"We Will Not Forget You."

 "We Will Not Forget You" - The Support Our Troops packing-team - Christmas, 2013

3 December 2013

     You hear the most absurd and insidious comments come out of people's mouths. I had to mention this because on Sunday a core group of us at our church packed up Christmas boxes for the troops in Afghanistan. One person had asked a friend to contribute some items for the boxes or at least some money to pay for the mailing costs. This person responded with "I thought the war was over and everybody was home!" Another person helping with the packing jumped into the conversation and replied that he had heard that from a couple people, and that all the troops would be home for Christmas. We all chuckled. Most of the people packing up the boxes had sons or daughters serving in Afghanistan or had done some time over there or in Iraq. One person mentioned how much the misinformed comments hurt them personally. We all intently listened, but we also all understood that for the majority of Americans who don't have a personal attachment to the war in Afghanistan, they continue to live on micro sound-bites they think is news of the day. Please understand that my church is comprised of fairly well-to-do and generally highly educated Washington suburbanites. We have a high number of our parishioners who served in the military and they in turn raised sons and daughters who are serving today. The current administration is doing a wonderful con-job in making a majority of citizens believe the war is ending, every one is coming home, and we'll be out of there by next year. The parents I talked to while packing up the boxes for the troops know better. They still quietly pray for their sons and daughters and do the best they can to take their minds off their anxiety.

     This is the seventh year - mark that - the seventh year our church has been providing a little bit of home for the troops. We do it every month and promise not to stop until it really is true that the troops are clearing out and coming home. It's our hope. In the meantime, we can never forget them. The greater sin is to forget them.