Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Pictures

Connecting Through Crafts







John Micah's friend









Finally we are getting my computer working. Wanted you to enjoy these pictures. Now that it works there will be more to follow.

In His Mighty Grip,
Linda

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Bitter Sweet Week!

Dear All,

I am going in a little late today so I thought I would write to you before leaving. I was up early and out to where we rented our car to have the oil changed. While I was there we had a Code Red so I got to take cover there and wait for a little bit. One new worker from Nepal, when he heard the sirens took off running and dove into a connex that was close. I think he was a bit embarrassed when he realize that though we took cover the urgency was not quite as he thought. I won’t say time has made me or most complacent but by the time the siren goes off, whatever was coming, has already come. His buddies harassed him a bit but I patted him on the shoulder and told him it was okay. Better to do that than nothing! I remember my first and it does kind of rattle you some. Once the car was finished I took it for its monthly inspection. You have to have the car inspected monthly and the paper work you get is what allows you to get gasoline.

I went from there to do my laundry and it was wonderful because I walked in and there were three washers right there in a row. No waiting! Unheard of! I caught up on some computer In Kind stuff while I waited. By the way, I was picking up our mail the other day and one of the postal workers announced my arrival as I walked through the door. I was a little taken back and ask why , and he told me they all wanted to know who Linda Robinson was, the lady that gets more mail than any one on base. I grinned from ear to ear and in my head I saw each one of you. You have been amazing to provide and support this mission. I loved telling the workers there that it was a very support community of God’s people who wanted to do all they could for our troops to encourage and support them. You all got a hats off from all the postal workers. Thank you, thank you!

It has been a hard week in some ways. John Micah’s best friend , Blake, who I call my other boy, had a good friend from his old unit killed last week here. The young man had been in our home and it sadden me greatly to hear of his death. Army Sergeant Smith served his country well. I have thought so much about his family as they grieve and pray that God will encourage them and give them hope. I went down to the hospital to see if he had come through our hospital just because I knew that if he did he was honored and loving cared for as I see over and over down there. He had not come here. Tuesday out at the SF compound while I was doing the Untied Through Reading in the Chaplains office a young man came in looking for a book to read. I was the only one there at the time so we had a great visit. He is an Army medic and had spent the past month in the ER trauma ward in Baghdad doing some training. He had story after story and I found his strength and compassion for troops remarkable. Towards the end of the conversation I told about Blake’s friend. He knew exactly who I was speaking of and was one of the attending medics there that try everything to save this young man life. It meant so much to me that such a caring individual was there doing all that he could for Tim. I will probably never meet or know Tim’s family but if I ever get the chance I would love to reassure them that Tim was not alone when he died and that those around him were some of the most caring soul’s I have ever met. I came home that night feeling so blessed that God gave me that little gift of getting to meet one of America’s finest Army medics.

I had a very fun blessing this week also. One of John Micah’s friends who was based here came by the center and I got to spend the evening getting to know him. What a sharp young man. He had pictures of John Micah from when he was home on R&R and it just meant so much to get to be with him. Here is a picture of us together. Don’t be fooled that is near beer in my hand. We had a cook out that night at the center and they had near beer. Mom, near beer is non alcoholic! Tom wanted a picture drinking a beer with Rob’s mom in Iraq. Rob is what they call John Micah. He had some fun stories about John Micah and I love hearing him talk about my baby boy. I am thrilled for him as he has finished his time here and is on his way home.

It is now getting up in the 100's during the day, though today has cooled off and we are having quite the sand storm. I am not sure what the visbility is but it is bad out there. I am hacking and coughing.

Well I have got to get down to the center. I just wanted to say hi and tell you how special you are and how much I appreciate your support of me and our troops.

Well once again I can not get the pictures to upload. I will add them later. The joys of internet in Iraq. Nor will it allow me to spell check. I apologize for any glaring spelling arrows. I need Karen or Kathie to edit....

