Sunday, October 26, 2003
Dear family and friends,
I write this somewhat shaken, but very, VERY thankful to God. We received an
email from Marie (in Iraq) this morning before we left for church. As you
read the following excerpts, please remember to pray for her and all those
putting their lives on the line over there.
--------------- Original Message ---------------
Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2003 9:59 PM
Subject: Hi
Hi! Sorry I haven't written, but there has been a lot going on over here.
First of all, I am disappointed to say that I probably won't get to go on
leave on the time scheduled; however, hopefully either at the very end of
November or early December. Still, nothing is for sure- I'm just looking at
how the schedules before me are changing, and its pretty likely the same
will happen to me. But thank you for the food package by the way! I guess
I still won't be getting my own food for a while!
Anyway, it is now the month of Ramadan, so guess what. The attacks have
gotten more frequent and much more serious. I had an extremely close call
night before last. I was at another military camp, and happened to be at
the medical station when we had a HUGE mortar attack. Mortars are like
bombs, and way bigger than grenades! And it was literally raining mortars.
I don't know how to describe what its like to be caught in the middle of
something like that! There were so many injuries, and I got to be a medic
assistant for the rest of the night. I got tasked out to write down all the
injured people's names, units, etc, and what their injuries were. For
example, one soldier had been hit in the face, another speared in the back
with a huge piece of flying metal, and another one had so much shrapnel in
her leg she couldn't even move it. It was a pretty gruesome experience, but
I was able to stay calm, and was commended by the senior medic for my help.
But I had an experience of my own that night, and if it wasn't for a
miracle, I would be dead right now. I was walking towards another medics
office, and one of those mortars landed- I kid you not- about 5 feet in
front of me! In that split second that I realized what was happening and
that in the next second I was going to be blasted to pieces, everything
seemed to go in slow motion. I saw you guys, Peter and Robert, the
Mannings, my friends Brandy and Justin, and I felt sad to be leaving
everybody. But then, there was this strange silence. That mortar never
exploded! It was inspected later and apparently, the firing pin had somehow
malfunctioned. So if that is not a miracle directly from God, I don't know
what is! Mortars were falling all over the place and exploding just fine
all night, but the one that would have instantly killed me did not!
On Monday morning I am singing at a memorial service for the third time;
this time for a Captain Teal, who was killed by a roadside bomb the day of
the mortar attack. I am curious in a morbid sort of way as to how many
memorial services I will have participated in by the end of this deployment!
Well, I'm sorry this is such a disturbing email, but its the truth! Please
pray that we all survive this month. It is rumored that Al Qaida terrorists
moving into the area are the culprits for all these breakouts of attacks.
...Please write me soon! I love you all!
~Marie
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It is very sobering to realize the dangers Marie is facing daily. If only we
could somehow whisk her away from there! And yet how thankful we are for the
Lord's "precision protection" over her! And how calming to know that nothing
ever happens to one of God's children without first passing through his
loving hands.
As a family we have been reading through the gospel of Luke lately. Jesus
often told his followers that for God's children even death has lost its
terror. He said, "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill
the body and after that can do no more." -Luke 12:4. For his children, the
worst thing that can happen is the best thing! On the other side of eternity
I'm sure we'll be shaking our heads and saying, "Was THAT what I was so
afraid of?"
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