Alan Butterworth Family News Update: Monday, August 18, 2008

My Wife is in Afghanistan

Last Friday night, I received what may be the last phone call for a while. She was en route to Afghanistan. She shared how much she loved me, and asked that I tell our kids how much she loves them. That’s when it hit me! Wow, this is going to be hard!

Last night, I received an e-mail from her. She arrived in Afghanistan. Pam is a LTC in the Army Reserves, a JAG (Army Lawyer). She will work in an International HQ for a year. There are eight Generals there, so the security should be good. Their web site is: http://www.jfcbs.nato.int/

I am so proud of her. But it will be the longest we have been apart during our 29 1/2 years of marriage. The previous longest separation during our marriage was similar. We served in the Army in Germany as Army Lawyers from 1981-1984. In August of 1984, I left Pam, our two kids, and an English nanny in Germany to go to school in Gainesville, FL. Pam extended in the Army in Germany for six months so we could have some income.

In my small apartment, the 1984 Olympics were on TV! The Masters in Tax Law program was the most difficult academic program I had ever attempted. Scott, a Jewish classmate, shared the apartment with me for 6 months. He got depressed and dropped out of school. I missed Pam and the kids so much. It was so difficult, I suffered from panic attacks. God used this to get me on my knees and ask Jesus for help (if he existed)!

I pray this time it will be different. Then I was not a believer. Now I am. Then talking to Pam was very rare. Now, we will talk on the phone frequently. Then, I had no idea whether I would make it thru the program or get a job. If I didn’t make it, what would I do? Now, I know my calling is to be a missionary to the Jewish people. Then, I didn’t know if God heard my prayer. Now, I know that because Jesus died for my sins and rose again, my sins are forgiven and I am one of His kids! He loves me and answers my prayers.

Lord willing, I will not suffer from panic attacks this time. Will you join me in regular prayer for the safety of Pam and that we will grow closer to the Lord?

I will spend this year in South Florida starting small groups of believers willing to help unbelieving Jewish people take a look at the Scriptures, experience the love of believers, and eventually consider the Gospel. Please pray that many will volunteer to help and many Jewish people will participate.

Alan Butterworth Family News Update: Monday, August 18, 2008

My Wife is in Afghanistan

Last Friday night, I received what may be the last phone call for a while. She was en route to Afghanistan. She shared how much she loved me, and asked that I tell our kids how much she loves them. That’s when it hit me! Wow, this is going to be hard!

Last night, I received an e-mail from her. She arrived in Afghanistan. Pam is a LTC in the Army Reserves, a JAG (Army Lawyer). She will work in an International HQ for a year. There are eight Generals there, so the security should be good. Their web site is: http://www.jfcbs.nato.int/

I am so proud of her. But it will be the longest we have been apart during our 29 1/2 years of marriage. The previous longest separation during our marriage was similar. We served in the Army in Germany as Army Lawyers from 1981-1984. In August of 1984, I left Pam, our two kids, and an English nanny in Germany to go to school in Gainesville, FL. Pam extended in the Army in Germany for six months so we could have some income.

In my small apartment, the 1984 Olympics were on TV! The Masters in Tax Law program was the most difficult academic program I had ever attempted. Scott, a Jewish classmate, shared the apartment with me for 6 months. He got depressed and dropped out of school. I missed Pam and the kids so much. It was so difficult, I suffered from panic attacks. God used this to get me on my knees and ask Jesus for help (if he existed)!

I pray this time it will be different. Then I was not a believer. Now I am. Then talking to Pam was very rare. Now, we will talk on the phone frequently. Then, I had no idea whether I would make it thru the program or get a job. If I didn’t make it, what would I do? Now, I know my calling is to be a missionary to the Jewish people. Then, I didn’t know if God heard my prayer. Now, I know that because Jesus died for my sins and rose again, my sins are forgiven and I am one of His kids! He loves me and answers my prayers.

Lord willing, I will not suffer from panic attacks this time. Will you join me in regular prayer for the safety of Pam and that we will grow closer to the Lord?

I will spend this year in South Florida starting small groups of believers willing to help unbelieving Jewish people take a look at the Scriptures, experience the love of believers, and eventually consider the Gospel. Please pray that many will volunteer to help and many Jewish people will participate.

How can I understand what my wife is going through in Afghanistan?  Or my son?  I am so proud of them.  I pray for them every day.  I would be so grateful for your prayers as well.  And for all of the soldiers and their families. 

