The helicopter squadrons, Navy medical teams, and numerous volunteers at sea and ashore from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and Carrier Air Wing Two aren’t the only ones saving lives during Operation Unified Assistance. 

From the same water that claimed countless lives Dec. 26, six Sailors aboard Abraham Lincoln were baptized on the fantail. For one Sailor, the tsunami was a factor in the decision to be baptized.

“After a few hardships in my personal life and after the tsunami hit, I decided to return to the lord,” said Information Technician 1st Class Javier Reyes, from Newark, N.J.  “My heart goes out to each and everyone of those that lost their lives.  Those that survived; they are truly survivors. The hardest part for me to swallow of this whole ordeal was the children that lost their lives. I have three daughters and I couldn’t imagine them not being around.  Life is not promised to us. Everyday is a gift.”

Although the Indian Ocean was the site of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake, followed by the massive tsunami, the baptism carried an aura of hope amidst so much devastation.

“I think the idea is the hope that it expresses,” said Chaplain (Lt. Cmdr.) Ed Nash, Abe’s protestant chaplain.  “That life can go on and is beautiful.  Despite some of the painful realities of our existence, God is still moving and touching lives.  You can see it not only in the baptism, but also in providing water, comfort and medical care to those that survived the tragedy.  To me they are all a part of the same hand of God and his love.”

Even though the baptism was two weeks after the tsunami, the mood of the ceremony wasn’t affected.

“The one thing that I saw was the zeal of the guys being baptized, I thought that was so powerful, such a wonderful testimony,” said Nash.  “Baptism, sometimes, is a very deeply personal family event.  These guys were so desirous to do what God wanted them to do that moment, they were going to do it right here right now.  We gave them the opportunity.  Everyone that was baptized had their picture taken; afterwards they wanted copies to send to their family to show what’s going on in their life.  I thought this was just fantastic, this is the kind of thing that we just love to see happen.”

After an event like this, Abe Sailors will take home a slew of memories.