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SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2021 13 By Cindy Ponce de Leon, Resident A few months ago, a work friend asked me to pray for a Marine in his Bible Study Group who was trying to get his former translator out of Afghanistan. We saw on the nightly news hundreds of people in Kabul trying to leave. It took over a month to get passports for the translator, his wife and son. As the August 31st deadline loomed closer, things got tighter and tighter as far as ISIS-K and Taliban presence at the airport and surrounding areas. The two groups are sworn enemies. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the suicide attack that killed 11 Marines, a Navy corpsman, an Army soldier, and at least 169 Afghan people. There were daily phone calls between the Marine and a high- ranking official known as "Jack." There was a "list" of Afghani translators, their families, people who had helped the Americans, or were American. Several Marines including Jack were trying to get these people out. For three days, the translator, his wife and son went to the airport, passing through 10-15 Taliban check points daily. By day the taxi drivers seemed like normal drivers. By night, these drivers became traffickers, selling recognized people on the "list" to the Taliban. After waiting all day at the airport for word of a rescue, people had to leave the airport before dark, discouraged and afraid. Jack sent a message to the Marine. On the third trip to the airport, his Translator was to hide a balloon under his coat. Once he got outside the airport, he was to go to a wall Marines were protecting and let his balloon up so the Marines would see him. The Translator was also helping a woman with two small children who was married to an Afghan who had American Citizenship. When they got to the specified area, he let up his balloon and they were immediately swarmed by the crowds! Marines fired live rounds over the crowd and people took cover. Both families ran to the Marines and were pulled over a wall into the airport. They were rushed onto a plane, flown to another country, then to Dulles, New Mexico and finally, California. At every stop, their information was scrutinized. The Translator and his family are now in Riverside County, staying with the Marine. The love between these two men was plainly evident as they stood before me at the DMV. I was looking at Afghan Passports, trying to verify them. I needed manager assistance and had to wait. The Marine asked me if my friend was working. "I think he called in sick today." The Marine told me he was in my friend's prayer group. It clicked! Looking at the Afghan man with tears in my eyes I said "I prayed for you to get out safely! I can't tell you how happy I am to meet you and to see that you and your family have made it." What a blessing for the two men to meet a stranger who had prayed for them halfway around the world. Answered Prayer

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