12 May
I am back on my home base now. The last few days have been busy and somewhat hectic. I wanted to tell you what happened to me the on Monday night, but I have to leave out real names and some details. A US Soldier was wounded critically by "the bad guys" very close to where I was staying last weekend. He was taken to the ER on this FOB and they worked desperately to save his life. They called in a medical helicopter in an effort to fly him out of there and back to the larger base where there are more advanced medical facilities (including surgery). The team there worked on him as well as a local national man who was also wounded in the attack. I was allowed into the ER and close to the bedsides of both of these men. (The Chaplain has special privileges!). The local civilian allowed me to pray for him at his bedside while an interpreter translated my prayer into his native language. I was thrilled to get the opportunity to ask the Lord to save and heal this man, and he was receptive to my prayer. I understand that a good Muslim does respect Protestant and Catholic Chaplains as "men of the Book," even though he may reject faith in Jesus Christ. Either way, it was a unique opportunity and I took advantage of it.
But as for our US Soldier... he was wounded critically and they flew him to a larger base. However, the base Commander wanted the Chaplain to go with him. So I quickly packed a few belongings in a bag and hopped on the medical heilcopter with the crew and the wounded Soldier. I sat in the back and watched as three flight members (nurses and EMTs) worked on him... and I prayed the whole way! I figured my role here was to bathe this man in prayer and to ask God for protection, speed, and healing. It was a pretty awesome experience. The pilots fly at night with night vision goggles, which allow them to see everything pretty clearly. I was looking out the window at mountain passes and little villages down below us in the dark. They were hauling butt trying to get to the larger hospital ASAP. We had two blackhawk helicopters (gunships) escorting us at top speed. Kind of like having a police car with his lights on escorting you to the hospital and running all the red lights in town. It was pretty cool!
And the best news is the Soldier made it alive. He is still in critical condition, but has undergone two surgeries already to stabilize him. He will now be flown home to the USA for more medical treatment. His name is "Joe" and I ask that you lift him up in prayer. He will need more surgeries and probably a long recovery, but he is out of the woods and should be OK. Thank you, Lord.
I am back on my home base now. The last few days have been busy and somewhat hectic. I wanted to tell you what happened to me the on Monday night, but I have to leave out real names and some details. A US Soldier was wounded critically by "the bad guys" very close to where I was staying last weekend. He was taken to the ER on this FOB and they worked desperately to save his life. They called in a medical helicopter in an effort to fly him out of there and back to the larger base where there are more advanced medical facilities (including surgery). The team there worked on him as well as a local national man who was also wounded in the attack. I was allowed into the ER and close to the bedsides of both of these men. (The Chaplain has special privileges!). The local civilian allowed me to pray for him at his bedside while an interpreter translated my prayer into his native language. I was thrilled to get the opportunity to ask the Lord to save and heal this man, and he was receptive to my prayer. I understand that a good Muslim does respect Protestant and Catholic Chaplains as "men of the Book," even though he may reject faith in Jesus Christ. Either way, it was a unique opportunity and I took advantage of it.
But as for our US Soldier... he was wounded critically and they flew him to a larger base. However, the base Commander wanted the Chaplain to go with him. So I quickly packed a few belongings in a bag and hopped on the medical heilcopter with the crew and the wounded Soldier. I sat in the back and watched as three flight members (nurses and EMTs) worked on him... and I prayed the whole way! I figured my role here was to bathe this man in prayer and to ask God for protection, speed, and healing. It was a pretty awesome experience. The pilots fly at night with night vision goggles, which allow them to see everything pretty clearly. I was looking out the window at mountain passes and little villages down below us in the dark. They were hauling butt trying to get to the larger hospital ASAP. We had two blackhawk helicopters (gunships) escorting us at top speed. Kind of like having a police car with his lights on escorting you to the hospital and running all the red lights in town. It was pretty cool!
And the best news is the Soldier made it alive. He is still in critical condition, but has undergone two surgeries already to stabilize him. He will now be flown home to the USA for more medical treatment. His name is "Joe" and I ask that you lift him up in prayer. He will need more surgeries and probably a long recovery, but he is out of the woods and should be OK. Thank you, Lord.
Thank you for sharing this, for serving and praying. Thank you God for answering prayers.
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