What was I thinking - Part 4

I had heard many times, mostly from the Bible, about lepers and the dreaded disease that was so bad at one time. One of the girls that worked on the compound suggested I go to visit the lepers near the city so I convinced another guy to go as well. It was safe since you have to be around it for a period of time to actually develop the problem.

The residents here had to have a way to support themselves and this group made tiles for floors and walls. The colors were amazing and I was so impressed with how talented they were. It was kind of shocking to see people there with stubs where fingers and toes used to be. Probably the worst sight I saw while in Viet Nam was the man who had a hole in his face where his nose used to be. The specific area was so lovely compared to the city itself. There were palm trees and it was actually on the coast so the shore line was in sight and the beach made it look more like a resort than a leper colony. It made me think so differently after that whenever I would read anywhere and see the word leper.

After I returned from my 30 days at home that meant I only had another 5 months to spend there and then I could go home for good. Spending that extra 5 months over there allowed me to get out of the Army earlier that I would have ordinarily. Those 5 months really went by pretty quickly. I mentioned about not really being in danger which was not entirely true. I also mentioned about hoping that the locals that worked on the compound were loyal to us and didn't try to harm us. Besides the boy I mentioned that was captured while I was away there was also an incident where someone on the way to the mess hall found a trip wire attached to a hand grenade by the LP gas tank behind our mess hall. If that has gone off a lot of guys could have died. Some guys left the country in bad shape due to self inflicted problems like terrible strains of STD from having sex with prostitutes or overindulgence of alcohol. One of my friends, Chuck, was on the roof of our quarters where we had a flat roof for lifting weights or relaxing in the breeze. He was chugging whiskey and walked off the roof onto the cement below and had to airlifted out. Don't know what ever happened to him.

Towards the end of my tour over there as I neared June of 1970 the danger got closer to us and I will never forget the evening when a morter round went off close enough to throw rocks and debris into our compound. That was too close. So, even though I had made friends with some of the locals and the children at the orphanage, I was ready to get out of there. Even today I often wonder what ever happened to my friends and wish I could go back to Qui Nhon and see first hand how things have changed. I can tell from the internet that Viet Nam is a tourist destination today. I think that is a good thing.

So, arriving back at home for the second time finding my daughter, Pam, is almost 1 year old by then. Quite a change for this guy to take in. I made the transition and got on with my life. Like any marriage it had it good times and rough times. Along the way I had 3 more daughters, one that would only live 5 days back in 1971. Surely there were many times I thought to myself "What were you thinking" but I did have 3 great daughters that I am so proud of even though after 33 years of marriage my wife decided one day (2 days before the World Trade Center disaster) that she had had enough and left leaving me and our youngest who was 17 at the time to fend for ourselves. There has been so many changes in our lives since that time, fortunatly for the good. There is good in everything if you just look for it. That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Thankful Thursday

This is of course the month of thanks with Thanksgiving just around the corner and a time to think of the importance of family.

I sit here this morning realizing that there are so many people out there in the world today that literally have no one. No one to share their joys, faith, fears or love with. Not even God.

So today I am truly thankful for my God who has always been faithful to me. There is a song sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir called "He' been faithful" and it talks about a God who even when we are down and cannot pray, He is faithful. He is always waiting with open arms ready to welcome us back into His loving presence.

I don't know how to put the song in the middle of this post but I guarantee if you go to youtube and key in He's been faithful and look you will find it and be blessed by it.

Right now God I thank you that you saved me, I thank you for the family you have blessed me with, for the extended family in my blog world. I pray that today you will be so very close to everyone in my family touching their lives with your awesome love and grace. Amen

In Case You Didn't Already Know

This has been a good morning blogging and I have enjoyed some sites so much I just had to share with you. Can't keep all the fun to myself now can I?

First I found a link on one of my blog friends post that has truly touched my heart forever. It is a site where you get to meet children that are suffering from various illnesses and we have the unique opportunity to communicate with them and bring joy into their lives. Go to http://www.postpals.co.uk and all you have to do is click on one of their pictures and it gives you numerous ways you can bless them. I am already hooked.

Second I have a blog friend in Siberia that works with an orphanage and these are precious children that need to know someone cares. Go to her site and let her know that you are willing to do something. I plan to send her a package with small items and cards to give out around Thanksgiving. Go to her site please at:
http://creatingmyownlittlenirvana.blogspot.com After seeing their faces I know you will share my enthusiasm.

Finally there is a family in the NC mountains that gives the worlds best tours of the most interesting places I have ever heard of and the pictures are awesome. I shared this morning that I am jealous that they live so close to so many wonderful things to see and do. Please take time to visit their page if you haven't already.
http://wncmountainliving.blogspot.com

I hope you all get blessed by these sites like I was and will continue to be. Happy Tuesday everyone.