This story is taken from the book Incredible Journeys But together by Readers Digest. Stephen was eleven years old when he lived with his family in Burma, which was a part of India at the time. The Japanese invaded Burma, and swept through the country so quickly everyone was taken by suprise, and many were left refugees. The Japanese planes flying overhead were the first Stephen had ever seen. His family was slow in leaving, not believing the disaster, and so had to leave quickly. The headed north, away from the Japanese, into China. In China they were held up, and finally were released to travel cross the country on foot to India. They had to travel through 250 miles of jungle known as the Hukawng Valey. 50,000 refugees would try the same trip, only 25,000 would survive the ordeal, thee others would die in the jungle. This included Stephen's father.
This trip resulted in the break up of the family. Stephen remained in India, and eventually traveled to England. His mother, who was Burmese, returned to Burma after the war with his sister and brother.
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