TERROR IN THE AMAZON!

“URGENT! WE WERE ATTACKED BY PIRATES ARMED WITH HIGH-CALIBER WEAPONRY!”

We found the above posting in our facebook message box. It came from the Amazon 5000 expedition support team members in Brazil.

Back in Orlando at the Amazon 5000 command center we tensed reading the message. We know that the expedition body has been split into two teams with Mickey inland seeking medical care to his illness while the other team is on a makeshift balsa raft floating on the mighty Amazon River - a No-man land. They are on their way to a dedicated checkpoint that Mickey has assigned for them all to meet later on.

“THE ASSAULT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AMAZON RIVER as we crossed to a small jungle village location" they wrote. "We were afraid for our lives as they have threatened us seriously. The pirates had us drowning in the river. They beat our heads up with the butts of their powerful automatic sub-machine guns and threw us all into the river.  They then searched all our backpacks for “DRUGS".  After 20 minutes of torture and threats when they didn't find any drugs they left us all together in the middle of the AMAZON RIVER. They stole most of our expedition gear and the money we carried. It took us great EFFORTS IN ORDER TO reach the village.  We are nervous and terrified following this terror event ...”

The team continued to say:

“We were threatened! We were not injured but tortured. These were dramatic moments we can hardly erase from our minds”.

While none of the Amazon 5000 team members has been physically injured they have had yet another emotional trauma experiencing yet another TERROR ON THE AMAZON, while on locations the expedition crosses along their cancer awareness journey.

Back at home in Florida, we are in direct contact with the expedition team whom are keeping a low profile in a small village while recuperating from their trauma. Meanwhile Mickey is seriously ill and must be treated by professional medical care so to regain his strength in order to be able to continue to lead the last 1000 miles of the expedition.

Again, The Amazon 5000 expedition is stationary in one location – and that is NOT GOOD. The Brazilian people along the region of the Amazon are neurotic with an easy finger on the gun trigger. It is a POLICE STATE Region where every citizen is an informer for the benefit of cash or other goods. AND THEY ARE HATEFUL TO FOREIGNERS – Especially to GRINGOS!

                                      

Since crossing into Brazil the Amazon 5000 team has experienced raid after raid by the Military Federal Police forces. With each community they pass by along the river someone is reporting our team to the police and yet another armed unit appears from nowhere with automatic machine guns pointed at the Amazon 5000 team members’ heads and seeking for drugs and drugs and drugs. This is madness!

Armed pirates roaming free along the Amazon River on one hand, Armed Federal Military Police on the other, and hostile local Brazilian indigenous communities in the middle… And the unarmed Amazon 5000 team is now in a constant danger and at a constant big risk to their life: Not by the Elements! Not by Nature! Nor the Wildlife! ONLY by Mankind!!!

The AMAZON 5000 expedition, to remind you all, is all about SURVIVAL of the ELEMENTS through rugged terrain, harsh climate and pristine wilderness, all are part of the marvels of the Mighty AMAZON we all grew to love so much in the past 8 months and 4000 miles throughout the virtual window MICKEY GROSMAN has provided us with in a constant LIVE electronic communication.   

But MANKIND proved to be the most dangerous element among all and the biggest obstacle Mickey and his crew are to overcome!

                                                   

                 

We must end here with our big concern to Mickey’s health and to the safety of his team, as without him able to stand back on his feet and lead his expedition safely, the remaining 1000 miles of the Amazon 5000 expedition is in jeopardy.

Mickey himself has now come to big concerns for the nearest future of the expedition. His concerns are mainly with the safety of his people – the Amazon 5000 support team - and the fact he is still going through the turmoil of his illness, a fact that prevents him from being fully focused and alert as needed in such a hostile environment. 

He weighs various options to complete the last 1000 miles of this inspirational journey in a way that will assure no one’s life is at stake and no one will be harmed by mankind. 

While he has confidence in their ability to survive the elements along their 5000 miles path it is now obvious mankind is the biggest threat of all!

*** We wish to shed a strong spotlight here on Mickey’s loyal and courageous crew that despite all the TERROR IN THE AMAZON they are standing firm behind him. These are some of their words:

“Hoy somos mas fuertes que nunca! Y continuaremos inteligentemente por las vias que sean necesarias....”

