After a month and a half in Kuwait, we drove into the war zone that was Iraq, not stopping until we reached Baghdad. At each of these milestone steps, the need for protection that only God could provide became more and more urgent.
Following the initial invasion and downfall of Saddam, Iraq had no civil government, no police force, and no local military. Moreover, there were still Saddam loyalists along with Al Qaeda supporters in Iraq taking shape. Between roadside bombs, sniper fire, and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), the situation we faced became far greater than the danger we originally expected.
Driving into Iraq was an unforgettable experience. We drove through rural villages plagued by poverty. From young boys to grown men, they all greeted us as heroes and called us friend. As we approached Baghdad, we began seeing signs of war. Abandoned or burned out military vehicles were seen frequently. Although I never felt any immediate danger on this trip, I will never in this lifetime know what dangers I may have been in on this convoy or any other.
When we reached our destination, the first thing we noticed was the constant sound of random gunfire off in the distance. On the night that Uday and Qsay Hussein were killed, the Iraqis celebrated by random gunfire, straight into the air, landing anywhere, including into our camp. As time went on, mortar and RPG fire added to the dangers.
Every night that I made it safely to bed, I gave thanks to God for his protection. We were all well aware of the fact that when we left camp that we were not guaranteed to return alive. We were not even guaranteed safety inside our camp. At any moment, anyone’s “number could be called” and we would be standing before our Maker.
For most people, this is where their faith either stopped or became compromised. But I had a quiet confidence from God: in a far away land that was permeated with evil, God was present in a very real way with me. He truly was Immanuel God with us.
Lord, protect not just my physical well-being but my mind, heart and spirit as well.
“He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.” (Joshua 24:17b)