The Life-Threatening Voyage

Madagascar is the last large landmass to be inhabited by humans. Ironically, it is only about 300 miles off the coast of Africa (the origin of humanity).

How did people get here?
Research shows that Indonesians were likely the first to populate the region, sailing around 3,700 miles. This is roughly the distance from Vancouver, Canada to Guatemala.

Let’s put ourselves into the mindset of these early explorers. For thousands of years, your people had occupied South-East Asian islands and the Pacific. This is essentially all that you know. However, for some reason, you decide to fare the open seas in the complete opposite direction.

Traveling the vast ocean is a life-threatening feat, especially over unknown waters. The only resources one can rely on to survive are the items that can fit onto the boat. There is no guarantee that one will ever step foot on solid ground again.

I would imagine that dire situations would prompt these pioneers to essentially barter their lives in the spirit of exploration. Perhaps they were banished from their society and decided to take an all-or-nothing risk. Maybe religious/cultural customs fueled an unwavering drive to explore the world. Whatever it is, unimaginable reserves of courage must have been necessary.

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This feat is a testament to the human experience. Sometimes, we are driven to take execute a mission, disregarding the bare instinct of survival.

People are placed in this world to fulfill a unique purpose. Inevitably, obstacles emerge and threaten our goals. One’s ability to overcome them depend on the resilience of his/her drive. Our greatest leaders, such as Martin Luther King and Gandhi, were aware of their impending death but did not stop their work in the face of adversity.

Personally, I have never been in this position, and I question my willingness to put everything on the line for a cause. I would like to believe that I trust in God enough to risk my life for his cause. Perhaps, I would save the life of a loved one without considering my own well-being. Other than that, I am not too inclined to gamble with death to reach a goal. Only time will tell 🤷.

• Do you think you are enough of a risk-taker to make your own “Life-Threatening Voyage”?
• What type of voyage of this magnitude would you take?

Let me know what you think.