Translation – “Today we are stronger than ever! And we will continue along the tracks intelligently necessary…”

“Nosotros estamos firmes para apoyar a Mickey! Incluso hemos arriengado nuestras vidas…”

Translation – “We are firm to support Mickey! Even if we risk our lives …”

“que hoy somos mas uertes que nunca… NI UN PASO ATRAS!”

 Translation -“we are today stronger than ever ... Not one step back!”

“Ya estamos mejor y el equipo aqui esta muy solido!”

Translation – “We're better and the team here is very solid!”

The latest quote we received from the Amazon 5000 team:

We regret the difficult situation Mickey is at. I particularly have been with him in recent months "in the deep jungle of the Amazon" And I saw his courage and determination in favor of his cause, fighting cancer. I've seen Mickey a great person and great human being with a strong and explosive character and he is for me like a father with the learning to be a living on ... Never forgets his strength in the most difficult time!

RULES OF THE WILD

RULES OF THE WILD It has been six months from the start of the Amazon 5000 Expedition and we can now put together some conclusions and "rules" to be adapted by ones who think on going locations through the heart of the Amazon - the RULES of the WILD!  We collected some Do's and Don'ts and how they played out in the crisis we experienced along the trail and of which, kept us during the past few weeks at the edge of our seats! BUT MAINLY THIS IS AN UPDATE OF MICKEY'S PROGRESS ALONG HIS AMAZON 5000 EXPEDITION TRAIL for all of you friends, family and fans who are asking:  WHERE IS MICKEY NOW?

