An e-mail from Afghanistan

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A man who goes to church with me is a reservist and recently was called to Afghanistan. He's a fine man and has served as a Scoutmaster for several years now; we who know him do not tend to think of him as a military man.

Here's an e-mail he sent today to a number of his friends and relatives back home. It is a reminder that there are real people, real Americans, our neighbors, who have homes and families and jobs, who are risking their lives on our behalf every day. :

Well here is the latest of my patrols. I went out yesterday and was a bit
hesitant. The only thing I could rely on was my training. I thought much of what
was happening around my world and took out my best suit. I cannot and will not
forget why I am here or the reason why so many before me.

As the elections come closer . . . the shooting and anti-American posters
go up. Many people from villages are given a hard time against the
elections. If the Taliban finds them with a voter’s card they are beaten
or shot. At one of the villages we came across a family that was
threatened and their family member locked in a room with all their personal
belongings. They were looking for the interpreter that was helping the
Americans. They came to kill him. I was so amazed oh heck I was
straight out flabbergasted. The wrong powers that be believe that if one
person is in charge, it is evil and should be stopped at all cost.

Oh well, I was pretty mad about the whole thing. I advise the squad
leader to check this place out where they had anti American posters. But
as luck has it we were only a squad size and more support was going to be needed
in order to enter the village.

Home we went throwing bottled water and candy to the children of the
villages. Oh how sad these villages look. They remind me of
ants. The children make me very sad. You give them a pen, and they
are so happy! Not just the pen but the fact that an American solder came
and gave them that pen. Regardless of what the world may hear, Americans
do what we can to start the ball rolling. We cannot be expected to keep it
rolling. It must be kept rolling by those who need it most. A school
was open down here and they are grateful for any supplies soldiers can give
pencils, pens and paper.

Pause. Wow, did I write all this . . .