A couple weeks ago, I wrote about my uncle (Jim) who was killed in Vietnam in 1969. When his older brother (David) was drafted later that year, our family was devastated to learn he, too, was being sent to the front lines in that jungle war. That blog Is There Anything Too Hard for God? prompted a recent conversation with David, resulting in this epilogue.

I learned from David my perspective of the ugly protests was different from his. How could that be? We lived in the same area during the same time. Then I realized I had written from my 14-year-old perspective. At that time, it was personal to me and those protestors were attacking my brave uncle. Though I don’t discount the real, honest, and felt emotions of my youth, I don’t intend to seem harsh.

As David and I talked, he also shared details about the change of his orders; yet another reason for this epilogue. I knew about the six-week window of time, but I didn’t know how and when David found out his orders were changed. What an incredible story that is.

Picture this…David sat on the ground in a circle along with other soldiers. Having visited him at Ft. Polk (LA), I could imagine the scene. Tall pine trees towered overhead. Dusty soil was blanketed – heavily – with dry needles from those trees. The air was hot and heavy as young men wearing fatigues leaned against their duffle bags. They had completed basic training, packed their bags, and now waited for a bus to take them to a plane. These young men were headed to war. And they knew it. Some would never see American soil again.

An officer approached the group and called the name of a certain young man. Camp. David W. Camp. He didn’t know why, but the commanding officer (CO) wanted to see my uncle. Now.

David walked alongside the messenger to the office of his CO, where he was given a letter detailing his revised deployment orders. His buddies were en route to the jungle, but David was headed elsewhere. God knew the plans He had for David. Plans that didn’t include Vietnam.

Is God ever too late? No.