RULE #1: Never stop an expedition for more than one night at the SAME location, while in the Amazon, always keep moving.    It is early November when Mickey Grosman and his Amazon 5000 team settle the expedition on the Amazon river bank in the desolate jungle town of Tabatinga Brazil. They are awaiting the next expedition team member; Joe Flowers from N. Carolina, to join them in 5 days. Mickey takes these days to let his team rest and recoup their energy from the tireless trek that started on the pacific shore of Ecuador, six months ago. It is during this rest period that Mickey finalizes logistics for the next leg of his journey meeting with the local indigenous in preparation for Leg 8 and where Mickey is identifying locations rich in wildlife for exploration.  Back at home we are nervous! The pre-expedition research we conducted in the year prior to the beginning of the expedition pointed out this location might be of the worst and the most dangerous one among all. Settled between a major river intersection shared by three countries; Peru Colombia and Brazil this area is well known for its high crime and is suggested to be a major artery for drug trafficking. We bite our nails waiting for the new expedition member to arrive from Miami to Tabatinga and for Mickey to leave this location immediately and continue the expedition. "Keep going Mickey" we whisper... "keep going man!" This "minor" delay proves to be very costly to the expedition and a catalyst for a turn of events in the coming days... RULE #2 Never get sick while crossing the Amazon!  As Joe Flowers landed on the short runway of Tabatinga he is greeted not by the scene he expected. Mickey it seems has just fallen ill, developing debilitating headaches and fever. Every muscle and joint ached with inexplicable pain and as the days went on, the team witnesses Mickey's health deteriorating as he was diagnosed with Dengue Fever. Little did the team know the relentless swarm of mosquitoes that annoyed them in the jungle brought with them a deadly disease. Mickey seeking medical care faints at the clinic door. He is admitted into a small make shift hospital and treated for this life threatening illness. Mickey's "recovery" delays the expedition even more. As weak as his body is, Mickey's strength of mind is still evident. Mickey is anxious to get back on his feet and continue the expedition, especially now that Joe has just arrived. RULE #3: DROP to your knees "hands up" when told so, especially while in the Amazon! (It will not hurt if you bury your face into the sand too...)   It has been over a week now that the expedition stays in one location while Mickey who is bedridden in a local motel room attempts to recover his illness, and the expedition is not moving forward --- that's not good (see Rule #1). Camping out on the River bank for so long his team captures the attention of the locals. The Amazon 5000 team is made out of all good people: Ecuadorians, Peruvians, and the main characters - "gringos" Americans. The locals are curious...not knowing why these foreigners settled down in their neighborhood. Rumors began to spread over this little town that sits on the main artery of the Amazon river and is infested with crime. That's not good and Mickey knows it, He must break camp and leave this town as quickly as possible. But he is far from standing strong on his feet and is still battling the Dengue disease. Regaining some strength after a week, Mickey returns to the expedition campground where his team finally breaks camp preparing to move forward. All geared and packed, ready to leave the town, they are suddenly swarmed by 20 armed police force. Yet again the Amazon 5000 Expedition team find themselves in a dangerous situation, looking down the barrels of the guns, this time of the Tabatinga's federal police unit. The police shout aggressively in Portuguese tongue with the only clear word understood by all being "drugs, drugs"... and order the team to the ground. All but Mickey submit to the police orders and drop down to their knees, hands-up... some bury their faces in the sand. Mickey remains standing with arms down and hands open in a neutral stance. Being a proud Special Forces veteran, where he looked so many times at death to its face and now proudly wearing the American flag on his expedition shirt, Mickey is ticked off, refuses to be humiliated or let anyone degrade his country, the U.S.A. Over the police loud yelling and aggressive body language he tries to communicate with them and tells them that he and his team are not there in Brazil for any wrong doing. None of the police members understands neither English, nor Spanish or want to hear him at all. Realizing he is the expedition leader they reach to Mickey quickly and handcuff him. They search through the belongings of every team member while those are watching mournfully, for their expedition survival gear; knives, machetes and also a bear mace canister (that serves them as a self defense tool) is being confiscated. Knowing they have done nothing wrong, the team is astonished when the police drag Mickey away to the local police station, leaving them leaderless and with no direction.  About an hour later, without Mickey present, the police return to camp, but this time they go on search to the surrounding neighborhood area. From someplace there, they now confiscate a single shot - hunting rifle commonly carries by locals in the region. And... they detain Mickey in the local jail with no communication to the outside world. Once again an obstacle stands in Mickey's way, threatening to put a stop to his journey of HOPE!  Will this break him?  Back at home, we are informed of the crisis by Joe Flowers. Communicating with different people throughout the week, the stories vary and local speculations from the street level make their way to us. The reason for the police raid on the Amazon 5000 campground and for Mickey's detention stays shrouded in darkness. No official explanation is provided and Mickey's health keeps him unable to defend himself. Everyday Joe visits Mickey, together with Coy Webb, a local young American missionary who lives in that town. Coy and his young wife Priscila, who have just met the expedition team a few days earlier takes the situation to heart and volunteer to help Mickey using their knowledge of the town.Together with Joe, Coy brings food to Mickey once a day to nourish his body and check on his treatment. It is clear to see over the next few days: Mickey's health is once again deteriorating, and this time very fast. He is coughing up blood and looks almost skeletal. The dengue fever knocks Mickey down once again.  