Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: PROTECT (04/16/20)
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TITLE: The Lord Went with Them | Previous Challenge Entry
By Carolyn Ahrens
04/21/20 -
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It was 1968 and the war in Vietnam was raging on. I was 10 years old then, and my dad was heading out to Vietnam. This didn’t come as a big surprise because we were a military family. Dad had already been in the Korean Conflict and WWII. This would be his third time in battle. What did surprise us, however, was my brother Jimmy announcing he’d be going as well. I feared for them terribly.
God had his watchful eye on them both…Deuteronomy 13:6 says: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." This scripture brought us comfort.
We were amazed and overjoyed when dad wrote that he’d be celebrating Christmas with my brother, who was an airplane mechanic at an Air Force base in Da Nang. His job was vital, making sure the planes were in top condition to ensure the safety of the crew and success of each mission.
In March of 1969, there was a knock on the front door; low and behold, there stood my dad. It was a total surprise since he wasn’t due home until May. The Lord watched over my dad and brought him back safely. Later that year, Jimmy returned as well, getting married shortly thereafter. All seemed well.
In late 1971, Jimmy was heading back to Vietnam, not as an airplane mechanic, but this time going up in the plane. These were gunships that did secret missions. Once again, we prayed for God’s protection.
Time after time, they returned to base with a plane full of bullet holes. It was a normal thing for the night sky to be lit up in ground to air rocket and gunfire. One fateful night, their plane got hit so badly it couldn’t continue to fly. The pilot called in their coordinates then shouted, “We’ll have to jump.”
With hearts racing and the fear of the unknown waiting in the darkness below, they jumped. One by one they hit the ground. Quickly and ever so quietly, they searched for one another in the dark, thick forest. Most had reached the ground, but one was screaming in a tree. Fearing the enemy would hear his cries, the crew worked fast to cut him down. Their buddy’s pelvis appeared broken. He was in great pain and could hardly silence his screams.
Realizing the enemy must have seen the explosion when the plane went down, they felt sure their foe would be looking for them. While putting a sock in the injured airman’s mouth, to help muffle his cries, the crew knew their friend needed to be stabilized from the waist down.
There was no time to waste. Swiftly a hole was dug and lowered him into the ground. This was the best they could do. Sounds of the enemy grew near.
Jimmy and his buddies sat ever so quietly, praying for daylight to come, hoping for a rescue chopper to appear. With every crack of a branch, their hearts skyrocketed! Would they become a POW, or would their names be added to the future “Vietnam Wall” for those who died?
I won’t go into any more details about that night except to say, at daybreak, a chopper sat down in a clearing, battling gunfire, and rescued the crew. All but one made it back home. One airman was believed to have gone down in the plane.
They won’t forget their experiences over there. Many Vietnam Vets are unable to go on with life as they knew it. It’s like a horror movie continually playing in their mind…one they can’t escape from. It’s called PTSD.>
Though there were scary events, God protected my brother and brought him home. He as well as many others, continue to fight…in their mind…in their body…in their heart.
Let us show the love of Jesus when we see a Vietnam Vet and take a moment to say:
Thank you for your service…We missed you…Welcome Home.
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