A military deployment is commonly associated solely around the military member. The orders, training, family readiness, the deployment, the pictures on TV, and then the homecoming. What is commonly forgotten is the family at home and those who help.
Every deployment begins with goodbyes. With every goodbye come tears. With every goodbye comes a child refusing to let go of the departing soldier. With every goodbye comes uncertainty. With every goodbye a parent becomes a single parent. With every goodbye comes the not knowing when you will hear from the departing soldier again.
Deployments help bring out the Body of Christ, surrounding the family, to life. The Body of Christ consists of: The mother of seven willingly takes on four more children to give the spouse time to recharge and relax. The couple that willingly offers to take the kids one Sunday afternoon, to help them make Mother’s Day special for the spouse left behind. Or the group of gentlemen who after a long distance phone call, dropped what they were doing and came to the aid of the family left behind. The main source of transportation had developed a serious problem. The group of gentlemen came, picked up the vehicle, repaired it, and delivered it back to the family refusing payment for the parts or labor. What about the neighbor, without being asked, who stepped into the father role and taught the children how to properly use the lawnmower. Then, there are the two couples that graciously agreed to step in, at a moment’s notice, in the event of an emergency and care for the children, until the soldier could come home. Don’t forget the retired soldier who recognized the need of the small child, multiple times at church. The retired soldier picked up the child, held the child, and comforted the child like a father would. The young child when asked why he wanted the retired soldier to hold him, just simply said he wanted a dad like person.
Deployments do not end when the soldier comes home. There is the awkward readjustment time that follows every deployment. The soldier simply can’t walk back into the family life and pick up where they left off. That single parent becomes a dual parent, as quickly as they became a single parent. Small children are sometimes scared and afraid, especially if the soldier has been gone for a long time. You see, the family is accustomed to operating without the soldier, and the soldier might have a hard time finding their place fitting back into the family.
This story and similar ones like it are played out every day, some where in the military world. Deployments are much more than simply the soldier leaving. Deployments are about families helping other families and carrying the burden of life, so that while the soldier is away protecting our great nation he doesn’t have to worry about his family too.
Thank you to the many families who have been faithful in blessing our family over the last 15 years. You will never know how much your love and dedication to supporting us has meant to each of us. God bless each and everyone of you!!!
