An Easter Remembered
I wrote the following to friends three years ago from the Baghdad Airport. Note that I didn't mention the location, which at that time was still an issue of operational security. April 20, 2003 Central Iraq Our worship services took a new direction with the arrival of Holy Week. For the past three weeks the unit had been involved in high intensity, mobile combat operations in the barren desert. Our weekly worship service took place beside my HMMWV whenever the mission allowed. I screwed the small aluminum cross and chalice from my chaplain's kit into their bases, set them on the side of my vehicle and offered those gathered the word and sacrament. By Palm Sunday, we had begun to make the transition from combat to stability and support operations. The unit had occupied an abandoned government facility and we prepared to celebrate Palm Sunday under the large porch of a real building. My chaplain assistant quickly assembled a choir and we cut fresh palm branches from th...