A Collection for Women

I first published this page on another blog that I write, and I am republishing it here to present it in the continuity of this series of poems I wrote on women and our experiences in war and to add all of these poems to my poetry blog.  I have written many other poems about all the roles women play in war, and I hope you will read them as well.   Here again I offer some of the thoughts that I experienced as I anticipated a trip to Washington D.C. where I was to visit with two of my "women of war" friends.

I was thinking again this morning about how the women of the world develop relationships of sisterhood in many different shared experiences.  I am certain that a large factor to this is found in the role of motherhood which is a common experience for many women, and a profound role for any woman.  Falling in love with men is another shared  emotional experience that is so life imprinting when it is experienced by a woman. On Friday I am flying into Washington, and part of my anticipation and excitement lies in the spending of time with two cherished women who are among the strongest in mind, heart, and spirit of my women friends.  One is a relatively new friend, and I am delighting in coming to know more about her life, her interests, where she draws her incredible strength from, her life challenges, and her strategies for meeting them.  For in these observations, I will gain strength and skills for my own life, and I hope too, to share the skills that I have won in my life in order to give empowerment and encouragement to her.  The other friend I have had for awhile, and come to deeply admire.  When something is truly challenging in my life, I seek out her wisdom.  Her life, and that of her husband are a testimony to what has built and sustained our nation, they are people who have truly offered self-less service to our country, and in essence to the world.  The poem I wrote entitled Rare and Remarkable Women was written in tribute to this amazing friend.  Following that poem you will find several others about the women of war.

Call From a Soldier

 I know from experience with my husband just how frustrating dealing with the Veteran's Administration can be.  There are those who have come home from war with wounds both visible and invisible who must rely on the V.A. to meet their continuing need for medical care.  Unless you have experienced the trial of trying to obtain services from the V.A., you can't imagine how frustrating the process can be.  I truly believe it is purposely designed that way to cause some looking for services to give up, and stop seeking the help they need.  Some of the stress of seeking needed medical care can be due to individuals who are employed by the V.A. who for unknown reasons seem to enjoy making obtaining their benefits difficult, because those individuals are not caring people, in fact they enjoy the power they wield over service members.  No matter what the reason, the frustration and stress should not exist for those who have borne the burden of the last twelve years of the present conflict.

Call From A Soldier

I received a call from a Soldier today.

He was struggling and found himself again in dismay.

As I listened sadness swept over me, many times for these brave I have made defense,

Sometimes the way we treat our Soldiers just doesn’t make sense.

We ask so much, take so much then profess great care.

But when it comes down to it, the burden they have to bear.

We make them wade through paperwork and bureaucracy without end.

We appoint them an advocate, but really for themselves they must fend.

“Jump through this hoop, sign here, and go to that corner and stand.”

There are so many requirements and so many demands.

Everyone knows that to these valiant warriors we all owe,

How is it then that in the end we become the foe?

When they reach the brink of what they can shoulder,

They tend to give up, walk away, as their resentments begin to smolder.

I wonder often if the system is not of such a design,

As to so discourage a Soldier that they give up in time.

When an enemy stands sinister and dark at the door,

The whole world looks to these men and women and implores.

Leadership with lofty words sends them out,

Their mission is the enemies of freedom to rout.

Of all the debts that the people of a nation share,

Is there one like we owe to these men and women that can compare?

I received a call from a man who used to be a Soldier today,

He was struggling and again found himself in dismay.

Dedicated to Jared Campbell and all those who have so nobly served with him, may this nation always remember and respect what they have given.  March 2011.

For of Such is the Kingdom of God

I learned of something yesterday that made my heart catch in complete happiness.  My little Kenna Bear made a profession of faith on Sunday while at church.  She is the youngest of our grand-children, has spent a great deal of time in my arms since she was born, and shared her soul with me.  To learn of her sealing of her heart to the Father caused tears of blessedness for me.  One of the most difficult things I face as we move to the Middle East is the separation from our grand-children, nothing in this world means more to us.  Seeing them come to the Lord ensures that one day we will leave this world to spend eternity in our forever home, and never be separated from, or lonely for them again.  When I am absent from the presence of our grand-children I am in constant loneliness for them.  Being with them is the greatest delight I experience in this life, along with being with my husband and our children.

 I love this picture of McKenna, it really captures her insides... which are so lovely!

When my husband first deployed to war in April of 2009, you would never have been able to convince me that there would be but one blessings that would come to us.  The sacrifice that separation has required from me I do not have the words to convey , and other than knowing that we both were fulfilling God's will in our lives by Randy's service, I anticipated nothing but the blessing that comes from that.  However, God being God, there were and are so many rich blessings, I can no longer count them all.  Some of those blessings have been of such a surprising nature.  Coming to know Canon Andrew White, because of Randy's service with first the Army, and then the State Department has been one of those surprise blessings.  He is known the world over as The Vicar of Baghdad, and known to our hearts as a dear friend, and a pastor to the people of Baghdad who desire to know the True and Living God.  An even greater blessing has come with coming to know some of the people he pastors, and to love them as family.  We rejoice with them when they rejoice, and mourn with them when they mourn, and the people of Iraq have come to be knit to our hearts, as we have seen God's great love for them, how He cherishes and provides for them, even as great evil attacks and causes them to suffer desperately.