In His Mighty Grip,
Linda

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Trying To Catch Up!

Dear All,

I think we will hit our first 100 degree day. Day before yesterday the air changed and that nice crispness that was there vanished and you could feel the heat settling in. Though there is a breeze it is like a warm blow dryer coming at you. It does help though having the air circulate. I can’t imagine what it will be like come July. I’ll be sure to share. Well I started this blog two weeks and am just now getting to finish. The weather though warm has not been bad at all. Mild temperatures with somewhat cool nights and mornings!

What makes the days so fun are the troops that come in the center. Though we have many regulars we also get many that are just passing through Balad and find us. I can’t wait to get you a picture as we had another set of brothers come in the other night. Two darling young men and their third brother will arrive here soon. I understand that they were featured on one of your night news shows here recently. I just think of their mother and father. I will send her pictures every time I can get them together.

We got another order of 550 cord in yesterday so the Connecting Through Crafts is back running full swing. I think it is so fun to see the troops have fun doing that kind of stuff. It is one of those relaxing things that they can do and then send home or have for themselves. They are pretty funny about it. Well since I wrote last they have used all the 550 cord. We can’t believe it. We had probably 15 different colors and 500ft of each. They love making the bracelets and key chains. Time to reorder!

I am not sure I have ever told you about the OPSEC training I had some months ago. It is an important issue that all here has to know and follow. OPSEC stands for Operation Security! It is unfathomable to me that there would or could be those out their/terrorist that would go through trash or tap in to phone lines or emails or anything to gain information to try and use against our troops or civilians that are deployed. I am careful to never mention specifics of when we travel. Though it becomes public information quickly that we have mortar attacks here, hence the name “Mortaritaville” I am not to say where any of those may have hit at least not unless it has become public through media. Every package you send me I cut the labels off and the labels are shredded or burned. When I am on the phone I can’t share times and dates of specific events or dignitaries that are coming! All these things if not done properly could put others in harm’s way. This has all been new to me as I have lived a pretty sheltered life and in a very sheltered environment. Exact dates, times, locations are all romper room no no’s to share.
Week before last I went to another special part of this compound and spent the day filming United Through reading. What a thrill. I filmed 61 that day. That represents 105 children. Isn’t that cool? This group of troops rarely has the opportunity for special things so it was so nice to be able to provide it for them. They were so appreciative and being a first for most, it was a day to dry tears and encourage them they could make it through. One young man was so nervous and he finally said that this would be the first time his two year old son got to see him. Hard to believe and who knows why but how wonderful to think this little program had a part in introducing a father and son. I also had another new baby this week. One of my Dr. at the hospital had his third. A baby boy! I just turned in my March reports and we filmed 548 United Through Readings in the month of March. To the best of my calculations we have filmed, and by we I mean all you who have supported this, 1357. Imagine that! That is well over 2500 happy children who were recipients of your support and generosity.

I can’t remember if I mentioned in my blog but my friend Laurie did a chocolate candy drive and we received over four hundred pounds of chocolate. Thank you DynCorp and the Southern Cruisers! The troops have loved it and believe it or not, they have just about gone through it all. They open the fridge and you can hear them say Wow! Chocolate!

The center continues to get busier and busier. We have had many troops volunteer their time and we are trying to put together a schedule so we have the help we need in the center. Our Air Force units are only here for three/four month rotations and so every time we get them trained up they leave. The group that did so much to get our center up and running just left this week and it was another round of sad goodbyes. We have another new addition to our center. They built a deck on the side just outside our lounge. We had our inaugural cook out this past Sunday and the troops had a great time grilling, making guacamole and drinking near beer. The music was cranked up and the night full of laughter.

I need to close. I apologize that I can’t seem to write more often. My ninety to hundred hour weeks, though exciting and great and full of the very thing I love doing, supporting our troops does leave me at the end of the day pretty beat. Thank you for all the books you have sent.

In His Mighty Grip,
Linda