A Letter from Liberty

excited to have seen the big Baptist Conference, and their words still rang in her ears and

sent shivers of motivation down her spine. For the first time in weeks, she could see a

light at the end of the tunnel and she knew there was help in sight. Her cold fingers

fumbled with the keys in the ignition until they turned and she heard the engine attempt

to start. "I don't want to flood it," she thought, and threw her head back onto the icy

headrest. With a great idea like this, she knew they could get help soon, and hope felt

damned good after so much time. She decided to write it down while her foot pumped

ineffectively at the accelerator.

"My dear Famous Television Ministers and Evangelists,

"I had the pleasure of attending the meeting that you held here in Kansas City. Your

message was well received, and the information that each of you shared with us regarding

privilege and responsibilities as Americans that enjoy civil liberties touched my heart and

brought to mind an issue that has concerned me for some time now.

You see, my husband George served 10 years in the United States Marine Corps, and

both of our kids were born while he was on active duty. George served in Operation

Desert Storm, and was deployed on an amphibious vessel in Saudi Arabia during my

entire first pregnancy. He did not return in time to see our son born. I had my first

exposure to military life during this time, when I made friends with many of the other

lonely military wives in base housing. I also spent some time volunteering in a local

women's shelter. I was horrified at the quality of life provided for families on the military

base. The conditions were squalid and filthy. Roaches and swarms of insects infested the

houses of every family I knew. One woman and her family extended kindness by inviting

me for coffee, where I politely refused the cookies she offered after watching her shoo

bugs from them as they cooled, and observing her son as he played with a cockroach like

a pet in the hallway.

Other families had these and added challenges. Heavy partying and infidelity ruled.

Women were encouraged to drink beer and party even whether they were pregnant or not.

I was told that "I need to have some fun while they're away." The wives of the

servicemen sent to the Gulf were without guidance and clear purpose, and they seemed to

collectively collapse under the weight of poverty, loneliness and temptation. The 'head

wife' in my husband's platoon had the added responsibility of watching out for and

mentoring younger wives throughout the period of separation. But, this same woman, sad

and exhausted and under pressure, eventually abandoned her four children in lice infested

conditions to hook-up with another man while her husband was away fighting in the

Gulf.

Her husband, a Master Sergeant, had to be shipped back to the base and to his abandoned

children - alone, with no money, and no knowledge of the whereabouts of his wife. My

husband had to take over for him during the Gulf mission so the Red Cross could get this

hard working man back to his shattered and devastated family.

I tell you this story to illuminate a point that weighs heavily on my heart. In your message

at the conference, you mentioned how we as Americans continue to take our freedoms for

granted, ignore the slow erosion of God from our society and remain passive on the

subject of American civil liberties. I believe that Americans want to support their service

personnel, and that the sacrifices military families make and have made throughout

history to protect our citizenship are not acknowledged adequately. Their plight remains

largely unaddressed. When I was a military wife it was estimated that 40% of all women

being protected in the shelter from domestic violence scenarios were wives of active duty

servicemen. I remember needing guidance and feeling very lost. I remember being

tempted to occupy my time with self destructive extremes and feeling surrounded by

addictions, drama and sadness. I remember being confused as I stood in line with my

WIC card to get groceries and baby formula. I could not understand why I needed to

receive welfare to survive while my husband was away risking his life to fight for our

country.

I believe that some of these unpleasant realities can be addressed through your ministry.

Perhaps if your collective efforts could concentrate during this war to give hope, supplies

and support to families of active duty and deployed servicemen, more Americans could

be made aware of the incredible sacrifices made by these families, and how they survive

during the absence of the heads of their households. Perhaps these families could be

strengthened through a conference program sponsored by your abundant ministries,

designed to educate and refocus them. I believe that the American public would do well

with a strong, faith based reminder to help them make the connection between the

privileges that Americans enjoy and the sacrifices that are and have been made

throughout the history of this country by families on military bases from coast-to-coast

and on each continent. I know that military families lack outreach, guidance,

prayer, mentoring, jobs that pay a fair living wage, assistance after being discharged from

the military, and knowledge of how your ministry can really help. Perhaps if all of your

ministries join together and fill in this gap by helping the destitute citizens who fight for

and live in this country to survive, more of the American public may consider that the

inclusion of God in our documents, judicial system and everyday lives is the very

foundation of our patriotism, and our freedom. "One God, indivisible..." The strength of

that speech can still penetrate a self absorbed society that you describe as only

negligently glancing at the exclusion of God while celebrating division and separation

among its members.

We can all make the difference with more than our mouths. An Active Duty Campaign

Ministry that uses even a small portion of the money dropped in each of your collection

plates could sponsor and aid individual active duty military families, and show

Americans how their tithes and offerings are supporting America in crisis, through you.

God Bless,

George & Liberty Washington"

Liberty read the letter over and over and felt proud of her work. Those ministers seemed

to be so happy and helpful at the conference. She even tithed one of the ten dollar bills

that she had, anticipating good things, and all the help her family needed. She had strong,

rooted faith, and was determined to show everyone she knew. Her frozen fingers slowly

turned the ignition key, and the engine fired right up. "Thank you!" She yelled excitedly

with her hands stretched heavenward. She drove away toward the light at the end of the

tunneled parking lot with a smile on her face, and knew that better days were coming.