Authors-choice: Hope & Revival

22yrs Armando Valladares, a young journalist was working at his desk at a newspaper company when soldiers came to ask him to publish a communist propaganda supporting the new government of Fidel Castro.

He refused knowing full well that there would be consequences. He didnt have to wait long. Armed soldier stormed his residence at night and arrested him.

For refusing to support communism, Armando was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was arrested in the middle of the night and transferred to a notorious prison where hundreds of enemies of communism were beaten on a regular basis.

But it was in this prison that Armando received a miracle in the form of a woman he met. She was one of the daughters of fellow prisoner and her name was Martha.

They fell in love when they met, and began to write each other in secret.

Years of communicating together deepened their love for one another.

When the communist tried to force Armando to enroll in a compulsory reeducation program, Armando and his companions again refused.

As a punishment, he spent 8 years in a special solitary confinement, with no windows, and no light coming in, only a small hole for his wastes.

After 10years, the communist tried another technique, promising him freedom if only he could sign a document praising communism.

But instead of signing his name, Armando, took the document and started writing poetry at the back. The guards tried to stop him but he changed tactics, writing with his blood instead on the back of onion skins which he smuggled out to Martha.

As the holocaust survivor, Victor Frank once said, “A man can endure any how a long as he has a why” From then on, nothing the soldiers did could hurt him anymore.

His love for Martha broke down the prisons walls as he wrote poem to her using his own blood, and fresh breeze of love lifted him high, carrying him towards the sun.

Martha fled to the United State, and published the peoms which became a bestseller raising a campaign against what Castro’s government was doing to her beloved.
Amnesty international and other human rights group caught on and pressed the Cuban government for his release.

Terrified of his growling fame the communist tried an old police trick to shatter his unshakable love for Martha.

They told him that Amnesty groups had dropped name from their list of prisoners of war, and that Martha had abandoned him.

He responded in a serene and cheerful way saying, Now I know for certain that my Martha is succeeding in getting me out.”

He was right; a short time later, he was released from the prison where he had spent 22 years, unbroken, defending his own conscience, and the dignity of every man to live in the freedom of theirs.

His 22 years of unbroken resistance to tyranny demonstrated that man is capable of withstanding great evils when he loves and he is loved by another.

On his release from prison, he was finally united with his sweetheart Martha and he was caught on camera showering her with kisses right front and center before the flashing lights and world media. They got married soon after, a crowning perseverance of love.

Article by Chinwuba Iyizoba

The Editor