The joy of the rumble as we left the parking lot headed to I-10 was equaled with the excitement of being used of the Lord first thing this morning. A man who had flown over 200 missions in wartime was hurting. One of the team members saw him off by himself with his head held low. Shortly after some small talk he said, “I need some spiritual help.” Prayer was offered and received and we watched him advance all day long.
One war veteran was befriended only to find that he needed a personal relationship with Jesus. After a lengthy visit , we found out that he was the team member seriously hurt in a wreck last year. Then he prayed to receive Jesus. We sat around the table and rejoiced with the angels in heaven during our devotion time this evening.
We receive meals and sometimes gasoline from the communities that we travel through. We live in such a wonderful nation where people give and show their thanks. At one such stop in Arizona a man was coming out of the back of the kitchen and stopped some of our team players. A short conversation discovered the man’s son was being deployed to Iraq and he was deeply concern for his son’s safety. Again, prayer was offered for the safety of the son.
We were blessed to see a type and shadow of the Kinsman Redeemer today. A father is “re-enlisting” to take his son’s place in Iraq. It brought cheers and tears across the room as many of the war veterans reflected on the price that is being paid.
We received a special coin from another Huey pilot during the Viet Nam War. As I stood there with his arm around me and he placed it in my hand there was a sharing of “I love you and you are a special friend.”
Standing in a parking lot listening to a man who served in the Viet Nam War and again in the Afghanistan War was a special experience. He shared how he and fifteen others had just returned five weeks ago from a 25 day tour in Viet Nam with their wives. You could hear the pain and yet feel that there was some advancement in his healing.
We are so blessed to be God’s hands out here, offering prayers, smiles, water and sport drinks. Two of the Chaplains and another rider stopped on the Arizona/New Mexico state line to offer praise to our Lord. This is the first time in five years that we crossed Arizona without having a wreck.
We felt that this year was going to be a year of greater opportunity for us to be ministers of light and we are seeing that happen. We also have to “cut off” our devotionals due to the time. We are having an awesome time with the Lord which is flowing out of us to the riders and others that we come in contact with.
Gary will provide a weekend update on Monday, May 19. Remember to pray for Gary, his team, and Run For The Wall as they continue to travel and minister over the weekend.
The team hands out Bibles as people come to the Hydration Trailer.
A veteran receives a letter from one of our churches thanking him for serving our country. Gary and his team bring 1500 handwritten letters to the run.
