My story is one of travel, hardship, adventure and thirst. Let me introduce myself, My name is Oscar I have broad flat feet with two toes on each, I am handsome, 6ft tall with lips that are so inviting I have to gulp my food down and regurgitate it to keep the ladies at bay. Well my mates and I, there are 10 of us, we form a kind caravan ferrying cargo across the desert. Tough work when you have to go days without water. It is interesting you know, I can drink anywhere between 100litres to 150litres of water in one drink, takes about 10 minutes, normally this would kill any other animal.
Well, this particular story starts in my retirement home, a place called Canaan. I belong to a man named Abraham, a rich self made man who has an interesting story all of his own, I say a self made man but really “he believed in God and God declared him righteous because of his faith”. He was a man who trusted God and believed what God told him and he moved away from all he knew into something he did not know.
My story, sorry got lost there, I am dragged out of retirement to head up this group of camels. Yes you guessed I am a camel and we are packed up with goods and valuables to head off with our master's right hand man, a man called Eliezer. What I could tell you about this man, very gracious you know, a real delight to work with. I trust him implicitly, he really knows how to treat a camel with respect.
What I could not understand was why me, an old retired camel should be forced back into service when there were so many other younger more willing camels able to undertake the task but then I realised that Eliezer and me had done many trips together and he knew I was reliable and not likely to run off on my own and lead all the other camels on a different route. I had learnt that Eliezer was a man to trust, he was as good a guide as one could get. I also had learnt from a previous trip that his name meant God is Help.
My story, sorry got lost there again, happens you know to us old camels, we have so much to tell and so little time to tell it so when we get an opportunity we drone on and on and on and on.
Where was I, oh yeah just getting packed up for this trip, it must be a special trip as we were being loaded with some very special and expensive things, this must be an important trip and then I remembered a conversation that I had overheard a couple of days ago between Abraham and Eliezer. Abraham was saying go to my own country, the country I came from years ago and get a wife for my son Isaac. What's all that about I thought, these people think up the strangest things. Surely there are enough females for them here in this land, so why go to another country, but then what do I know? I am only a camel, and as i said I trust Eliezer with my life so here we go.
I knew the trip would be a hard one. Although I had not been south east before, I had certainly gone south west to some place called Egypt, that was a tough trip. Abraham my owner had made a right mess of things, but that's another story.
Well off we set over the mountains, down the valleys, into the desert, boy is that tough going even when you're a camel and it's made even worse when you are laden with gifts. We camels are a marvel really, we can go days without food or water and can convert the fat in our humps, yes fat in our humps, what you thought I carried water in there did you? well how misinformed can you get you really must explore and understand your facts better. In years to come they may even have a thinky called the Internet to help you. Humans I don't know always assuming things and then making it fit their own perceptions. I am glad I don't have a brain like them really makes things complicated it does.
We traveled on for days, although Eliezer is not normally flustered it did appear that this trip was rather important, this getting a bride for his master's son, the son of a promise from God I heard Abraham say once. Isaac is very special to my master, especially now since my master's wife Sarah has just departed from this world. Isaac seems to have become even more special and Abraham seems quite insistent that his family line continues so that the promise that God gave him years before could be fulfilled. “In you all nations of the earth will be blessed”,
We eventually arrived at a place called Nahor, I think it is somewhere in Mesopotamia. Man was I tired we had been on the go for days or that is what it seemed like, I, and my mates were incredibly tired and thirsty, what we would do for a drink. Eliezer parked us up just a short way from the well and then I heard him talking to himself, or that is what it appeared anyway, humans do the strangest things sometimes, but I suppose if it helps them in their hour of need who am I to say, I am only a camel after all. Boy Oscar don't you ever go on, where was I, oh yeah parked by a well. Well you would not believe what I am about to tell you but a young girl came down to get some water for her family, I guess she was only a teenager, certainly not much more anyway, then my master and guide went over too her and asked for a drink, I thought “what about me” then she replied to Eleazar certainly I will give you a drink and when your done I will draw water for your camels, well you should have seen us smile, if we could dance that's what we would have done. But you know how much we drink don't you 150 liters each * 10 that's 1500 Liters, that's some service I can tell you. She drew and drew and drew until our thirst was quenched, I am not sure how many other people would have done this for us, certainly not with that commitment and dedication. It was some task I tell you. But you know the great thing about my story is that this young girl was willing not only to draw water for us but she was also willing to leave all she knew and was familiar with and come back to my master Abraham so she could wed his dearly beloved son Isaac, you know the son the father was willing to put to death. What a supreme sacrifice that was, but that,s another story. I tell you when we arrived back you should have seen the joy on Isaac's face he was waiting with eager anticipation for his bride to arrive. And she was bought to him by us mere camels, and she had sustained us with her resourcefulness and willingness. You know she just believed in Eliezer and was willing to come with us. Man what a story, I am off to enjoy my retirement. Oh if you want to know more of these stories do come and ask me I am sure I can find another.
