Thursday, September 11, 2008
Here's a video of a flag raising ceremony conducted today in honor of the fallen heroes. The 327th MP Battalion will never forget!
"As we near the end of our deployment, its difficult to keep our minds clear, and our focus on completing the mission. Thoughts of our family, friends, and our own comfortable beds tend to distract even the most squared away soldier. Today, we're having an awards ceremony and I'm planning on using Galatians 6:9 for the invocation: "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up". This was the verse we adopted for our battalion as the theme for this deployment. I'm going to remind all these fine warriors that even though there were many opportunities to grow weary, getting so tired that they could have given up...they didn't. And today, they will be honored for their perseverance. Now we can all thank God for giving us the strength for seeing us through. Today, they will reap a harvest, they will receive an award for their honorable service. To all of you prayer warriors that have been so diligent in praying us through this deployment, please pray that our re-deployment goes smoothly, all "boxes get checked", and we move safely through all the hoops. Boots on ground in the good ole' USA is so very close...I'll post again when we hit ground. Peace be with you all!
CH (CPT) Ray Ayers
CH (CPT) Ray Ayers
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Thank You!
Dear Friend! We received your package today and your timing was perfect. We are getting ready to prepare for going home (redeployment) and the chaplain assistant and I are cleaning up our care package area. Since we will be leaving soon (yippee!) we're asking all of our faithful donors to discontinue any further shipments. We wouldn't want to miss anything that was lovingly prepared for us :-)
On that note, you and your Bible class are so kind to be thinking of us and encouraging us with your thoughfulness. You have touched lives here for Christ and I can now better understand how He "feeds" us so He can truly "feed" us. The soldiers always ask: "Who are all these people that send you all this stuff Chaplain?" I of course, take the opportunity to say: "These Lutherans are good people aren't they! All they're doing is sharing the love they have from Jesus". Works great when you can hand them some candy at the same time!
You will never grasp the impact you have had on these soldiers and the ministry into which God has called me. I can't imagine now, coming over here and living through what we've been through, without the love and support of God's people. I will cherish your words of encouragement and the way your care for us has seen us through. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Thanks again, and God bless you richly, for you have been a tremendous blessing to us.
In His Grip,
CH (CPT) Ray Ayers
327th MP BN, Chaplain
On that note, you and your Bible class are so kind to be thinking of us and encouraging us with your thoughfulness. You have touched lives here for Christ and I can now better understand how He "feeds" us so He can truly "feed" us. The soldiers always ask: "Who are all these people that send you all this stuff Chaplain?" I of course, take the opportunity to say: "These Lutherans are good people aren't they! All they're doing is sharing the love they have from Jesus". Works great when you can hand them some candy at the same time!
You will never grasp the impact you have had on these soldiers and the ministry into which God has called me. I can't imagine now, coming over here and living through what we've been through, without the love and support of God's people. I will cherish your words of encouragement and the way your care for us has seen us through. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Thanks again, and God bless you richly, for you have been a tremendous blessing to us.
In His Grip,
CH (CPT) Ray Ayers
327th MP BN, Chaplain
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