I am closing in on six weeks “in country” or “in the sandbox” as it is commonly referred to here. I have the day off today and was relaxing in bed reading this morning when I was distracted by some chatter on the radio. I then realized that I had unconsciously blocked out the sounds coming from just over the wall (about 100 yards away). You see there is a Mosque over there with a loud speaker mounted above it. Beginning at 5:30 every morning the Imam begins his call to prayer. The chanting sometimes continues for hours at a time without a break (I have actually heard him coughing he becomes so loud). It is amazing at times that I realize that I don’t even hear him anymore.
So I just read this quote by Richard Wagner,”I speculate that it’s the Church’s collective knowledge of experiences on earth-the terrible reality of sin and disobedience-that will enable believers to successfully live in heaven in a way that Adam and Eve failed to do in the Garden of Eden”.
The discussion on the radio was referring to gunfire near the Mosque. I then put down the book and realized that I had also blocked out some serious automatic gunfire. This is the second day that it has occurred in the same location. Gunfire is not uncommon here, but it is not usually this close to our compound. I just continued to ponder the words quoted above as I listened to the now rapid gunfire mixed with the non-stop prayers of the Imam.
You know some say that the Garden of Eden was near where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers merge and I am approximately fifty miles south of that location. My how things here have changed!
I then heard the guys on duty at the gate talking over the radio about getting the kids inside and realized they were concerned for their safety due to the gunfire (these are the little guys that had their picture taken with me a few weeks ago). Within minutes they were right back outside as the gun fire continued. Are they already anesthetized to the sounds of war? My mind wondered to a conversation I recently had with the very guy that was concerned for them. As we watched them playing among the garbage and filth in the streets, I had asked him if he ever considered why were they born here and not us???
Please pray for the children of Iraq.
God Bless,
Randy