Saturday April 16, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

A family was hiking in southern Israel in the Arava Desert, in Nachal Tamar, when two daughters wandered off the path. The younger daughter was 6 years old and the older one was 13.

The children wandered on to a minefield.

Thankfully, the girls had the presence of mind to call emergency services.

After four wrenching hours, they were finally safe and sound. Two of those hours were spent standing still in the very same spot and two were spent slowly, very slowly, making their way back to safety - personally guided by sappers.

The two girls, along with a sapper, wore large mats on their feet which spreads the weight so as not to trigger an undiscovered mine.

Because they were in the desert, police suggested they use drones to deliver water so that the children would they not dehydrate. But the parents feared that the drone would disturb a mine and they nixed the idea.

It was an emotional and harrowing four hours and after making it to safety the sisters ran into their parent’s loving arms.

This story had a happy ending. Israeli police are using this story to call on all hikers to pay attention and stick to signed paths. Good advice.

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