From May 2006 to August 2023, God took our family on a mission trip rooted in this church in Arkansas.
The dandelion is the flower of the military child, which could also describe their family. I will use this wonderful little flower to share God’s goodness, grace, and faithfulness.
In the summer of 2000, the Army brought my family to a little Army post in western Arkansas. We didn’t know much about Fort Chaffee, but, as all good Army wives do, I started researching it. I realized we would not have the big PX, commissary, or medical facilities we’d had at other Army posts. This duty station was going to be different.
We arrived and began settling in and adapting to our surroundings. That fall, our dandelion began putting down roots.
Will was invited to a scout meeting, and I had to take him because Michael had to work. I have shared this with some of you, but I felt at home that night when I came around the corner and pulled into the parking lot. Then, in February 2001, on Scout Sunday, I walked into this church for the first time and was officially welcomed home.
Our roots began to sink deep into this rich soil. The boys flourished under the teaching and guidance of the Scout leaders and the youth leader. Ashley started to bloom as she was loved in Sunday school, and she danced on Monday nights and during Sunday morning worship.
But my roots began to soak up everything as I finally entered into a closer relationship with Jesus. I was saved when I was nine, but I never knew there was more until I came here.
Our little dandelion was divided for a while because Michael received orders to go to Ft. Lewis, Washington, and then be deployed again to Iraq. During my separation from him, my walk with God deepened.
When the deployment was over, it was time for our tiny seed to travel again. All but one, Will, stayed here while we went to Vilseck. Yes, I had to let go of my firstborn and trust Him to God’s care. It was hard. I could let go because of this church body, knowing you were here to help him if he needed anything.
So, we arrived in Vilseck, and I couldn’t wait for the first Sunday to go to church. I had three questions I needed answers to, and I would ask the first person I met.
That was Ms. Cinky. She and her husband were sitting in front of us, welcoming us, and I got to ask my questions. The bulletin answered the youth ministry question because there was a meeting for the new volunteers and youth that week.
The second question was about the prayer team, and the third was about the women’s Bible study. Cinky laughed and said to come on Tuesday morning, and I would find out about the Bible study and prayer group.
Protestant Women of the Chapel began in Europe in the mid-1950s to assist chaplains and to provide women with Christian fellowship. In 1955, 250 women from military installations met in Berchtesgaden, Germany, establishing the PWOC Council and guidelines for area and local chapters. Then, in May 1956, five hundred women across Europe gathered for the first training conference. That is now an annual event. In 1960, it officially became the European Council.
In 1989, PWOC-USA began when women stationed in Europe returned to the States and wanted to continue this ministry here. To celebrate the 50th anniversary, PWOC was realigned and became PWOC International. This continued until December 2012, when the Army Chief of Chaplains reorganized again, and all Chapel auxiliaries were to operate under the local chaplain. Today, PWOC is smaller but still active in the military communities.
Each PWOC has a board; five positions are selected by a selection committee and installed as the leadership. The president appoints the other board members. My first leadership position was Prayer Coordinator, where I led prayer during our Tuesday gatherings, prayer walks, and many other prayer activities.
Then, I was selected as the Spiritual Life Vice President. I prayed for, planned, and organized our Bible studies for the year. Then, I was asked to be the president. At first, I said no, I wouldn’t be qualified for this. Others can do this better than I. But after prayer, encouragement from the chaplain, Michael saying okay, and one of my best friends, I accepted the position.
Club Beyond is the Military Community and Youth Ministries. It’s a program for teens in high school and middle school worldwide. Their staff and volunteers mentor these youth through the complicated challenges of adolescence and military life, providing positive role models and modeling Christ-like behavior.
Each club holds weekly meetings, retreats, and special activities like lock-ins, ski trips, summer camps, and service projects. The youth are offered Bible studies to deepen their faith during these meetings and activities.
Aretta was our local Club Beyond Community Director, and through her, we learned how to have a heart for youth and reach them with the love of Jesus. Because of her, Stephen came home one day and said Aretta had the best job in the world. She got to work with youth and tell them about Jesus, and that’s what he wanted to do. So, he applied to college and got a degree in theological studies.
In March 2007, the high school students had their first big test of faith. Like always, the kids went to school on Tuesday morning, and I went to PWOC. As we were taking prayer requests, one of the ladies said there had been an accident that morning, and all she knew was that it involved a senior and that his initials were JW. So, we prayed together for the family and then went to our studies.
When it was time to leave, we were told who it was and that he died at the scene. I can still hear my son as I walk into the house. He’s in his room, sobbing and wailing. Stephen and John were both Eagle Scouts and on the cross-country team, so they had become good friends. Over the coming days, Aretta and I got to pray with the kids. We cried with them and did our best to answer the hard questions they asked. John had shared with Aretta just weeks before the accident that he had enjoyed coming to the club because he enjoyed hearing the club talks. These club talks were all about Jesus and how much he loved us. Then, the week before, John told his parents he wanted to be an organ donor should anything ever happen to him.
