George Gartner got a free trip to Texas during World War II. He was serving in the German army in North Africa until US troops captured his unit. George and his friends received excellent food and enjoyed fair treatment in the rural POW camp.
When the war ended, he learned the army would send him back to his hometown in the part of Germany controlled by Russia. However, George preferred freedom, so he escaped by jumping on a train that passed the prison. He stayed with migrant workers until he could speak English well and act like other Americans. Finally, he chose a name, got a job, a driver’s license, and a wife. But, he kept his secret for years until his wife demanded to go overseas on vacation.
George couldn’t get a passport without a birth certificate and finally admitted his identity. Fortunately, the United States didn’t prosecute him. They said he left after the war ended, so he didn’t break any laws. He became a citizen, and George took his wife to visit his sister in Germany.
Just like George, we are outsiders, but we don’t need to keep our identity a secret or act like the world around us. As we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, may God give us opportunities to share the good news.
