Just to break up the heated debates over the presidency, I just thought I'd share an email from a friend whom I sent a bunch of cbid smokes and other provisions to recently for the troops in Iraq. Very inspiring no matter what side of the fence your on!!!
My dear brother monks, family and friends, 1 Oct 2004
Yesterday was a banner day of sorts. In the morning we had a moderate dust storm, then a moderately heavy mortar/rocket attack, then a few drops of rain, then mid-afternoon as I was getting ready to head out to do Mass at the Army camps-thunder and lightning. The temp never broke 95 and we all are relishing the relative cool.
You might find some details about life here interesting, and get a better insight into what folks go through daily. First on most people's minds is chow. We have a chow hall that seats about 500 at a time, altogether feeding in our camp several thousand. It is always crowded and noisy. Food is relatively good, compared to our first time in Iraq, when we had only MREs. We usually have lettuce and tomatoes, in addition to a main entrée. We get steak on Saturday nights, albeit a little overdone, usually black. The consistently best menu item, I think, is potatoes, which always are well done and taste good.
1 Nov 2004
I intended to finish this some time ago-events and work have intervened. The days fly by, I can hardly remember which day it is sometimes. The weather has cooled down into the 70's for the last few days-feels so good. And at the moment it is raining for a few minutes, not much compared to Oregon, but rain it is. Should settle the horrible dust and help lots of people who are developing some bad respiratory problems. I suffered for about a week from what I'm calling "Saddam's revenge"-not a pleasant experience. Since the toilets are a good 3 minute walk, one must take nature's 911 calls seriously, and promptly. The dust in some areas is a couple inches thick, like fine talcum, which hangs in the air when blown around, and manages to hang in the air quite a while even inside buildings. Sometimes walking back from the shower huts you wonder why you bothered.
The mortar/rocket attacks have increased, now almost daily, sometimes a couple times a day. We attempted to start our RCIA group a few weeks ago, and it ended mid-way with an attack that found us on the ground and praying the rosary. Good introduction into Catholic spirituality! It reminded me of the Columbus Day Storm (a hurricane in Oregon) during which my brother, who was 8, insisted we not stop praying the rosary! I've been in the SSTP (Surgcial Schock/Trauma medical tents) while the docs have been operating, and even during the attacks they don't seek cover, continuing their efforts to save lives and limbs. The AC is turned off in the surgery tents to keep the injured warm, so we all sweat profusely. The sweat drips off the docs' noses and onto the floor. But they keep on working. Quite inspiring folks. Mind you the booms from these attacks sometimes shake the buildings, sucking the air out from the compression. Sounds like thunder real close, that cracking sound with a boom. It's unnerving, and we often find ourselves walking on base wondering where and when the next one will hit. But so far we've been relatively lucky.
My work in the SSTP has been challenging. We have a radio tuned in for notification, and anytime of the day or night we are called to the SSTP tents. Sometimes the wounded are in life-threatening situations, and sometimes they do die. Yesterday one did, and his Marines took it pretty hard. Typically they are hit by IEDs. One recent situation found our guys ambushed and then a suicide driver rammed into them. The terrorists have no consciences in our sense of the word-they intimidate many people into spying for them, setting up IEDs, etc. Any locals who work on our bases, even barbers or cleaning people are eventually butchered and maimed. Many of the insurgents are not Iraqi, but Syrian, Iranian, etc. They believe they must kill all who are not Muslim. That was a hard thing for me to realize.
Some of the Marines working in counter-intelligence, who are daily in the villages talking to the people and looking for bad guys, are extremely bright and articulate guys. Their assessment from their discussions with the locals is that most of the Iraqis who are involved in the insurgency are only doing so for two reasons: their families are being threatened if they do not, or they have lost the jobs they had under Saddam. They must maintain dignity as the provider of the household, so they accept jobs from the insurgents who are happy to pay them to do their dirty work. If they had jobs their involvement would cease. But that cannot happen until we restore security. Then we can offer them more jobs, build more factories, schools and hospitals, etc., which has been done on a very large scale already, but of which the press reports nothing.
