Honoring the Virginia National Guard

1710 Transportation Company hostess, Sergeant First Class Clara Vargas teams with Military Ministry staff for the 14 December 2008 Christmas Celebration for VA National Guard families awaiting the return of their loved ones from deployment to Iraq (76 days to go)

(left to right) Retired Army Chaplain David Bates, Lynn Kirsch, Mitchell Ethan Bogle, SFC Clara Vargas, Retired USAF Brenda Anthony

About 70 men, women and children of the Virginia National Guard attended a special luncheon given in honor of their troops currently serving in Iraq.  SFC Clara Vargas, a new friend of the ministry who first learned of Military Ministry’s programs and resources at a Military Marriage Seminar earlier this year, invited this team to join them to encourage their troops and families through resources and spiritual support like she had received last summer.  SFC Vargas set up an station inside the National Guard Armory, where the luncheon took place, and the team met and get to know about 50 soldiers and family members who attended, and sent them off with a Military Ministry bag of life-changing resources to take home from the event.  Resources included a Rapid Deployment Kit (RDK), Psalm 91, Standard Bearer newsletter, information flyers about new Combat Trauma resource, and a pen.  Here are a few of the new friends of Military Ministry from the Virginia National Guard:

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Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Michelle Rose is very passionate about caring for the spiritual care and healing of the Guard men and women of the 1710^th Transportation Company, one of the four sub-units of the 529th Combat Sustainment Support Battallion (CSSB) assigned to her command.

LtCol Michelle Rose presented her Commander’s Coin to the planning committee of the 1710th Trans. Co. Christmas celebration, 14 Dec 08.

Staff Sergeant Louis Manley signs the Military Ministry comment card committing to pray for military marriages and families.

For 27 years, Staff Sergeant (SSG) Louis Manley has been telling soldiers how Jesus Christ is their weapon against struggles with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Meet SSG Louis Manley, an Army Reserve, now Guard, soldier who has been serving God in the military for the past 27 years, fighting every war since 1981. Although SSG Manley witnessed devastating wartime incidences that killed his colleagues and brought emotional chaos - experiences that often lead men to suffer long-term effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - he gives God the glory for his ability to claim victory over these challenges through his own life, witnessing to soldiers and winning many men and women to the Lord by his Christian testimony over the years. He misses his wife who passed away in 2001 after they were married for 12 years. Louis’s twin daughters live near him in Emporia, VA. He says “God is good all the time” and he signed up with Military Ministry to commit to praying for the spiritual needs of military couples and for churches helping PTSD and becoming part of the Bridges to Healing Ministry.

SSG Manley shares his PTSD experiences with Military Ministry Communications Director Brenda Anthony

Private First Class (PFC) Jasmine Martin is a new friend of Military Ministry who just learned about the ministry’s spiritual support and resources to help her and her newborn daughter. PFC Martin accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior 8 years ago. She is a bright and beautiful new mother who has a strong spiritual support system through her church, Calvary Revival Church. Among the 7,000 church members who gather for Wednesday night Bible studies, Jasmine depends most on the 10 fellow-believers in her small Bible study group who help her to grow spiritually, to stay encouraged, and to reach her personal goals as she walks with the Lord as a mother and Army soldier.  Today Jasmine learned about the Spiritual Resources and support programs Military Ministry can offer her as well.

PFC Martin is 19 year old and her daughter is 7 weeks

As a high school student, Jasmine got caught up with things that distracted her from making good grades to qualify for scholarships she needed to attend college. But now, thankful to God for providing great opportunity through the Army National Guard, she is able to attend college and pursue her passion of becoming a Cell Biologist to find a cure for cancer. Her grandmother and aunt died from breast cancer at the age of 56 and 23 respectively. PFC Martin is 19 years old and her daughter is 7 weeks.

Updates

• Army Chaplains to Observe Day of Prayer and Fasting Mar 23 2009
  

  Army Chief of Chaplains Declares April 8 As Day of Prayer and Fasting

• What If I’m Already Saved? Nov 24 2008
  

  “I estimate there were 150 Marine recruits in the room.  When about 60 went forward to kneel at the front of the room to accept Christ, one recruit asked if he could come forward even though he was already saved. He got a “yes” and was soon followed by another 30 believers!  I was told [...]

• Medal of Honor Recipient Corporal Hershel W. Williams, USMC Feb 26 2007
  

  “No one does anything alone. Even when we are by ourselves, God is there, often only later realized. Two Marines gave their lives that I might live. To God and to them go the credit for my survival. Those of us who served our country and were fortunate to survive, still had and have our duty to perform, which is to live for our country….”

More Updates >