The two young guys demand medical attention from the federal police. The police comply as even they can see Mickey is now facing a life or death situation. Within 24 hours Mickey's health is once again taking a very bad turn. Suffering from the more extreme level of Dengue Fever -- Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever a disease also known as "breakbone" fever Mickey is now being rushed to a military hospital where he is being treated with intravenous rehydration methods. He is bleeding internally throwing up constantly and suffering a pain as if his bones are broken. This disease can hit in 3-4 cycles, each phase hitting harder than the one before and Mickey is experiencing his second cycle already and is in desperate need of medical attention -- in risk of slipping into dengue shock syndrome where dangerously low blood pressure occurs. RULE #4: Know your country consulate office, emergency phone number in advance.   Joe Flowers has taken charge and communicates the situation at hand with the home team. Seeing Mickey's health decline brings the reality of how dire the situation is quickly becoming. With no explanation from the police, no communication with Mickey and Mickey looking very ill it was urgent to do something to get Mickey out of detention and provide him with proper medical care. Back home, the Amazon 5000 team attempts to reach out to the U.S. Consulate office in Manaus. After contacting the State Department, an initial connection is made with the U.S. Embassy in Brazillia, Brazil - 2000 miles away from Tabatinga. With a long holiday weekend in the States and a week-long holiday in Brazil, it takes several calls until the right contact is made and action is able to begin. Consulting with Dr. Kyle Ver-Steeg, back in Iowa, we are learning Mickey's health symptoms needed urgent attention from the onset and the situation is gloomy. The U.S. Consul in Brazil, after following local official procedures is able to make the first phone call to Mickey. He reports to us of his impression of Mickey's health and is aware of the need to provide Mickey with immediate care and full attention. A few days later, he is able to send a consular agent to visit Mickey. RULE #5: Make sure to choose your expedition team mates carefully and have a strong backbone buddies back you up at home.   Kyle Ver Steeg, who has just left the Amazon 5000 expedition two months ago is in constant communication with the home team. Experiencing the expedition with Mickey he knows Mickey is on a starvation diet as result of living off the land and taking into consideration his previous cancer battle, Kyle is horrified to hear of Mickey's condition. He is concerned for Mickey's life and prepares to take flight to Brazil and see to Mickey's medical attention himself. Kyle's able to expedite a Brazilian Visa but not being an official US representative, Kyle will not be allowed into the military hospital where Mickey is kept at in Tabatinga. Kyle is determined to help and bring Mickey home and even the Amazon 5000 home team is now concerned this disease may take Mickey's life. It is now our only hope to stop the expedition and bring him safely home. Joe Flowers is now working diligently and around the clock on the Tabatinga ground dealing with an international drama. He works tirelessly to network and speak with the locals in Brazil to get medical help and relief for Mickey. This is not what he has expected when he landed on the Amazon grounds. Instead of trekking the dense jungle of the Amazon, exploring its marvelous and wildlife and testing his survival limits, instead he is now battling a different kind of survival-ability. Involved in an International crisis, he dips his legs in waters he has never been before. But it is a health crisis and Joe is standing up for the task. Getting some strong encouragement from Kyle Ver Steeg back at home, Joe is keeping his head up and providing support for Mickey. Meanwhile, the Amazon 5000 Expedition support team with much dedication waits for Mickey by the river, guarding the gear and keeping their spirits high for Mickey's return. A very significant “Backbone” support and a “Life-Line” to Mickey’s family and to the Amazon 5000 team back home and abroad is ‘The Satellite Phone Store’ of Sarasota, Florida! Sponsoring Mickey and the expedition from the get go, providing a wide line of Satellite devices and a budget for Airtime usage this sponsorship proved to be Priceless!  The good people at the SPS of Sarasota are playing a big role in keeping the safety of the A5K expedition team, especially through crises and as this one unfolded! With Mickey unable to stand on his feet Joe Flowers is now in possession of all the electronics, and he is using them to its full potential. Without any other mean of communication at this isolated town Joe is reporting to us back home using the Satellite phone two to three times a day, keeping us informed of Mickey’s health and working with us on logistics to release Mickey and provide him with an immediate care and relief. Providing the Amazon 5000 expedition with state of the art equipment in communication devices we cannot thank enough the good people of Satellite Phone Store for their belief in Mickey and of his inspirational journey as well as their kind sponsorship and the behind the scenes support have they provided all along.   RULE #6: A 5000 mile expedition across continent, in a call to end Cancer and inspire those who are in the battle, CANNOT succeed without A WORLD WIDE SUPPORT.   It takes a lot of courage, good intentions and amounts of logistics and preparations for one to do suchan expedition as Mickey Grosman does! But it could not have taken place without the support of youall back at home and around the world! One cannot take such initiative and dare to go through such obstacles without having a strong backing of support you all provide. YOU are the backbone of his support, and Mickey is counting on you!

