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Dear Family and Friends,
Hello! How is everyone? I hope you are well, healthy and happy. By now school must be in full swing, Friday night football games a weekly staple and cooler evenings promise a robe of many colors on Pennsylvania’s hills and mountains. Fall is my favorite time of the year as you know. We too are beginning to enjoy cooler temperatures. Instead of daily highs being in the 130s, they are only reaching 100! That is quite a significant and welcomed change for us. Believe it or not, by mid winter the temperatures will reach a low of 29 degrees! It’s not always unbearably hot here. Sometimes it gets down right cold.
This week also has had its ups and downs. Being Presbyterian, however, I try to keep everything in perspective, ordered and balanced. The week started with a high when Dave and I went to a village that has not had contact with Americans in more than eight months. The specific purpose of the patrol was to learn what their infrastructure requirements are at this time and to distribute much needed shoes and school supplies to the village’s children. And it was this latter purpose that brought all of us such a high. Children laughing and smiling, clamoring for what we brought them. Soldiers, also laughing…deep heartfelt, soulful laughs…not the kind I hear when they walk past the chapel teasing each other but the kind that can not be contained, the kind that reveals an authentic spontaneous joy of heart and soul. It lifts the spirit. It is a beautiful thing. I wish each one of you could have experienced it. I wish all of America could have been on that patrol with us.
One of the soldiers lead the entire school in a game and they, in turn, stood as straight as could be and sang their little hearts out for us. Writing about it, even now, brings a lump to my throat as I hear the echo of dozens of little voices in chorus. And experiencing it brought a tear to more than one man’s eye. Perhaps they were remembering their own children (I was) or perhaps, it was the simple joy of a few moments’ peace, genuine peace in the midst of so much tension and hostility. I don’t know but I do know this, these children, who laughed with us, gave us high fives and hugged us are Iraq’s future and we, the American soldier, will do everything in our power to protect them and help them enjoy a peaceful and prosperous life.
It was therefore, almost a direct violation of the morning’s experience to be hit in the afternoon with a heavy rocket and mortar attack back at the FOB. Several of the rounds landed near us and caused a significant fire. We spent a couple of hours putting it out, but we all worked together: soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, as well as, civilian contractors. We got the job done. And it is those traits, among others, which make America so strong…unity of effort, ingenuity and raw determination. We see it in your response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and are proud to be from such a great country.
Later in the week, Dave and I met with the Division Chaplain. He was kind with his compliments about our ministry, the programs we offer, the work we do and the relationships we have built with the staff and soldiers. He and I are kindred spirits and I rejoice in sharing this ministry with such a genuine and brave pastor. It was good to connect with him and it’s been wonderful making new connections with friends from around the country or renewing old connections with friends from the past. We treasure those friendships more than you could possibly know or understand. For all those people with whom I am connected, thank you. Thank you for your friendship, support and love. We do not take such things for granted here. They, along with our faith, are the pillars upon which we stand, the pillars which give us strength and endurance.
And strength and endurance are important. We still have a long row to hoe. We have now completed nine months of service but still have another nine ahead of us. It will be long, hard and dangerous. Make no mistake about it, but we shall endure. We shall overcome. We shall achieve our objectives, because anything less is unacceptable. We are American soldiers. We make the impossible, possible.
Of course, God is the first and greatest to make the impossible, possible. For example, Dave and I were hit by an IED (improvised explosive device, read BOMB) during a dismounted (walking) patrol. It sprayed our patrol with rock and dirt but praise God (who was making the impossible possible), no one was hurt. The strange irony was that I was more concerned about being electrocuted from electrical lines that started falling and zapping everything around us than being blown up. Surviving the attack was a definite high for me. Dave said it was just another day in Iraq. Dave’s a better Presbyterian than me, always cool, calm and collected. Thank God, he is the one responsible for our safety.
Dave has also taken it upon himself to be responsible for entertaining our friend Mufasa, a little Iraqi boy who comes to the chapel regularly. Hearing their laughter as they play inside the chapel brings joy and bliss to my heart. It is a very satisfied and contented feeling I have when they play and laugh together. I am sure the same would be true for you. We have even put our young cherub to work (after all, we’re Presbyterian, we invented the Protestant work ethic). Musafa helps unpack the goodies you send and we always give him a little reward when we are done for the day. You should see his eyes light up. You should feel our hearts reflect his joy!
So God Bless All of You. Thank you for your support, encouragement and love. This week we received packages from Jerry and Terri Ferilla (Happy Anniversary!), Janet and Merle Shaw, Debbie Shaw, My Strong and Enduring Wife Jodi (who had surgery two weeks ago and still managed to get us a box!)Vicky McHenry, Dannie and Joanne Croyle, Dr. Drewitz and Staff, Det 1 C Co 1-110 FRG, James Cherdon, the Bairdford Methodist Church, Frank Dabkowski, Judy Volpatti (aka You’re the reason postal workers have to wear back braces), the Church of St Paul and LTC Don Ficco, Bobbie Hineline and the Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church, Anna Marie Stewart and the Red Hat Society Ladies (how are those pool boys, girls?) Dave and Suzie Hartsell, Hollan Fenner, Matthew Rifkin, Carla Ball, my own Milledgeville Presbyterian Church (the local stores must be out of everything!), Donna Funk, Carolyn Young, the Community Baptist Church, Jack and Wendi Farrell, Operation Lifeline, the FRG for A Co 1-112 IN
, Wayne and Sue Stratos, the Waldens, B Poirier, Steve Dixon, Vernon Kreeg, Linda Darner, Minna Blackson, Treasure Bertani, Carolyn Young, Carol Carlini, William McNally and Noble Fiber Technologies, Joe Worden (how many miles this week Joe?) and last but never least, my mom and dad (thanks parents. I love you).
If you would like to continue to send us goodies, our chapel manager (aka, Dave) tells me we need Febreze (one of our most popular items), razors and or replacement blades, shaving cream, Slim Jims, beef jerky, Pringles, tuna fish, pretzels, crackers and cheese, crackers and peanut butter, OTC meds, sports equipment, Twizzlers, microwaveable Mac and Cheese, baby wipes, fly ribbons and Christian literature and music.
We do not need: feminine supplies of any kind, toothpaste, toilet paper, eye drops, Chap Stick, insect repellant or sun block.
I have attached a couple of pictures for your review. The first one is a classroom filled with excited children. The second is a little lad hugging me. Thank you for all you do for us. May God bless you and our American soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. You’re in my heart America, and I shall always be,
Faithfully Yours,
Chaplain(Major)Douglas A. Etter
HHC 1-110 IN, 2/28 BCT
Camp Habbaniyah
APO, AE 09381 |
