The Heroism of Abalone Divers

Captain Butterfly spent his weekend camping out in the badlands of Dorset - at a metal detectorist rally.  He went off with tent and camp bed and a load of food to see him through his weekend in the wilderness, otherwise I expect he would have had to exist on Cream Teas and Designer coffees.  He hasn't come back with any treasure, but he had a good time.

And its very nice to have him back. 

I had my meetings on Saturday and Sunday morning, and a friend came round on Saturday afternoon and we had innumerable cups of tea on the balcony.  She bought a copy of Disraeli Hall. It was a lovely September day on which to sit out there, among the geraniums, and watch the sea.  

Cousin Sheila rang yesterday, so we had a good catch up on cousin news. 

I frightened myself while Col was away while watching my new Youtube discovery Mr.Ballen.  He is a wonderful story teller - true stories - with some powerful warnings.  Some of them I don't watch - much too frightening and upsetting.  But there is a clip in this video which tells of the heroism of the Abalone divers, who support their families by risking their lives diving for these shellfish which are, apparently, considered a very upmarket delicacy in China.

I ate one once in our travelling years - nearly 40 years ago - and it was like eating a rubber band.  Not even an upmarket one.  I would not of course eat one now, they are like so many things endangered. 

The South African abalone divers, who have no other work, no other way of feeding their families, swim for three hours to get to the abalone beds (they cannot earn enough to buy a boat). There they dive for a couple of hours, and swim back - 3 hours - with their catch.  But they only come back if - IF - they have not been attacked and killed by the many great white sharks who are hunting seals in the same area.

They go out day after day so they can feed their families.  And many do not come back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8swB7qMU7gk

They are true heroes. But what a cruel cruel world system we live in.  The poor get poorer and poorer as the rich get richer.  Truly, as the Inspired Scriptures warn, we live in the time when "man has dominated man to his harm".

But not for much longer.  Please please read the letter you will be getting, or may already have, from your local Jehovah's Witness congregation.  Or go to our website JW.org.