Continual noise, constant activity, and no personal space; these are three of the things that quickly wear on a Soldier when deployed.  After seven months in Afghanistan, and looking at another six months before I could head home, I was definitely ready for a break.

The break came when I found out that a group of Soldiers & Airmen had been stationed on a small base for several months and no chaplain had been able to visit them.  The base was located in a relatively peaceful and beautiful part of the country, so it did not take me long to give the answer “yes” when asked if I wanted to do “ministry of presence” there.

The Soldiers & Airmen were generally glad to see me.  One of the Army officers stated that he had wanted to start a Bible study at the base but did not know what curriculum to use.  Another seasoned Soldier told me that this was his second deployment and he was getting close to retirement.  His first wife had left him several years earlier.   A third Soldier showed me his new guitar that he was busy learning how to play.  These are the stories that I regularly hear as an Army Chaplain.

The Commander asked me if I’d like to hike up the mountain in the morning and have a little worship service?  He said it would take about an hour or so.  I’ve always felt that “where the Soldiers go – that’s where I need to go” so I took a deep breath & said, “Absolutely, Sir!”

Around six in the morning the five of us stepped off and it was a whole hour’s worth of up & up & up & up.   I told the Commander that I wanted to slow down for a moment and just enjoy the scenery.  Honestly, it was just an excuse to stop and catch my breath.  At around seven in the morning we made it to the top.  The sky was royal blue with snow-capped mountains in all directions and several lush green valleys flowing below.  It just felt like I was closer to God.

I propped open my handy-dandy Communion Kit, read from I Corinthians Chapter 11, poured out the grape juice and we commenced to having communion at 7:30 in the morning and at 7,000 feet.  That’s a day in the life of a deployed Army Chaplain.

It has been nearly three years since I left Afghanistan.  Uncle Sam now has me “suffering for Jesus” in Brussels, Belgium, but that call to go back to Afghanistan could come at any moment – I kid you not!

The Chaplain’s motto is, “Bringing Soldiers to God and God to the Soldiers.”  I hope and pray that the Lord will help me to do just that!

Blessings,

Chaplain (MAJ) Darin G. Olson
US Army Brussels Garrison