A NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH

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. Deuteronomy 31:6

My grandmother was born on the island of Okinawa, Japan in a time of war. She had a family, including a father, three brothers, and one sister. Her mother had passed away while giving birth to her. A military force was closing in on their small little island, and her father had to make a hard choice. He had his oldest daughter, who was about 13, take two of her brothers and my grandmother, and travel with the other women and children to the north. Because of the danger of being discovered, they had to travel in the dark of night and hide during the day. Her father had to stay behind with her third brother, because he was overtaken with sickness and could not go with the rest of the children leaving. The 6 year old boy was dying of a stomach virus, and his father knew that he would not survive the trip. The two traveled toward the battle at the southern end of the island and were never seen or heard of again and their bodies were never found. My grandmother and her siblings were heading north away from the battle. They heard that if they were found and captured, they would be killed and possibly even eaten. One day, as they were in hiding, my grandmother began to cry and some of the women threatened to kill her if she would not quiet down. Thankfully, her older sister stood her ground and would not let any of them near her sister. All of them made it safely out of danger and they went undiscovered by the enemy. When the war ended, they all journeyed back home, but their parents were both dead, so the children had to be cared for by their grandmother and other family members. The children grew up and all eventually had families of their own. My grandmother ended up marrying a soldier stationed in her hometown, and having two children; my mother, Christina, and her brother, Charles. God saved my grandmother and her siblings from death. He put His loving arms around them and kept them from being discovered. Whenever I am afraid, I just remember that if God could keep my grandmother safe during the war, then He can be with me in my struggles as well. All I have to do is ask God for help, and He will be right by my side to protect me.

By: Dana Clifford ('21)

Chesnee, South Carolina