Untouched by Captivity
The Gallipoli landings introduced the name ANZAC to the world. General Sir Ian Hamilton said, “Before the war, who had ever heard of ANZAC? Hereafter, who will ever forget it?”
Few now remember the details of that campaign. The last Australian Gallipoli veteran died in 2002. What we do remember are the qualities that characterized Australians in that and every conflict since, and I hope, in times of peace - courage, sacrifice, and mateship. One book describing the lives of prisoners of war in Japanese camps during World War II wrote, “Men entered the camps as Dutch, British, Australian or American, and came out, 3½ years later, even more so. Australians, of all the tribes, most preserved moral integrity, shared what they had and never let a man die alone.”
There was a man who lived up the street from my childhood home. He was kind, gentle, and generous, often leaving gifts of fresh vegetables from his garden on our doorstep. As a child, there was one thing I always wondered. Why did he only have one arm? I later learned that he lost it as a POW in Changi. Here was a man who knew about captivity. He had lost his freedom, contact with his family, food and safety. He had also lost his future. What could he do with just one arm? Even after his release he wouldn’t be free. Or so I thought.
But as I got to know him I learned differently. This man showed no anger, hatred, bitterness or regret. In fact, he never saw himself as a prisoner, because the one thing most essential to his life was the one thing that no prison, or anything else in this world could take away - God’s love for him, and his friendship with Jesus. In the bible we read this.
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).
Whether prisoner or free, my friend had with him the one thing he treasured most. War couldn’t touch it. Losing his arm couldn’t touch it. Even death can’t touch it because a relationship with Jesus is for eternity.
Neil Percival
Young District Anglican Ministry
Few now remember the details of that campaign. The last Australian Gallipoli veteran died in 2002. What we do remember are the qualities that characterized Australians in that and every conflict since, and I hope, in times of peace - courage, sacrifice, and mateship. One book describing the lives of prisoners of war in Japanese camps during World War II wrote, “Men entered the camps as Dutch, British, Australian or American, and came out, 3½ years later, even more so. Australians, of all the tribes, most preserved moral integrity, shared what they had and never let a man die alone.”
There was a man who lived up the street from my childhood home. He was kind, gentle, and generous, often leaving gifts of fresh vegetables from his garden on our doorstep. As a child, there was one thing I always wondered. Why did he only have one arm? I later learned that he lost it as a POW in Changi. Here was a man who knew about captivity. He had lost his freedom, contact with his family, food and safety. He had also lost his future. What could he do with just one arm? Even after his release he wouldn’t be free. Or so I thought.
But as I got to know him I learned differently. This man showed no anger, hatred, bitterness or regret. In fact, he never saw himself as a prisoner, because the one thing most essential to his life was the one thing that no prison, or anything else in this world could take away - God’s love for him, and his friendship with Jesus. In the bible we read this.
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).
Whether prisoner or free, my friend had with him the one thing he treasured most. War couldn’t touch it. Losing his arm couldn’t touch it. Even death can’t touch it because a relationship with Jesus is for eternity.
Neil Percival
Young District Anglican Ministry