Over Christmas break, hubby and I watched a fascinating documentary about the first Triathlete ever to complete an Iron Man challenge in Antarctica! The title of the documentary is: Project Iceman
(you can watch it here if you would like: World’s First Iron Man in Antarctica | PROJECT ICEMAN (Full Movie 4K) (youtube.com) )
What startled me as I watched the documentary was how extremely dangerous it was for Anders during the swimming portion of the challenge, due to the fierce predators – leopard seals.
The first indication of this danger was when their boat first arrived off the coast of Antarctica, and they commented on how many penguins they saw in the water all around! The water was alive with all the penguins! If there were that many penguins, then it meant there were also a large number of leopard seals as well! Which the film then proceeded to show you.
All of this brought to mind a devotional about penguins which I recently read in my devotional book, Inspired Evidence, by Julie von Vett & Bruce Malone:
“Most birds have hollow, light bones, which gives them the ability to fly. However, the penguin dives for fish in the ocean. Because of this, the penguin needs to swim. If the penguin had hollow, light bones like other birds, it would be like wearing a life jacket while trying to dive to the bottom of a pool. It would be very difficult … if not, impossible.
“God, our loving Creator, gave the penguin solid, heavy bones which enable it to dive deep into the ocean to catch fish. Solid, heavy bones are the primary reason why penguins do not fly. God also gave the penguin wings which act like paddles, equipping it to swim effectively.
“Penguins also are dressed in a fancy tuxedo. This tuxedo gives the penguin protective camouflage from predators when it is swimming in the ocean.
“Leopard seals, fur seals, sea lions, sharks, and killer whales are the main predators of penguins in water. When a penguin swims, the black side of its tuxedo is up. If a predator is swimming above the penguin and looks down, the black penguin tuxedo blends in with the blackness of the ocean. If the predator is swimming below the penguin and looks up, the white part of the penguin tuxedo blends in with the light surface of the ocean, again making it difficult for the predator to spot the penguin.
“God has designed the penguin to be equipped as an excellent swimmer in the water! And God has also designed the penguin to be perfectly camouflaged for the exact place where God has placed the penguin to live.”
Is that not amazing!
The fear for Anders, who was completing the Iron Man challenge, was that he was wearing a black wet suit in the water, and his black wet suit, combined with how he stroked through the water, would look, to a leopard seal, exactly like an injured penguin.
Thankfully Anders safely survived the swimming portion of the challenge … as well as the other two portions.
One thing is certain though … God did not design humans to be able to survive indefinitely in Antarctica!
God, our loving creator, has designed every single part of His creation exactly for where He placed it! Even us! You are designed by God, your loving Creator. And God has placed you exactly where He wants you!
You matter!! Your life matters!
God has given you life and breath for a purpose!
God has put you here … in this exact place, with these particular people, for a purpose!
