So what are you doing on July 4th?!

Dear Ones,

It is July 3rd and soon the smell of grilled hot dogs and hamburgers will be floating through the back yards. Throw in a cold diet Pepsi, soft ice-cream and maybe evening fireworks and the Norman Rockwell moment is complete.

Sounds typical for this patriot holiday... but for some reason this year my heart isn't celebrating yet because deep in the heart of Georgia in a hot, sticky base camp called FOB (Forward Operations Base) four platoons of soldiers work through the intense heat dreading the mid-night call tonight.

Our son, Daniel James Love is one of the soldiers at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) finishing his last and hardest challenge to pass Advanced Infantry Training. Tonight around 11:15 his platoon will be led into a clearing and told to sit down and rest. Grapes and apples will be passed out and the soldiers will be instructed to drink water. For the next 45 minutes the soldiers will rehydrate and do light stretching exercises while finishing off the grapes and apples. Then Dan will hear the call, "Platoon number 3, ruck up and move out!" Dan's pack will weigh 40 lbs. and his gear will weigh just about the same including 15 quarts of water that he will consume over the next six hours. They will march 18-20 miles back to thier post at Ft. Benning in the dead of night.

Our younger son David Michael recalls little of that fateful night as the soldier's mind goes into a robotic zone working like a machine, step after weary step keeping in sync with the 50 other pairs of boots. The silent, humid night is the only witness to this 4th of July parade. No one waves flags or cheers; no band plays patriotic tunes while fireworks explode in the dark sky. These young soldiers somehow understand that their secret parade is the real reason our happy family celebrations continue each year.

Two things David Michael said he will never forget: first, how God miraculously numbed his injury foot. It was the only time during his whole training that he felt no pain. Second, the call from the senior drill sergeant (DS) after they had marched one mile, "From this point on you will run, you will not stop running. You will not fall behind and if you do the ambulance behind our platoon will pick you up and you will be out. Run!" In full gear they moved into a trot-run and never stopped. The last several miles are a series of rolling hills that spiral upward till they reach the top of the largest hill. They call it the "stairway to heaven." They will march between two poles at the top called "the pearly gates." Dan's platoon will finally come to stop and form into a long line facing their DS as he moves down the row pinning the infantry insignia into the chest of each soldier. This completes their final initiation. "Happy 4th of July gentlemen!"

Now you may find this hard to believe but Dan has injured his left foot; he has an inflamed nerve on the bottom of his instep. Each step is like walking on a knife! Dan is asking for prayer that he would be able to pass this march and make it back to camp. No pain meds are allowed during training so Dan knows that 'only' God can get him back to Ft. Benning.

July 15th we will be arriving in Columbus,Georgia for Dan's graduation ceremony on July 17th. By faith we are believing he will pass. In the meantime we pray that you have a wonderful 4th of July!

love,

Denise Love