Escape from the Communist Army

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With all that money Joseph went to the PAN-AM Airlines travel agency and bought a two-way ticket to America. (It was not allowed to buy just one-way).

That same day Joseph announced to his family that he is leaving. His father did not believe, but went to the airport anyway... just to prove himself wrong. Joseph kissed everyone goodbye and at the airport he was avoiding any contact with the military police for they had seemed to look for someone.

Joseph carried almost no luggage; he passed through the customs and stood at the departure door. His father and brother stood above on the arcade from which they could watch the entire procedure.

The door opened and all passengers were about to get on the plane that’s when his papa cried. Joseph saw his tears for he did not know if he would ever see him again. The word of the Lord he heard some years before was now being realized right in front of his very eyes.

A last wave goodbye and Joseph was on the plane to Frankfurt Germany and on to New York the USA.

Before the door was shut an army officer entered the plane. He looked to the right and left as if looking for someone. Joseph cringed in fright 'they found out, they are going to get me'; he thought. But the man just counted the people, saluted and the door was shut. The engines roared and the plane proceeded to the take-off position.

They could have stopped the plane and get the deserter, but none of this happened. The American plane took off and went straight toward the setting sun.

In October a policeman came to arrest the deserter. Joseph dad was working in the garden when the policeman had asked for his son’s whereabouts. The proud dad with a smile on his face went inside the house to fetch his son’s military book and the transport ticket to the military base. He handed the papers to the policeman who was very surprised to realize that the would-be-soldier was far away in a foreign land.

"How could this happen?" He asked.

"Often with man things are impossible, but with God all things are possible." Joseph's dad replied.

The policeman just turned around and went his way.