The Marines find that the vast majority of Iraqis are glad we are here, but they want us to restore security and then leave. No surprise there, except that the media doesn't seem to be out in the streets finding this out. For the most part they hardly leave their hotels, as they are frightened. Recently one officer told me he was present at a media meeting with the Marines. When the reporter kept asking the Marines to tell them everything they were doing and all the plans they had, one of the young Corporals asked the reporter, "If you had knowledge that one of our convoys was going to be attacked, would you tell us what you know?" The answer was an incredible, "It depends on whether or not we were scheduled to be with you on that convoy."
The local television media is also intimidated by the insurgents. They report exactly as dictated by the terrorists, for the same reasons of intimidation as mentioned above.
I've done more anointings (of the sick and dying) and prayers for the dead in the last two months than I care to remember. And I have been so immensely inspired by the wounded flown into our SSTP. One example (that is repeated in very similar fashion over and over): after his surgery a young Marine was waking up, and my task was to tell him he had lost his leg. His response was simply, "Well, I guess it goes with the job." Then immediately he asked about his buddy. I had to tell him his buddy had just died. He let out a string of epithets, much more upset about his buddy than losing his own leg. Often the guys are insistent that they do not want their parents or spouses notified of injuries, as they know it only will increase their worry. Some of these have just had their bodies ripped up, and have finished major surgery! But their concern is not for themselves. They are the reason I consider it such a huge privilege to be here with them. I feel blessed a thousand times over to be doing the Lord's work here! Quite a few times when I've just finished hours of work at the SSTP and lay down to get rest, the radio goes off again, "Wounded incoming in 15 minutes," and I must admit, at first sometimes I feel annoyed, but then I remind myself of these great guys and the privileged work I am asked to do. How can I not be energized! My tiredness is really nothing next to their condition.
Last Sunday the generator went out ten minutes before Mass started, so we had a real candlelight Mass, singing a cappella, etc. I've started a choir which is doing well, and have also started a barbershop quartet and teaching keyboard lessons for a little morale boost. Quite a good turnout-takes their mind off things for a little while, too. We had a special Mass on St. Michael the Archangel's Day, Patron of Marines. And in a couple of days, we will begin a novena of Masses for an end to the violence and for the conversion of the terrorists' hearts. As a kid the sisters had us pray daily every morning in school "for the conversion of Russia." Hope this prayer doesn't take that long to work.
We have movie tent that runs 24-7. I haven't had a chance to watch one yet, but the tent always has someone trying to unwind, getting off night duty, etc.
I try to bless all of the convoys leaving here, usually at night before they leave. They gather around in a circle and we pray (one of the enclosed pics shows that). The Marines who run the convoys are great guys, mostly from an Alabama unit. I went on a convoy with them two weeks ago, and I was most impressed (and a little nervous!). They must sit for hours on end in those Humvees which are VERY uncomfortable. (After only 20 minutes my knees were splitting, since you cannot move your feet at all in the back seat.) We arrived in Baghdad's airport camp and collapsed on cots about 5am. Then during the day we played cards (another pic shows that) until departure that next night.
They often must drive all night, sometimes as long as 24 hours at a stretch, with many of the local trucks they are escorting breaking down in the middle of nowhere, tires blowing out, engines giving up, etc. They have incredible spirits, energy, and determination. They love cigars, and recently some friends of mine sent a boxfull, which gave great satisfaction to the Marines, as we had a "smokeout" next to the chapel. The cigars were a bigger hit than my usual SOP with M&Ms! So now when people ask what to send, I add cigars at the top of the list.
Tiny gnats are always a nuisance. Their bite is worse than mosquitoes, and the accompanying itch lasts well over a week. A few guys have gotten bitten by something else at night, waking up to terrific pain and swelling that takes days to subside. I always check my boots before donning them!
Must get ready for All Saints' Day Mass. You are remembered by all of us here daily at the Eucharist. We depend heavily in like manner on your prayers, too.
God bless you!
Fr. Karl, OSB
