Brent & Wes preparing our wall of windows for imminent winter.In February we bid farewell to about 10 guys and girls who were deploying for 7-12 months. We planned on being gone even before their mid-tour leaves. God knew we would be here when they come back...and so we are.
We had the great joy of welcoming Brent home two weeks ago. He had volunteered for an assignment with the Army, that didn't involve his pilot training in anyway, his was the only trip that was 7 months. Listening to his story is encouraging, challenging, and heartbreaking. God used his time there to reveal deep truths about Brent's life, his goals, and his gifts. He has shared with us the bond he built with soldiers "down range" and the scope of his responsibility while there. His conversation comes with such a weight of responsibility. He was able to help those who needed it, and saw the consequences of what happened without that help. I think that Brent is a great Soldier/Airman not because of his love of country, but because of his love for Jesus. He has a desire to see lives saved, hearts uncalloused, and people acting out of selfless motives.
Having Brent home now gives Wes and I a great picture of what to expect. Obviously no two experiences are the same, but it's a good alert to how to interact and deal with guys who have spent a year in Afghanistan. What to ask, what not to ask, and when to do it. I think it is safe to say we will now begin to prayerfully consider the homecoming of our friends. Brent isn't experiencing any Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) but some of our guys might, and if not this time around, possibly in the future. That is some thing we'll do some reading on before February.
Pray along with us for the spiritual implications of war in the lives of our soldiers.
We asked him what he missed most about home (aka, Anchorage) other than generalities like bread and milk, he missed "Moose's Tooth" a local restaurant with specialty pizza and a micro brewery. But he also told us that he'd promised the guys in Afghanistan to wait until they could join him to go there.
We had the great joy of welcoming Brent home two weeks ago. He had volunteered for an assignment with the Army, that didn't involve his pilot training in anyway, his was the only trip that was 7 months. Listening to his story is encouraging, challenging, and heartbreaking. God used his time there to reveal deep truths about Brent's life, his goals, and his gifts. He has shared with us the bond he built with soldiers "down range" and the scope of his responsibility while there. His conversation comes with such a weight of responsibility. He was able to help those who needed it, and saw the consequences of what happened without that help. I think that Brent is a great Soldier/Airman not because of his love of country, but because of his love for Jesus. He has a desire to see lives saved, hearts uncalloused, and people acting out of selfless motives.
Having Brent home now gives Wes and I a great picture of what to expect. Obviously no two experiences are the same, but it's a good alert to how to interact and deal with guys who have spent a year in Afghanistan. What to ask, what not to ask, and when to do it. I think it is safe to say we will now begin to prayerfully consider the homecoming of our friends. Brent isn't experiencing any Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) but some of our guys might, and if not this time around, possibly in the future. That is some thing we'll do some reading on before February.
Pray along with us for the spiritual implications of war in the lives of our soldiers.
We asked him what he missed most about home (aka, Anchorage) other than generalities like bread and milk, he missed "Moose's Tooth" a local restaurant with specialty pizza and a micro brewery. But he also told us that he'd promised the guys in Afghanistan to wait until they could join him to go there.
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