I wrote last year about my wife leaving and the unknown... that was difficult.  I thought she would be back and our life would be getting back to normal by now.  I did see her recently for two weeks, and my son and my daughter and those gorgeous granddaughters... but she went back for another year.  It is hard not to be depressed.  But also very proud. 

May I share a little about why it is so difficult right now?  Even though Pam extended for a year, and is a LTC, while she was here on leave, two things happened to turn her world upside down.  First, there was a suicide bomb blast that destroyed the building she lived in.  She did not lose everything, but everything was moved while she was gone.  She was assigned to a room with two roommates (she had only one) and since she was gone, she ended up with the top bunk.  Her living quarters are not great right now. 

The second problem was her duties.  Everything seems to be in flux, and changing away from the type of things Pam understood she would be doing.  While Pam is asking the LORD for patience, right now it is very hard.

An example of what it is like for our soldiers involves the dentist.  When Pam was here, she got her teeth cleaned and some dental work done before her time ran out.  The dentist asked her to get the two worst cavities filled right away.  When Pam went to the dentist in Afghanistan, she was told they only do emergency care.  In essence, she was told your teeth are not falling out yet.  When they start to hurt bad enough, come back, and we will pull them for you!  It was also frustrating that the waiting room was filled with Afghans.  Why can't we provide dental care for our soldiers?  Pam is considering going to a foreign dentist.  The problem is recently someone was killed by an IED near the foreign dentist.  Can you believe she is thinking about risking her life to get her cavities filled?

My son Josh is also in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne, and he too will be there a year. I am so proud of him.  The last day before he left, I was so moved by how much he was loving his girls and how effective and respected he was as a supervisor.  He was the highest ranking (SSgt) man in the advance group that he led to Afghanistan about a week before the main group of soldiers. He has been maturing and growing in his faith.  It was awesome to see and experience. 

My daughter Jessica is at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. She is maturing as well.  She and I will be with my son's girls for Christmas.  She is willing to do almost anything for those girls.  I love what all of these challenges are doing to bring our family closer together and closer to the LORD!  Praise God!

Thank you for your prayers... it really means a lot!

How can I understand what my wife is going through in Afghanistan?  Or my son?  I am so proud of them.  I pray for them every day.  I would be so grateful for your prayers as well.  And for all of the soldiers and their families. 

I wrote last year about my wife leaving and the unknown... that was difficult.  I thought she would be back and our life would be getting back to normal by now.  I did see her recently for two weeks, and my son and my daughter and those gorgeous granddaughters... but she went back for another year.  It is hard not to be depressed.  But also very proud. 

May I share a little about why it is so difficult right now?  Even though Pam extended for a year, and is a LTC, while she was here on leave, two things happened to turn her world upside down.  First, there was a suicide bomb blast that destroyed the building she lived in.  She did not lose everything, but everything was moved while she was gone.  She was assigned to a room with two roommates (she had only one) and since she was gone, she ended up with the top bunk.  Her living quarters are not great right now. 

The second problem was her duties.  Everything seems to be in flux, and changing away from the type of things Pam understood she would be doing.  While Pam is asking the LORD for patience, right now it is very hard.

An example of what it is like for our soldiers involves the dentist.  When Pam was here, she got her teeth cleaned and some dental work done before her time ran out.  The dentist asked her to get the two worst cavities filled right away.  When Pam went to the dentist in Afghanistan, she was told they only do emergency care.  In essence, she was told your teeth are not falling out yet.  When they start to hurt bad enough, come back, and we will pull them for you!  It was also frustrating that the waiting room was filled with Afghans.  Why can't we provide dental care for our soldiers?  Pam is considering going to a foreign dentist.  The problem is recently someone was killed by an IED near the foreign dentist.  Can you believe she is thinking about risking her life to get her cavities filled?

My son Josh is also in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne, and he too will be there a year. I am so proud of him.  The last day before he left, I was so moved by how much he was loving his girls and how effective and respected he was as a supervisor.  He was the highest ranking (SSgt) man in the advance group that he led to Afghanistan about a week before the main group of soldiers. He has been maturing and growing in his faith.  It was awesome to see and experience. 

My daughter Jessica is at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. She is maturing as well.  She and I will be with my son's girls for Christmas.  She is willing to do almost anything for those girls.  I love what all of these challenges are doing to bring our family closer together and closer to the LORD!  Praise God!

Thank you for your prayers... it really means a lot!