MY Soldier...

So I have this friend. We'll call him J. J and I met when I worked at the Padnos International Center at GVSU. He was an intern in the office after graduating with degrees in Political Science, Middle Eastern studies, Arabic and Farsi. Yeah, he's pretty intelligent. It's true.

J was with us for a couple months until he interviewed and accepted a new job. With the U.S. military. After taking the position, J was off to Virginia for some training and then it was on to Iraq where he would be a translator.

That's where J is now. In Iraq. Over there.

Though the label on his fatigues says contractor instead of soldier, I still consider him MY soldier. I try to send packages when I can, email, instant message...whatever I can do to stay in contact and offer some encouragement. Perhaps it seems like a translating job wouldn't be such a big deal, but his translating has quickly progressed from documents and desk work to actual missions in the field. Just today he told me I shouldn't expect to hear from him for the next three weeks or so. There's no telling where he might end up, what he might do, who might drop bombs or shoot bullets at him, or when it will all be over.

And I hate that.

J and I weren't even that close before he left, but through this experience I've come to worry about him as I suppose a mother would. I fear for his safety. I wonder if he's being taken care of. And now, for the first time in my life, I'm beginning to understand what war does to people and to their families. I've always been grateful for our soldiers and the manner in which they protect us, but I've never had it touch me as close as J's experience.

With the election season upon us, much is being debated about the war in Iraq, our troops, time lines, deadlines, and the like. Where in the past it may have just been a policy issue to me, the paradigm has shifted this year as I contemplate J being in the midst of it all. It's scary. It's troubling. But it helps me to realize the value, significance, and cost of war.

Whatever you believe about the war, whatever your political or ideological stance may be, right now I simply ask you to lay it aside and say a prayer for J. For I don't know where he is. I don't know what he's doing. I don't know when this assignment will all be over.

All I know is that our prayers will help him through, and knowing that you're praying as well may help me through...

*I know that many of you have your own stories and soldiers overseas as well. Please feel free to post their names and locations so we can pray for them all.