One day Andrew posted to Facebook the following story, which reflected so vividly what life as a Christian is like in the Middle East.  It will cost you something more than the usual to follow Him in Baghdad Iraq, and those Brothers and Sisters in the Lord have my prayers everyday.  After the events portrayed in the story below, what I learned from these little children became another rich blessing from God. I would never have known all these little children have taught me without Randy's willingness to serve our country and our people in the United States Army and the State Department.  I thank God everyday for men such as my husband and Canon Andrew White, and for the children of St. George's Church, who love God, and with joy and abandon claiming Him Lord and Savior.  May God be with them daily as they struggle and triumph in the face of adversity such as I have never known.  Knowing of their lives, seeing their faces which reflect their innocence, joy, peace, and God's amazing love, causes a sensation in me of awe and wonder at what God has done, and is doing, in Iraq.  Had their lives been taken that day by the terrorists, they would have instantly been transported to their forever home to be with the God they love, and that is the ultimate of obtaining blessing.  Instead they were protected by our God, and left in this world a witness to the joy and peace that God brings to every true believer, no matter what the circumstances they face in this world.  As Matthew 19:14 so beautifully states, "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Below you will find what I wrote in tribute to the beautiful children of St. George's Church, Baghdad, Iraq, the day that God spared their lives to leave them in this world as a testimony for all to see of true love and devotion to God, and for each of us to be blessed by.  I thank you Father God for their lives, for their love of You and the testimony of their love, and as on each day is my habit, I ask your favor and blessings for them today, may they know they are loved by You, and by me.

I love photographs, truly one picture can be worth a thousand words, Al Hassan H. Fahmi, of Baghdad, Iraq took this one. Last Tuesday, a week ago, as a group of children from St. George Church, Baghdad, Iraq, were on their way by bus to church for their communion classes, a suicide bomber left this world for the next as their bus passed.  He was Taliban of Al Qaeda, and the purpose of this bombing is believed to have been an effort to free Taliban members held prisoner in a nearby Iraqi jail.  As the children later related the story to their pastor and our dear friend, Brother Andrew White, they told him that they began singing and praying, because God had delivered and protected them from the blast.  These children know well the explosions of violence which occur daily in Iraq.  In their lifetimes all they have ever known is war.  They were born during war, and its horrors and its thefts of security and peace are constant companions to them and everyone else in Iraq.  Yet the faith in Jesus Christ of these children did not leave them crying and screaming at the death and injuries around them, but because of  their faith, they remained calm as the bus sped on, trying to escape the danger.

They had not escaped at that point however, and another huge blast shook the bus, blowing out all the windows and badly damaging the bus.  Here is Brother Andrew's account of what happened:

From Baghdad, Canon White
Terrible Bomb Blast of Our Children’s Bus and They're  All Alive

Dear Friends,

We are used to of bad days but today it has been in a different league. Central to our work and ministry here are our children. One of the biggest services of the year is when some of our children have there first communion. This service at the end of August. The children prepare everyday with

about two hours of sessions. They all come to church in our bus and are then taken home.

As they were on their way home today they were caught up in a major bomb. The bus was not too badly damaged and it continued it journey. All of children started singing the Lords Prayer. As they were in the midst of their prayer a huge bomb exploded. All the glass of the windows shattered, people fell to the floor injured and one of the teachers was in a very bad way. They were all taken to hospital but were all discharged as none of them had life threatening illnesses. In a normal country there is no way that some of the teachers would have been discharged. One person was hardly breathing and in profound shock. She was brought to the church and I looked after her until she was more stable. Only then could I leave to visit all the children.

It was wonderful seeing all the children. Despite their injuries they were all smiling, their parents were not some were in floods of tears on learning what happened. The fact is that today was miraculous. When you see the state of the bus it is simply a major miracle that nobody died or was more seriously injured. The children knew quite clearly why, they just kept telling me that they were alright because they were praying and G-d was with them and He was.

Many tears were shed and there are huge things still to do and there are people who still need treatment. Please pray for us as we try and recover from another trauma.

Grace, Peace, and Blessings,

Andrew

While they were badly shaken, and of course needed comfort, they are doing very well now.  A couple of days later, Brother Andrew posted the picture at this link, and I have not been able to escape its captivating message, you won't be either...

 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151159402041369&set=a.65409196368.79084.617111368&type=1&theater

I wrote the following poem in tribute to these amazing children, and God's power and glory! 

For of Such is the Kingdom of God

The picture I see shows them smiling and beguiling, love and peace is seen in each eye.

Some would not understand how it can be that these beautiful children do not cry.

Death brushed by these happy young faithful, and from the crowd took nineteen.

Enemies within had brought death, and until the destruction, had remained unseen.

With the first blast of violence, in the bus they began sweetly to pray and sing,

Like Paul when he was in prison in a hole in the ground, and God gave him wings.

Then came the second roaring blast, which left their bus shattered and damaged.

God’s guardian angels brought His protection, to these precious, no harm was managed.

God’s divine knowledge and understanding, we know our children does not always spare.

Even then in life wrecking grief, we know always the sure mercies of His love and care.

This time, while I do not comprehend what hidden wisdom has held back His hand,

I find such faith in their young lives, and inspiration, as they for Jesus take their stand.

This miracle reminds me of words spoken long ago to little children by the one who is My Rock.

When he said, “it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom, so fear not little flock.”

I sometimes worry about Brother Andrew, as he travels the world seeking support for the Christians of St. George, they do not have an easy life.  At any moment their faith could cost them, or someone they love, their life.  You will find links on Brother Andrew's facebook page,  and the St. George's page where you can make your own pledge of support for the work in Iraq, and follow there what The Living God is doing in Iraq.  God's blessings will surely be yours if you keep these faithful in Iraq, especially these beautiful and courageous young Christians, in your prayers.