Letters from Chaplain Mary
BBC
Pastor Mary Scheer is a U. S. Air Force Chaplain, deployed in the Middle
East.
Every once in a while she gets a chance to write to us... please continue to pray for her health, safety, ministry, and her family.
Update from Pastor Mary, July 08
Well, it's the Fourth of July...happy fourth to you all. I had three services today. It was a sad day for many of us. So many are missing home and family and thinking about their home town parades and back yard barbeques. We sang God Bless America and America the Beautiful and others and there were some teary people. I even led some people in singing those songs a cappella, that was scary.
I preached on freedom today. I'm talking about when God led Moses to go
to Pharaoh and say, "Let my people go so they may worship me," and he led
them into the desert where they learned what it means to be free and what it
means to be in relationship with God. But I've been talking about
freedom in a setting with folks around who are not free at all and certainly
not free to worship God. I wondered how they heard my words and later
had a chance to ask two women what they thought about my words about freedom
and they said it sounded wonderful, but they've never lived anywhere where
they were free and couldn't imagine.
I know you won't believe this, but I've been in some situations lately where
I had to run out to a spot and deliver some prayers and a message, with no
equipment, no laptop and no notes!!!! Yes, I'm winging it!!! I
wish I could say that I've discovered to my great delight that I'm just
wonderful at winging it, but I can't. The advantage of course is easy
and quick movement and I can really connect with the people I'm looking at,
especially since I'm standing so close and I can look in their eyes.
However, it's hard for me to think and deliver a well polished speech.
So, here's what I'm doing...I imagine Jesus walking along talking with
his friends and the crowds that have drawn near. I remember that
mostly he just told them a story. So, I'm doing simple stories with an
illustration if I have one that fits. I realize it's ok if I'm not
perfect or if I don't tell the story exactly right because none of these
folks are bible scholars. Their needs are very simple; they want to
know if God sees them, if he hears their prayers and if he cares. They
do have questions about God and they've had some time to think about it, so
some have taken to dropping off questions or writing them on pieces of paper
and giving them to the Chaplain Assistant. Then, the next time I'm
around, I share a story that speaks to that.
Ministry here is going well. I'm busy all the time...I'm actually
getting tired of being busy...or maybe I'm just getting tired. I had
such huge plans for all the other work I would do while I was here, like
on-line classes and stuff...not happening. A couple people at church have
sent me books, thank you. Chuck sent one on Grace that I've read and now
it's being passed around. Gail and her small group with Jill, Diane,
and Sarah sent a book on the Daily Psalms which I love, it's the last thing
I read at night before I shut my eyes.
Several
of our troops are from areas that have been hard hit at home (it's in the
news...) and so being here has been that much more difficult. I talked
to a man today whose been away from home for more than a year and has a son
who is turning 1 year old tomorrow, that was born while he was here that he
has not seen yet. There's some tough situations and I cannot believe
how young
some
of these troops are. It just blows my mind to see these kids and for
so many it's their first deployment. But they're trained well.
I'm off to see some more people so I've got to run...or walk.
Oh, my gosh does it smell bad here. The heat is getting so hot that
it stings my eyeballs, really. And if anybody ever tells you those Abayas
and Burqa's aren't hot, they're lying. And the smell of burning oil and
burning garbage and waste, it's just the worst thing ever especially when
it's blowing at you in the hot gritty wind. Yuck.
I will sure miss being at the Downs for the New Member cookout. I
always look forward to that. I hope all the New Members know how thrilled I
am for them that they've joined the BBC family. Anyway, I'll go to bed
tonight like every night, trying to imagine the smell of hotdogs on the
grill. That's the first food I want when I get home.
Miss
you all, Mary
Update from Pastor Mary, 20 May 08
Hello my BBC friends and family,
Well, I’ve just completed my first week of deployment.
My trip in was long, one flight into Kuwait was nearly 13 hours. I'll share more details about the trip itself when I return. Anyway, needless to say after some scuttle in Kuwait and a harried arrival and admittance late at night, my "S.E.T." (Security Escort Team) missed me, but I wound up in the very capable hands of the General's Executive Assistant who was at the air port picking up the General’s luggage. (Although I’m surprised he let me in his car after I gave him a hard time making him show me his ID and stuff). He wound up with his luggage and a ("plus one"). When he called the base to say he was leaving the air port, he couldn't say over the radio or phone that he had me, he could only say he had a (plus one), so they had no idea where I was and they couldn't say who they were looking for or mention my name or title….so they were talking back and for about "you know who and you know what…" sounded like a regular Abbot and Costello. We made it and after handing off the “package” (which was me), I was safely inside the walls of the base. From there I was taken to a team of people who were waiting for me. About an hour later my Chaplain Assistant arrived but none of her luggage arrived and a week later she’s still missing one of her bags. Anyway, they showed us around, found our way to coffee and didn’t return to bunk down until around 2am.
