Prayers and reflections from Iraq

MY REFLECTIONS FROM IRAQ by Capt. Shannon Brusseau, US Army

MOSUL, IRAQ. After over six years in the Army and two deployments, I have learned a great deal about myself and my faith. Growing up in a loving and faith oriented home always allowed me a venue and support network to nurture my beliefs. Even in college, when I struggled to find a church family that would give me the support network that I needed while away from home, I was still able to maintain my faith and beliefs. Being in the military is one of the biggest, and fastest, culture shocks a person can experience. Although a seemingly conservative organization, the Army presents you with a diverse work environment that you will not likely experience elsewhere; we are the “melting pot” concept attributed to the US. We have people from all races, religions, and backgrounds.

I can proudly say that my two deployments helped me grow in my faith in a manner that I never could have anticipated when I decided to join active duty. During my first deployment, my faith and church group allowed me to not only worship with other believers while I was deployed but gave me a support structure and helped me to build relationships with my Soldiers and my peer Officers. This was critical to my ability to do my job as I deployed immediately following my graduation from the Officer Basic Course and met my unit in country. The unit already had procedures in place and everyone had their friends and routines. Having a church family while deployed helped me integrate and made me feel closer to my family back in the US.

During my second deployment, I actively sought a church family as I knew the importance it would have to my life and my ability to make it through the deployment with a positive attitude. I was very blessed to join a church group that had a very diverse makeup: Soldiers, Officers and civilians from various units as well as brothers and sisters from our base’s Ugandan security team. The most amazing part of the experience was knowing that no matter what rank, religious background, country or ethnicity we were, we all prayed for the same things: health, patience, love, guidance, healing.

I had the privilege to spend my Easter at an emotional service at Saint Elijah’s monastery. What an amazing feeling to be standing where one of God’s chosen once walked and preached. My chaplain, Captain Hodge, spoke one Sunday of the history of Mosul, Iraq and how we were serving in God’s country. How amazing! We served our country where Jonah and Elijah once served our Lord! I also had the privilege to work with the Provincial Reconstruction Team that worked with local Iraqi women who were trying to start businesses, build parks and improve the overall quality of living in their towns. If this in itself was not inspiring enough, these women told us stories of their faith and, some of them, their conversion to Christianity. They spoke of the trials they endured and the persecution that they willing endured for their faith. How blessed we are to live in a country where we do not have to be afraid to believe in our God!

This World Canvas Project was a great blessing and I am grateful that my Uncle Chuck saw fit to include me in it. Although the logistics did not work out, it even inspired one of the local Iraqi Generals, General Mohammad, who desired to be a part of the project but was unable to due to his travel obligations in the region. The message that we all wanted to convey is this: without the love, support and prayers of those back home we would not be able to serve our countries as we do; the emotional, physical and psychological strains would be unbearable. So, for that reason (and a lack of access to paint), we wrote our unspoken prayers and requests on the prayer canvas hoping that those back home would finish our prayers for us; for it is only with your support and prayers back home that we can serve as we do.

Much love! God bless!