A chaplain baptized a soldier in Kuwait shortly before his unit headed into battle. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army.
A freshly dug hole in the Kuwaiti desert served as a makeshift baptistery for anxious Marines on the verge of facing their first battle. Eight Marines were baptized while hundreds more looked on and cheered at an open-air service in Living Support Area 7 in Kuwait.
"After today, I feel more ready to cross the border," said one of the newly baptized Marines. "This is better armor than anything the Marine Corps could give me."
Though many have not attended church services in years, several of the troops took advantage of the opportunity to draw near to God as the war approached. Worshiping in tents and other makeshift venues, chaplains in many areas report that services have been packed, providing them with many ripe opportunities to encourage the troops toward a trusting faith in God.
"I don't know about you, but I find myself talking to God a lot more out here than I did at the rear," reported the Rev. Bill Devine, chaplain for the 7th Marine Regiment, over the sound of whipping wind and clouds of desert dust. "I couldn't be happier to see so many new faces out here."
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I was so touched and moved by that...praise God that He works no matter WHERE we are in our lives, even when we are literally OR metaphorically "in the desert" just like Jesus. Praise God.
~A
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