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Germany -- Part One
Posted by: jesse on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 01:49 PM
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Hey friends,
Words cannot describe what I've just experienced in Germany. Of course, words are the only things we've got, so I'll do my best to share without violencing any of you with too many words.
Landed in Frankfurt at 7AM, February 9th. Picked up by Lisa and Bernie Hunke, loaded into the van and hit the Autobahn (German for "drive as fast as you can"). Got to Ramstein Air Force Base around 0830 hours (military talk!) and showed passport and military papers for base access. Chomped a Popeye's Sausage Biscuit, very German, and checked into hotel. Went to chapel to meet some of the
staff. Fr. Dave Kruse, Fr. Jim Decker, Mary Giglio, Tessa, Torie and Tegan Giglio. Then off to LARMC in Landstuhl, a military medical facility for troops, contractors, and more. Doctors, nurses, medical technicians, support staff....I sat in their dining hall and sang tunes from the 60's, 70's 80's and 90's. A couple of tunes from this millennia as well. Some Sugar Ray and Nelly.
No religious language of any kind, but friends, you didn't need it. These folks have been shedding blood, sweat, tears, and everything else trying to save people's legs, arms, hands, feet, ears, face, and yes, their very lives. Fr. Jim Decker, who's been a chaplain for some time with a great skill at reading emotional and physical situations, said that at the before the music began, there was a great heaviness in the room, but as the music began and progressed, there was a lifting of energy, of spirit. I blame that on the Holy Spirit friends. Yes, I play some guitar and sang a little, but hearts were open and ready to be lifted. I sang through a keyboard amp, as Todd Giglio valiantly trouble-shooted microphone and guitar inputs. I sang for about 50 minutes or so. Temptations, Bobby Caldwell, Kenny Chesney, Neil Young, Sugar Ray, Earth, Wind, and Fire,
I wasn't able to visit inside patient rooms as I'd hoped, due to legal and privacy regula-tions, but I was able to walk through the intensive care unit and speak to some of the staff. "Dawn," an Air Force Major gave Fr. Jim and I a tour. We stopped at the entrance of some of the patient rooms. I saw two men in recovery from major surgery hooked up to tubes, bandaged up, and began to immediately pray silently. My heart was breaking for them, and their families. Regardless of my feelings about the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, and war and violence in general, my heart was absolutely humbled and crushed with compassion and gratitude for these wounded, their families and friends, these nurses and doctors, these medical staff and technicians, the medical crews and flight crews that airlift and medicac the wounded and dying. Their children, their spouses. I was literally seeing in the flesh, "No greater love than a person lay their life down for a friend." Yes, under orders, yes their job, yes their choice, and yes, literally putting themselves in harm's way for another. And their family and friends doing so as well. All at once, the trip to Germany was for me---as much as it was for the military families in Ramstein and Landstuhl. As much as it was for every military personnel and family and friends who are caught in the shadows of war....
I am not the same person I was after this visit....
After Landstuhl, Fr. Jim, Lisa, Bernie and myself head back to Ramstein. I go to the hotel for about 45 minutes worth of down time, (8.5 hour flight from Dallas/Ft Worth to Germany!) Lisa picks me up to do a radio interview with Ryan at AFN, Armed Forces Network; this guy is amazing doing the news, interviews, running commercials, doing traffic and weather, and juggling everything at once. Dude's got skills. He gives us four segments for the Parish Retreat, and then we're all headed to the Schnitzel Haus. We chomp and run! The evening at Holy Family Parish, which is a combination of the Chapel at Vogelweh and North Chapel in Ramstein, goes well. Lots of folks, lots of participation. Among some new friends, Katie, Sara, and Jessica, Marco, Carlos, Marissa, Roy and Norma, Alexandra, Orin, Eleanor, Anna, Anne, Ted, May, Sam and Eman, Clara and Andrew, Erika, Kaleb and Kelena, Eric, Cecille, Dina and Jun, Mary Anne, Petey, Michael, Virginia and Kathryn, Chuck and Wanda, Robert, Margaret, Ryan and Megan, Eva, Victoria and Brandon, Jeri and Grace, Mary, Karen, Brett, Diane, Tony, Silvia, Noi and James, Mike and Karin, Ruben, Jun, and and so many others with generosity overflowing!
It has been a full day, to say the least, and it will begin again in a matter of hours. I head back to the Ramstein Inn, and fall into a needed deep sleep.
The following morning starts bright and early with a visit to the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility, CASF. In a nutshell, these folks do everything from start to finish, regarding the logistics planning and execution of airlift and medical support for troops Down Range (in Afghanistan and Iraq). Folks who are injured and wounded, will find themselves in the amazing, caring, and super-qualified hands and hearts of these folks. It is here at CASF where the injured and wounded are treated, evaluated, cared for and when appropriate, shipped off to other facilities for ongoing or further treatment.
I had the honor of playing a set of music for these troops as they were receiving the necessary instructions for the flight preparations. What do you do for a room full of people who have laid their lives down for a friend?! You do whatever you can. I turned into JESSE, the COMEDY GUY OF GAROOMBA. It was a good thing I'm Chamoru, you know, of the island of Guam, where being musical, funny, and fast on your feet comes in really handy. I met a soldier named, "Adrian," who actually lives in Lewisville, not 15 minutes away from my home in Grapevine. HELLO?!! He received some severe injuries to his left hand as well as to his right. Small world. I believe he is 20 years old. Amazing. I was able to speak to "Jim," who was wounded and couldn't wait to build his first guitar when he got home. I spoke with "Heather" who sang with the Air Force "Tops In Blue" performance troupe. She's learning how to play guitar to accompany her great voice. She asked if she could play my new Taylor. She called it my "baby." Shucks. Spoke to a few other soldiers. These folks were about to board a plane for the next chapter of medical treatment. Instructions not forgetting pain medication was repeated. Imagine being on a 13 hour flight without pain medication for your injuries. Hello. After my "concert" and my conversations with folks, we got to tour CASF and its huge operations. I met Chris Clark, manager of the USO branch at CASF. God bless the USO and all that it does to reach out to our troops and their families.
After the tour, Major Ted DeGuzman, also known as AC-130 Jedi Master, or simply "Ted," took Fr. Rich and Fr. Jim and I on a Ramstein Base Extravaganza Tour. I got to see the humongous C-5 aircraft, a C-17, a C-130, and a C-21 and heard about C-40's. I didn't have a DVD or an iPod for my mp3's, but I did manage to find out what PCS and TDY meant. I did have a bit of difficulty distinguishing the differences between the 86 AW, 435 ABW, and 38 CSW, but the KMC was totally and absolutely easy to understand! I mean KMC....I'd like an 8 piece meal combo with a diet pepsi. By the way, when on the flight-line, make sure to remove your cover. Beanies are okay, but all military cover has to be removed. Yikes.
After Ted's Tour, we head over to the British Cantina for Fish and Chips. Fr. Jim orders an English Breakfast, with fried egg, bangers, beans and toast. Ted, Fr. Rich and I are doing major damage to our fish and chips. The smushy peas are a bit over the top for me, but I manage to be open to the moment, and voila, all smushy peas go bye-bye.
After lunch, we run over to the North Chapel for a workshop with Young Adults. I'm in a bit of a daze from the Jet-Leg but perhaps I've said a couple of coherent things. Praise God for the Holy Spirit. After the Young Adult gathering, dinner and then over to North Chapel in Ramstein again for the second evening program. We're building momentum, and the number of folks, young and old, are growing in their willingness to participate in the work of the community. It is both inspiring and energizing. Which is just what the doctor ordered for all of us.
More to come!
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