammates wanted me to take them into the Cut-Off Creek management area for a hunt on this final afternoon of the season. I told him that I couldn’t go because I had to be back for worship at 6pm but I gave him a map of the area and marked the path that would lead their party into the roosting area the ducks had been using for the past two evenings. I assured him that if they stuck to the path they would have a great hunt. But I warned him that any deviation from the route I mapped out would be potentially dangerous. There are several ditches in that area of the WMA and they are not easily seen. He promised me he would stick to the plan and he left in high hopes of a great hunt.

The scouting report had been correct. The boys had crossed the northern-most footbridge on Latin drain and had found the roosting hole as planned. I called them right before church and asked how they had done. They were ecstatic. They were so proud and thankful. They said they were bagging the decoys and that they would be on their way back to the truck in minutes. I told them I’d call back right after church and we’d meet up for dinner and a few stories.

At 7pm I stepped out of the church and called the boys. The party leader answered and I asked how they were. “We’re still lost, Brother Rob, and Jonathon fell in and he’s so cold that he can’t walk anymore and we are so tired that we can’t carry him any farther.” “Do you have any idea where you are?” I asked. “No sir”, he replied. “OK, do you still have the compass?” “Yes sir.” “Then go due north until you hit dry ground. Just go north.” “Bro. Rob, we called the rescue team and they said they are on their way.” “That’s great, they’ll find you quick. Just go north. You can’t be more than a quarter mile from the north line and there’s a road there and dry ground. Call me back in 30 minutes.” “Yes sir.”

I was trying hard not to panic. I had a team meeting with my students from my campus ministry group. I knew that the rescue team would get to the guys long before I would but I dismissed the meeting quickly, gathered some warm clothes, made a couple of phone calls to borrow two four-wheelers, and Daniel and I were headed for Cut-Off.

We picked up a four-wheeler and trailer from Jon Wall and then swung by Ray Ferguson’s to pick up Ray and one more four-wheeler. The phone rang. “Bro. Rob, we are in 210. We’re on dry ground and we’re building a fire.” He said. “Are you sure you’re in 210 or do you just think it’s 210?” I asked. “I’m sure, I saw the sign. It’s 210. We’re building a fire to warm Jonathon up.” “Good, you can’t be more than 400yds from the line. Get all of Johns’ wet clothes off of him. You guys share some clothes and get him into dry stuff. Give two of your guys a compass and tell them to go north out of 210. When they hit dry ground that will be the levey around Cut-Off. Tell them when they hit dry ground to come straight back. That’s where the rescue team will find you. Stay by the fire until you see their lights and then grab Jonathon up and take off to them.” “Yes sir but two of our guys walked off.” “What?” “Two of the guys that were with us said they couldn’t wait anymore and they were going to the highway. They just walked off.” “Can you stop them?” “No sir, I can’t see their lights anymore.” “OK, don’t worry. We’ll find them. Just take care of Jonathon and send those guys north. Call me back in 30 minutes.”

I was really worried about the guys that walked off. There were ditches and drains between them and the highway and I wasn’t sure that they could cross them. They didn’t have a phone or any way to communicate with anyone so if they got lost or trapped they would be strictly on their own.

We stopped to get gas and lots of comfort food and headed for the boys. We had made it to Enon church on Hwy. 265 when I got the call. “Bro. Rob, we’re at the truck. They got us.” “Man, I’m so glad. How’s Jonathon?” “They’ve got him in the ambulance in a warming blanket but they say he’s going to be fine.” “Great, I’ll meet you guys at the Collins store and then we’ll find the other two.” “Yes sir.”

We got to the Collins store just ahead of the rescue party and the boys. There were lots of smiles and hugs and the boys chugged down the Gator Aid and devoured the snacks but there was still the matter of the two wanderers. The boys said that the two had mentioned Price companies shop and they were sure that’s where they were headed. We left the boys with the rescue unit and took one of the deputy sheriffs with us to search for the last two.

We crossed the Cut-Off creek bridge on the highway and turned into the first field road on our right. The sheriff went all the way around the field and back to us. No sign of anyone. He said he thought that the shop was on the next road to our east. We loaded up and headed out. Jonathon’s truck was already in the field road when we arrrived. Seems he couldn’t wait and just had to see if he could help. We looked down the muddy field road and sure enough two head lamps were shining at us about a mile down the path. We couldn’t go to them because the gate had us locked out so we stood there and watched as they closed the distance. Everyone was home safe.

That made for a pretty exciting Sunday night in Monticello. It turns out that when the boys started for the truck there was a dispute about the direction they should go. One of them was sure that the compass was wrong. He assured them that he knew where the trucks were and they all followed him. That’s how Jonathon got into deep water. That’s how they got lost. Once they doubted the compass and then walked into deep water that they had not been in before they were confused. The map made no sense. There was no “true north” for them and that’s how they got in such deep trouble so fast.

You must have a compass. You must have a map. And you must stick to the compass and the map. The compass will not lie. So how about your life? Do you have a compass? Have you got a map? Read the Bible for yourself. Pray and ask God for direction in your life. He does not promise you that life will be easy but he does promise that you will never be lost or left behind. “I will never leave you or forsake you, even to the end of the world.” Jesus. Stick to the map and hold on to the compass. Jesus hasn’t lost anyone yet.