The Signal of Love Beyond Mt. Gergaji

Dust flew into the air as the construction material truck passed by on the rocky road. Dave, an IT staff member at a large contractor company building a bridge connecting Gome and Ilaga Districts, closed his laptop. The sun was beginning to set, a sign that he had to return to camp soon. This bridge project was a challenge in itself. The difficult terrain, limited communication access, unpredictable weather, and bone-chilling cold air required him to always be on high alert.

The Sabbath sun poured golden light through the window, illuminating the small house where Charisa stayed among construction workers—each of them far from their origins, yet united in faith and longing. Every week, the room filled with gentle murmurs and harmonious hymns as members of the Seventh-day Adventist church gathered, weaving a tapestry of hope and togetherness in a land where their own church building was still a distant dream.

One day, Charisa was introduced to Dave—a young man from Manado, whose presence radiated warmth and quiet authority. His eyes sparkled with kindness as he spoke, and his words carried a soothing resonance that seemed to settle in the air. That Sabbath, Dave took charge of the kitchen, and the fragrance of Manado’s traditional woku blanga wafted through the house, mingling with laughter and the lively notes of conversation. Each spice in the dish seemed to echo the richness of the gathering, drawing hearts closer.

Charisa’s voice, gentle yet firm, led the worship, her dimples deepening every time she smiled. Dave’s gaze lingered on her, captivated by the way her spirit filled the room—her laughter like soft music, her presence a reassuring balm against the solitude of the wilderness. As she moved among the congregation, offering comfort and guidance, he found himself entranced, his heart pounding with a newfound hope.

After the service, the two found themselves talking, their words shy at first but growing in warmth. Dave admired the compassion that shone in Charisa’s eyes and the subtle grace in her every gesture. The taste of the meal lingered on their tongues, each bite a reminder of shared heritage and the joy of togetherness. The scent of spices and the gentle touch of Charisa’s hand as she passed him a plate left Dave breathless, yearning for more moments just like this. That meeting was the beginning of their acquaintance.

From that day, their hearts began to entwine, meeting again and again at Sabbath gatherings. With each encounter, the bond between Dave and Charisa deepened, their senses alive with the sights, sounds, tastes, and emotions they shared. The wilderness outside faded into insignificance as love bloomed—vivid, undeniable, and stronger than the distance that once separated them.

One rainy day, Charisa stared at the crumpled official letter in her trembling hands, the inked words blurring with the threat of her unshed tears. She was being reassigned—sent beyond Mount Gergaji to a district where roads vanished into the wilderness and airplanes whispered like rare birds, unpredictable and fleeting. The world outside her window seemed to hold its breath, the blue mountains veiled in mist, as if mourning her imminent departure.

Alone in her room, Charisa pressed her palm against the cool glass, watching the sun dip behind the jagged horizon. The colours bled into one another—crimson, orange, violet—just like her swirling emotions. “Will distance carve a chasm between our hearts?” she wondered silently, her thoughts echoing in the silence. The call of a distant bird pierced the air, a lonely note that seemed to mirror her own longing. She pictured Dave—his easy smile, the strength in his gaze, the way laughter danced in his eyes even after long, exhausting days. “How can I leave behind the arms that have become my home?” she whispered, voice catching.

For Dave, time seemed suspended in a heavy dusk. He listened to the fading sounds of the camp—the clang of tools, the far-off bark of a dog, the soft hum of the generator struggling against the cold. Each sound reminded him of Charisa’s gentle laughter, the music of her presence, and the warmth she brought into every space. He clenched his fists, fighting the urge to run after her, to beg fate for just one more moment. The uncertainty gnawed at him: the unreliable electricity, the erratic signal, the howling winds that could carry away his voice before it ever reached her ears. “How do you hold on to someone slipping away across mountains and miles?” his heart cried.

Nights became their true battleground. Charisa would lie awake, every rustle of the wind outside her window recalling the soft cadence of Dave’s goodnight wishes. She longed for his reassuring words, the comfort of his love, yet the silence between messages stretched endlessly, each minute heavy with yearning and uncertainty. Sometimes, when the moon cast gentle silver shadows across her room, she would close her eyes and imagine Dave’s hand in hers, his voice promising, “No mountain is higher than what we feel for each other.”

In the darkness, Dave too found solace in memories—her scent lingering in the sheets, the echo of her footsteps in the quiet corridor. He would whisper into the night, hoping the wind might carry his words to wherever she was. “Charisa, even if the world conspires to keep us apart, I’ll wait for the echo of your heart within mine.”

Though their voices rarely met and their days were filled with longing, an unbroken thread of love connected them, unseen but unyielding. Every distant sunrise, every fragile hope, reminded them that some signals—like the one between two souls—could cross any distance, no matter how daunting.

They found themselves growing closer, as if an invisible thread had connected them long before they ever met. Communication was a challenge—they relied solely on a CDMA signal, often having to climb hills or perch atop rocks just to catch a faint bar on their phones. Every exchange, whether a brief text or a rare phone call, became precious. Sometimes, hours would pass as they waited anxiously for a single message to go through, cherishing each word that managed to bridge the distance between them.

Their love grew stronger over time. Despite the long distance and limited communication, their love signal was stronger than any barrier. They supported and encouraged each other in their respective jobs. Dave completed his bridge project with great success, and Charisa’s health care center was accredited with outstanding achievement, thanks to her dedication and service.

The CDMA signal that once was their only connection has now been replaced by a more modern telecommunication network. Satellite-based Internet can now provide wider coverage. Video calls and even online schooling can now be done 24 hours a day from home. However, the memories of their past struggles, when they had to wait for hours just to hear each other’s voice, remain beautifully etched in their memory. That’s all will never be forgotten.

Dave and Charisa finally got married and were blessed with a pair of cute and smart children. Although they live in a remote part of Papua with all its limitations, they are happy. They have found a home, not in a physical sense, but in the sense of two hearts united in the same rhythm of service.

On the porch of their simple house, Dave and Charisa sat side by side, enjoying roasted sweet potatoes while watching the crimson sunset. Their children ran around with their friends in the yard, their joyful laughter breaking the silence.

“We never imagined that our love story and life journey would be like this,” said Dave, hugging Charisa gently.

Charisa smiled. “Our love signal is stronger than a CDMA signal, and even Mount Gergaji can’t block it,” Charisa replied, cuddling up to Dave’s strong and warm arm in the cool afternoon breeze that is characteristic of Sinak City.

Kreator : Vidya D’CharV