As of three weeks ago, with a Brazilian local judge allows for the Amazon 5000 expedition to continue all the way, Mickey was released from Jail, something we are most definitely thankful for during this time of Holidays. Though it was not an ideal situation, Mickey says it was an "out of this world" and unbelievable experience he would not take back and will share with us down the road.  While losing 40 pounds due to his health crisis, he gained a lot of support and compassion from the local people including the hospital staff, the jail guards and local villagers who are now following the Amazon 5000 Expedition virtually over our social network pages.    Two weeks ago Mickey has resumed the expedition, heading now along the Amazon river towards Manaus. He is not fully recovered yet and still suffers pain all over his body - a fact that slows him down and lower his physical energy.  There are still chances the Dengue Fever will hit him again in a third episode. We are worried about Mickey but he is determined as always to continue. Join us in encouraging his strength of will and endurance to go on! Thank you Mickey, you truly are making the Impossible, Possible!

Did I find the "LOST TRIBE" of Israel living peacefully in the AMAZON?

October 16 - Trekking in the dense jungle for hours all tired and hungry I suddenly hear voices…singing voices… and music played. I cannot believe my ears…but my expedition people confirming…yes, yes, music, drums….but not JUST music… I personally know the melody….is it possible? I am in the Amazon! Is it my imagination? So many months of intense trekking in the Amazon jungle accompanied by indigenous Amazonians, hardly speaking English with any human, not to mention speaking my own native language, Hebrew… but now this music? It is music from the past…melody of my childhood. How come?   

We all are tired, hungry and filthy dirty from days over days of trekking the jungle and its swamps, living of the land, surviving the elements, hardly seeing any humans… but suddenly we all felt elated, energized. It’s the music that pulls us in, like a magnet… In a fast pace we walk the direction where the music and the singing are coming from.  Within a short hour of navigation the music sounded closer to us.  I knew I am now walking towards the Amazon River.  This is not the expedition direction, as I navigate my jungle expedition always East, parallel to the river…. but I now have changed direction…I am chasing the music; Squinting my eyes I am humming the melody… bringing it up from layers of years and time.

Stepping out of the dense jungle behind me I spotted several thatched roof huts.  Children were playing at the yard in front of the huts where in a split of a second they saw us embarking the thick trees. Fear on their faces they begun running towards the huts and pointed their hands to our direction. The adults turn their heads in big surprise. What thoughts have crossed their minds that moment…? We were six men and one woman all covered with mud, wearing dirty jungle clothing, carrying military style backpacks…  I ordered my team to wave their hands in peace, and with the biggest smile I could put on face I continued walking towards the people that were standing in the center of the village.  They were on alert not sure what they see…BUT, the biggest surprise was MINE!

For a moment I couldn’t understand what my eyes were seeing… Men wearing long toga gowns, old Roman style, dressed up like in the bible time, long beards covers their faces, wearing long hair…like Jesus…? Some are barefoot some wearing bible style sandals…. I felt as if I am walking through a time machine…walking into the past. Still confused with the sight of people that looked nothing like the traditional indigenes Indians I stopped, letting myself and the men in front of me few moments to observe each other. 

  

A young man of about 30 years old was the first one to take a move and started walking towards me. The rest of the people stood behind keeping a safety distance between us. With the help of the Argentinean girl Lucy – my expedition team member who speaks fluent Spanish I started communicating with the young man. After explaining him that we are crossing the Amazon on a 5000 miles journey I introduced myself and my Ecuadorian and Peruvian team members that were standing few yards behind me. He was still alert and suspicious. But I could not hold my curiosity. The music was still playing at a nearby distance. I asked the young man what this community is.  I Z R A E L he said…!  I stopped talking. I could not believe my ears… Israel? I repeated what he just said…  Israel? That explains the music – Old bible Israeli music – my heritage… but in the jungle? In the Amazon? I am probably hallucinating… too tired, too hungry…Israel people don’t live here…they are far, at the Middle East… I asked one of my team members to come closer to me and pinch me.  Is it a mystical jungle mirage?  Or… that I just found the famous “Lost Tribe” of Israel? Excitement filled my heart. The young man explained me they are a community of “Bnei-Israel” (Israel children) and that Israel is right there, in the Amazon. I didn’t argue with him… I just mentioned that I am an Israeli born – I am from the holy land – from Israel.  Now he stopped talking and his facial demeanor changed drastically.  He rushed back to his people and begun confiding with them. For a second I had a change of heart. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him that I am from Israel… I am now not sure if it was a good idea to reveal my origin?

