John McCain is pulled out of a Hanoi lake by a mix of North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Vietnamese citizens in this October, 1967 file photo. McCain, currently a Republican presidential candidate, was shot down by a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) and had broken both arms and his right knee upon ejection, losing consciousness until he hit the water. (Photo courtesy of Senator McCain's office / February 23, 2000)
LifeSiteNews.com
As a POW, my captors would tie my arms behind my back and then loop the rope around my neck and ankles so that my head was pulled down between my knees. I was often left like that throughout the night.
One night, a guard came into my cell. He put his finger to his lips signalling for me to be quiet and then loosened my ropes to relieve my pain. The next morning, when his shift ended, the guard returned and retightened the ropes, never saying a word to me.
A month or so later, on Christmas Day, I was standing in the dirt courtyard, when I saw that same guard approach me. He walked up and stood silently next to me, not looking or smiling at me.
After a few moments had passed, he rather nonchalantly used his sandalled foot to draw a cross in the dirt. We stood wordlessly looking at the cross, remembering the true light of Christmas, even in the darkness of a Vietnamese prison camp. After a minute or two, he rubbed it out and walked away.
That guard was my Good Samaritan. I will never forget that man and I will never forget that moment. And I will never forget that, no matter where you are, no matter how difficult the circumstances, there will always be someone who will pick you up and carry you.
By Thaddeus M. Baklinski
Truth, Faith, Family, Respect for Life, the Need for Courage, Stepping out into the Deep, Loving our Neighbor, Loving our Enemies, all of these things are presented daily to our LifeSiteNews readers and grappled with daily by the LifeSiteNews staff.
When I was asked not long ago to write for LifeSiteNews I was not a little intimidated by the prospect of dealing with the sometimes painful, sometimes sordid, sometimes exhilarating realities that are part of the work we do.
Having subscribed to the e-mail newsletter for many years, I was aware of the important work the LifeSiteNews staff were doing and deeply appreciative of the knowledge and insights I gained from the articles covering areas of our culture that are so extremely important to an understanding of where we are and where we are going.
Now that I am on the "inside" so to speak, I find the opportunity of contributing to this river of truth and understanding, that has been flowing for so many years, something that challenges me but also gives me a deep satisfaction that I am adding my little bit to the culture of life.
My other little contribution to the culture of life is, of course, the fourteen children that my wife and I have been blessed with, along with five beautiful daughters-in-law and ten grandchildren.
From our small farm in the forested fastness of northeastern Ontario we wish all our LifeSiteNews readers the peace and joy that is the profound yearning of the human heart, and a Very Merry Christmas.
Thaddeus M. Baklinski and Family
