My name is Isaac Rogers and we live in Papua and are friends with the Clappers.
On Saturday the 9th we flew out over the area where other aircraft had reported hearing an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT). I was flying as co-pilot with Harry as pilot; Dan and Benny (from Netaiken) were our two observers. I was using a tool that picks up the signal of the ELT and helps direct you to the actual area of the ELT. I had never used it before and really wanted to make sure we had the position of Dav’s ELT and airplane pinpointed. The problem was that there was solid cloud cover over the entire ridge, with the valleys still open. We crossed the site a dozen or more times to make sure we had a precise location fixed. But as the sun went down we had to head back to Wamena. This was very hard for all of us as we didn’t know how Dav was doing! Was he sitting there eating his lunch, or hurt? We had no idea as we made our way back to Wamena. That was Saturday evening. As we landed we agreed that we’d head back out at first light to see if we could spot our friend.
Fast-forward to 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning as I wake with a start! I had a very short, very real dream about Dav! In my dream it was that Sunday morning; beautiful blue sky and crisp air. I was in the right seat of the 206 again and we were just coming up to a ridge. As we climbed up and crossed over the ridge I could see a set of Papuan-looking rolling hills (I think they would be mountains anywhere else) and saw a beautiful dirt road! My very first thought was, “Man, what a perfect dirt road!” But then I saw Dav!! He was walking along the road with some other guy, and was wearing a red flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled half way up his arms. He was absolutely alive. I think more than alive; I was really in awe at seeing him as his countenance was exuding life!! I could feel myself lean forward and my mouth drop open! I yelled, “There’s Dav!!!!” and he smiled and waved at us excitedly! His expression then changed in a flash to communicate entirely the words, “Why are you guys stressing??” And I woke up.
The whole thing seemed to only last for less than a minute but was so clear and real! My mind went berserk thinking about all the possibilities of Dav being up on that mountain waiting for us to fly over head the next day…
So, Sunday morning as the sun just started to peak over the mountains we were airborne and heading for our GPS waypoints we had made the day before. Eric had gotten off the ground about 10 minutes ahead of us and was already over the site as we crossed over Karubaga. At that time Eric called in a voice completely devoid of happiness or joy and simply said, “We have a visual.”
My heart sank to a depth it hasn’t gone to in a long time. We knew then that Dav was gone. But as quickly as my heart dropped like a lead weight, that dream I had came full view into my mind! Again I saw Dav walking on that beautiful dirt road with some guy! Alive, so incredibly alive and full!! And immediately I realized that that other guy Dav was walking with was Jesus Christ himself!! Dav is walking with his Savior and the road is beautiful!!
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters… “
(Mat 17:4)
Isaac Rogers
Dav had an ability in a land of caste and segregation to treat a mentally retarded highland guy with dignity in the same way he treated the highest government official or westerner. Scotty read more
