Adilang was working as a lamp keeper on a rampong, a floating fish trap, on July 19, when its moorings snapped. He drifted miles across the Pacific Ocean towards Guam, helpless with no paddle and no engine to control the fish trap’s direction.
His food supply ran out after a few days and he was forced to burn wood from the fish trap’s hut to cook fish he caught from the ocean. He also ran out of water, so to survive, he sipped seawater filtered through his clothes.
After about 10 ships passed by without noticing him, he felt hopeless and reached his breaking point. He planned to commit suicide by jumping into the ocean, but remembered the advice of his parents – to turn to God in times of suffering. He read the Bible that was with him on the fish trap and prayed to God. On August 31, MV Arpeggio, a cargo ship bound for Japan, passed by the fish trap and noticed Adilang. The rescue mission was not that easy as the boat was so large that getting near the fish trap could overturn it. His nightmare finally ended when Adilang decided to jump into the ocean, and the cargo crew pulled him with a rope onto the ship. Adilang was taken to Japan where he was accommodated by Indonesia’s consul general.
Adilang’s testimony shows us that God can rescue us, even from our most painful ordeals, if we put our trust in His Word.
