IN A BOAT ON THE QUEST FOR FREEDOM THE BOAT QUIETLY DEPARTS IN THE GHOSTLY DARKNESS OF THE LATE OCTOBER NIGHT, 1989 HOPING TO REACH THE THAILAND GULF. ON BOARD ARE OVER ONE-HUNDRED VIETNAMESE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, SOME DISPIRITED, BUT MOST HAPPY, AND BRIMMING WITH HOPE THAT THEY WILL REACH THE PROMISED LAND. THIS INTENSIVE ESCAPE LEAVES THEM VULNERABLE, AND THE CHALLENGES THEY ENCOUNTER ARE ENOURMOUS; HOWEVER IT EXHIBITS THEIR IRON WILL AGAINST THE CORRUPT PRACTICES OF COMMUNISM. MORNING COMES TO BEGIN A BEAUTIFUL DAY. THE SKY IS CLEAR AND SUNNY. THE BOAT ROCKS SLIGHTLY BY THE WAVES AND CONTINUES TO RUN AT ITS FULL SPEED. THE PEOPLE KNOW SO WELL AT THE TIME THAT THERE IS NO GOING BACK. EITHER THEY WILL MAKE IT OR DIE SOMEWHERE IN THE IMMENSE AND UNFORGIVING SEA. FEAR OF THE UNCERTAINTY AND THE UNKNOWN LINGERS IN THEIR MINDS. ARE THEY HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? WILL THEY SURVIVE? WILL THEY BE HIT BY THE STORM OR FACE THE CRUEL AND SAVAGE THAILAND’S PIRATES? WHERE WILL THEY END UP…? ON THE THIRD DAY, DARK CLOUDS ARE HOVERING OVER THEIR HEADS AND STRONG WINDS START TO BLOW HEAVILY AGAINST HEIR TINY WOODEN BOAT. THE CALM OCEAN BECOMES INCREASINGLY VIOLENT WITH FEROCIOUS WAVES DRIVIING THEIR BOAT OFF COURSE. THERE IS NO SIGHT OF LAND, NOTHING EXCEPT THE RUMBLING SKY, THE QUIVERING WINDS, AND THE FAST TREMBLING HEARTBEATS. THE PEOPLE ARE CRYING FOR HELP. SOON, THEY RUN OUT OF FOOD, RAW FISH HAVE BECOME THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF NOURISHMENT, BUT EVEN THAT IS RARE. ONE CAN ESPECIALLY HEAR CHILDREN WHINING FOR FOOD WHILE THEIR PARENTS SIT THERE HELPLESSLY. THESE APPREHENSIVE INNOCENT KIDS DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEM, AND WHY THEY HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE BOAT TO NEVER SEE THEIR HOME AGAIN. PERHAPS THE ASSURANCE OF HAVING A DELICIOUS AMERICAN HAMBURGER AFTER THESE STRUGGLES COULD LIGHTEN THEM. A CHILD INTERMINABLY IN TEARS ASKS HER MOTHER, “ WHEN ARE WE GOING HOME...