Three minutes has passed by and three of the village leaders approached me and to my astonishment bent down bowing my direction. One by one they held my hand and bowed… in a speed of a light the word spread out around the village: The Messiah is here…   the Messiah is in the Jungle! People lined up bowed and shook my hand. My expedition team members were stunt. I had a big smile smeared on my face. Not every day that I am considered to be the Messiah. And I felt happy, actually happy to find these people. They touched my heart.  They escorted me and my team with much respect into their village. It has been a holiday that week.  A religious holiday of the bible time. I couldn’t have showed up at a better time…. The community’s religion leader told his followers only several days before I arrived that he had a dream. In his dream a very important person will come over to their community from nowhere.   He anxiously waited for his dream to come true – he was convinced and tried to convince his followers for few days that someone important will come to spend the holiday with them. Seeing me embarking out of the dense woods into their village, a location no one, no stranger is ever coming from (Only meshige Israeli can) him and his people were left speechless. To them I was the Messiah!  

Immediately they asked me to stay there with them. They assigned a person, who took me to the river, undressed my filthy jungle clothing off my tired body, and after a good deep and a good wash in the river he handled me a traditional Toga gown to wear, flip flaps on my feet, and not to forget… “gatkes” (underwear). Wearing underwear again was a privilege as I lost mine along the journey long ago…What can I say? It has been a while since someone has been taking care of me. I received a VIP treatment – A real Messiah treatment! Who am I to refuse it? They took my filthy clothing to the river and washed it for me… My personal bag that has all my precious electronic gear in and of which I carry on me at all time… now they carried it for me. I was not allowed to pick up a thing. A real king…. It’s good to be the king!!!   I cannot wait to share it with my wife… she will be jealous!

From that point they took me to the center of the village. The holiday ceremony was about to begin. A ceremony where they are offering sacrifice to God - to Jehovah. With the entire village taking a part in the ceremony and like in the Jewish tradition there is a full separation between men and women.  A band is playing music and the audience sings their songs – by the bible script. The same exact music that pulled me over into their community only few hours earlier! They invited me to take a part in the ceremony – a jester I appreciated and felt honored of as they never share such with others then their own tribal mates. I guess I was considered a tribal mate today – a brother. I probably am… They also don’t let such ceremony or their life style being filmed or photo. Today was an exception. I was allowed to document the event and interview the people and their about. While I took part in the ceremony my film crew documented the event from behind without interfering with the special time of this community.

The lamb scarify ceremony took about 45 minutes at mid day and under the blazing sun.  I was brought to the front of the crowed all dressed up with a Toga gown bible style and with a person assigned to hold a parasol over my head. Having my skin subject to melanoma cancer less than two years ago and my face grafted in a repairing surgery I could not wish for better care under the Amazon sun that day.  

 

Following the ceremony all came inside a large structure of about 5000 sq. ft. (500 sq. meters) with floor of compact clay, tin roof and tall. It was well insulated and provided chilled air. Like in a tradition Synagogue women were on the left side and men on the right – gender separation. Men, women and children all looked like were taken from the bible stories, head covers, light blue and crimson colors gowns.  The community leader now introduced me to his congregates as the…. Messiah. He reminded them of the dream story he shared with them only a few days earlier and all clapped their hands in cheers. To me that was too much…I wanted out, back to the jungle…  but not before Messiah meal was prepared for me and my hungry team that seems very pleased with the opportunity to eat real food with such honoree treatment.  Lucy, my Argentinean team member was taken aside earlier, dressed up with “bible” gown and kept with the women – in the kitchen… poor Lucy. But she also seemed to enjoy the moment.

At the end of the ceremony day my new followers offered me to stay with them for as long as I wish and committed to care for my needs at all time as an obligation to the important guest who came to them on their holy day just as their leader predicted…( At a second thought this offer seems not too bad at all…as a life style option…. mmm). At least seven days, they asked. Please stay they said.  I explained them the nature of the Amazon 5000 expedition and emphasized the importance in keeping the expedition going and told them about the people from around the world who are following me and of which I cannot disappoint. Sharing with them my Impossible Possible mission of inspiration to those who battle cancer it was brought to my attention that this village helps cancer patients and others of terminal illnesses to recover, practicing holistic treatments with remedies from the jungle and…faith, using natural remedies without conventional medicine.  I have not experienced any treatment there but I believe them.

Leaving a chapter of history behind me I am now heading east to Tabatinga, Brazil along the Amazon River and all the way to its mouth at the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. I will see what a new day will bring upon me.