The
Chaplain Assistant and I are usually running from 5:45am unit
12:30-1:00a.m., (18hr days at this point) sometimes more, some times less.
Someone asked me the other day how we’re covering the full 24 rotations and
I relayed the hours we’ve been keeping, although something will have to
change, but right now the pace is very fast and we’re doing a pretty good
job of keeping up.
We have several worship services, bible studies and small groups that I lead weekly. I also have ministry else where. Part of my duties is to coordinate the catholic services, making arrangements to get a priest here. I take care of his billeting, travel and arranging his “S.E.T.” There are several lay leaders that also hold meetings for various other faith traditions, bible studies and act as small group leaders in various locations. It’s really interesting. To see how much time and energy folks put into focusing on their faith in this setting.
The base I’m at is a G.S.U. (Geographically Separated Unit) attached to another unit in another country. The base is part of a larger group of “others” who are also located here….with other military branches and kinds of services working together in this location, but who are attached to other locations…
Because this base is part of a larger picture, there is a “Wing Chaplain,”
who supports Chaplains in a certain geographical location and the USCENTAF /
AFCENT Chaplain (who basically oversees all the Chaplains in the Central
Command Region). These Chaplains are located at different places and
could fly in if need be. The Wing Chaplain has been very supportive
and contacted me via email.
My first morning here I did a briefing for all the other incoming troops introducing them to myself and the chapel program. I barely remember that morning.
Everything here is the same color…brown. Even the air is brown, the sand, the rocks, all the structures…all brown. And they are all the same basic shape, so guess who gets lost all the time. :o) That’s ok, folks think I’m wandering around the camp praying over it.
The temperatures have been well into the 100’s but it’s a dry heat, so not too bad. I really like the warm sunny weather. But, it’s very windy and it’s a hot sandy, gritty wind that turns everything brown.
I constantly remember Ch. Lee Vermont’s words of warning when I’m in all my gear, or full “battle rack” as we call it, he said to be careful of my spine. So, ok, I probably should have lifted some more weights before I came, that stuff’s heavy! But I’m thankful for it.
There are many things I’m thankful for.
- The food’s not too bad, and I didn’t have to cook it
- I don’t have to do the dishes.
- There’s plenty of clean water
- There’s plenty of coffee
- My boots are really comfortable
- It’s warm and sunny
- I’ve seen some bugs and critters that look like they come from a science fiction movie, but so far…no camel spiders!
On a more serious note, I’ve been doing a lot of intense praying and I’m comforted knowing you are all at home praying for me and the folks I’m with. I can already recount some scenarios in which I’m sure your prayers made a difference.
I’ve already been asked to help in several different situations where I feel like my presence made a difference. The folks seem genuinely glad to have a chaplain near by and seek me out frequently. The services are well received and attended.
Oh, boy do I miss the Praise Team, our Choir and Chris. Music has such
an important place in worship. I’ve tried to gather all the musically
inclined and found some pretty good musicians to join my praise team (of
sorts), however, they don’t know the music that I know and vice versa.
It seems like no two of us know the same songs. And not everyone who
wants to participate is really that musically inclined….but it’s fun.
The chapel has a keyboard and a couple guitars…none of which are in tune or
tuned to each other, it’s hysterical, then add some singers to the
mix…everyone singing the song the way they sing it at their home church, oh
my…..is all I can say. But Bless God because several folks have asked
to participate in the services, offering to pray, hand out bulletins, greet
people, or whatever, it’s been wonderful. There’s even a couple “techi” type
people who have shown up just in the nick of time to help with my computer
dilemmas.
Prayer requests for us would be;
First of all for the safety of the troops here as they move about and do their jobs.
For the comfort and peace of mind for so many who have been here more than a year and miss there families terribly.
For the ability to sleep. It’s really difficult to sleep because of the hours, the pace, the lights and the noise. I’ve only been sleeping a couple hours a night and with the pace, the heat and the gear, I’m feeling it. So, please pray for sleep.
I’ll write more later - just know that I thank you for your prayers and well wishes. You are in mine as well.
In God’s care,
Pastor Mary