Sunday, July 01, 2007

A Shepherd Comes Back to His Flock

Rev. Y returned from deployment in Germany. He is an Airforce chaplain and every once in a while he is deployed or activated and sent someplace. The last couple times he has been sent to Antartica for a few months, a few years back when the World was trying to negotiate with North Korea he was deployed to the area for something, but he never really told us what it was-- matter of fact, he didn't even tell the congregation where he was going until after he came back. It was a hush-hush mission.

Rev. Y returned from his latest deployment. He had been sent to Germany to the military hospital that all wounded soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq are cycled through on their way back to the states. He got caught in the snafu of the airlines this past week. He missed flights and got delayed. He got to Chicago and had missed his flight to Indy, so some members of the congregation went and got him. He preached last night for the first time in about two months.

The smile he had on his face was brilliant. He was so happy to be home. You could tell that this assignment had been very stressful. He looked very tired and like he lost quite a bit of weight. He said at one point in the service that there was much he wanted to tell us and much the he didn't want to tell, or that we just wouldn't want to hear.

He ministered directly to the soldiers being evacuated from the various zones of operatinos they were in. He always comes back so much stronger in his faith. I think God uses these deployments as way to strenghten Rev. Y's faith and gives hime knowledge to minister to us, his flock. I could tell he was thrilled to be home.

It was good to have him home. Relax, Rev. Y, you deserve it.

2 comments:

thirdworstpoetinthegalaxy said...

Stupid war.

Great of him to do that, though. I'm sure he's appreciated.

loofrin said...

He doesn't have much choice. The government says go there, so he goes, be it Antartica, or Germany.