As we settled in, we found the Boy Scout troop, and Michael was asked to be the Scout Master. Because Stephen was an Eagle Scout and the oldest boy, the boys wanted him to be the senior patrol leader for a while to teach and guide them. I was on the troop committee.
Then, as the year went on, we became more involved at the district level, and I served as director of a camp-o-ree and a day camp. I also served on three Wood Badge courses.
The Family Readiness Group is a program run by unit commanders that supports families in preparing for and during deployment. The commander selects a leader. Sometimes, it is their spouse, but not always. That person can be any spouse willing and able to lead the FRG’s efforts.
Our unit commander was unmarried, and the rear D commander’s wife didn’t want to lead. The commander asked Michael if I’d be interested. I already had a full plate of volunteer activities, so I wasn’t sure I wanted to do this alone. The rear detachment commander said it was okay, then said they were asking someone else to be a co-leader.
Marsha’s husband was the company medic, and they were a strong Christian couple. So, they asked her, and she and I became the FRG co-leaders for our squadron.
While our guys were downrange, we planned meetings and fun activities with our families. When the guys had deployed, we met every week and kept in touch with our families. One crucial communication need was to encourage families to update us with their contact information whenever they traveled. We just tried to love and help them through the deployment, the best we could.
Then came news that casualties had happened to one of our sister squadrons. We would have the memorial, and PWOC would provide the support. Then, another casualty and another one. Each time, everyone would come together and pray; it was the last one. But I kept feeling that there would be a big one, and a unit would get hit hard. But it was going to be the final casualty.
On January 9th, the kids are getting ready for school, and the phone rings. It’s Michael. He says, “Babe, I can’t talk long because they will shut off communications soon.” I’m okay. But we lost six guys. We hung up, and again, the phone rang, and it was Marsha. She asked if I’d seen the news that morning because they were reporting our unit had guys that killed. I said I had not seen the news but talked to Michael. We spoke for a couple more minutes, and she asked me a question that was hard to answer. Her husband was home for R&R and was to go back that day. She asked, “How can I let my husband return to that?” If he had been there instead of on R&R, he would have been there to work on the wounded soldiers and those who had been killed.
After we hung up, I got the next call from the commander. He confirmed it was our guys but couldn’t give any names yet. He couldn’t reach Marsha, so he wanted me to start calling the point of contact and letting the families know. The notifications were being made, but two of the wives had left and returned to the States and didn’t give us their new info. So, it took longer than it should have to release the names of those killed.
I leaned in closer to God during this time. But as I drew closer, Marsha seemed to pull away. I was encouraged by many saying they were glad I was serving as the leader because the families trusted me and felt at ease, knowing I was praying for them and walking through this challenging time.
My best friend in Germany was Jennifer. This gal encouraged me, mentored me, and walked with me. Her hubby was Michael’s boss and mentored Michael while they worked together.
Jen selected me and encouraged me to be the PWOC president. We were in a Bible study together. She was also my mentor for the FRG leader and walked with me through the days after our loss. I remember standing together, holding each other, weeping, and worshipping God as we sang “Blessed be your name.”
I was at home one day doing something around the house, cleaning or something, when a thought crossed my mind. It was just a thought. I didn’t say anything aloud or to anyone, but I thought, “Do people see Jesus in me?”
On another day, I was having a pity party because Marsha had done something after she had told me she didn’t think it was a good idea, and she was also telling the families to contact her instead of me. So, I wasn’t feeling so good, and I was ready to call Dave and say I was stepping down. Then Jen calls me. We talked about PWOC stuff, and then she asked me if I was okay. (I guess there was something in my voice.) So, I told her what had happened and what I was thinking about doing.
Jen asked me if I wanted her to talk to Marsha and let her know I was upset. I told Jen no, that it was okay, that Marsha was doing what she thought best, and that I needed to deal with my feelings. Then Jen said thank you. “Thank you for showing me Jesus in you.” I began laughing and crying, and she said, “What?” “What did I say?” I told her about the thoughts that I’d had, and that those were the exact words. She began laughing, and together, we gave God some praise. We prayed together and then hung up.
During this deployment, God had put together an amazing team — all strong Christians — to be his lights to the families of our squadron, to pray for, encourage, minister to, and walk with them throughout the deployment.
Then, it was time to welcome our Soldiers home. When we came home from Michael’s dad’s homegoing, I brought with us a yellow ribbon. A soldier from Adams County, Ohio, had been MIA; the family had started this foundation and given out yellow ribbons.
We took a day, and the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and families came together to make bows and signs to put up all over the post to welcome our guys home. Finally, the day came, and our heroes were all home.
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