Nancy B. Kennedy

One of the chaplains in Miracles and Moments of Grace is posted to Antarctica at the famous McMurdo Station for two months. Chaplain Stan Giles, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, is sending dispatches (otherwise known as e-mails!) home from the icy south. I thought you might like his latest missive, a homily, really.

"We all need to feel appreciated! I was reminded of that by a conversation I had a few days ago.

Each year fuel is brought in here on a vessel (with a huge ‘No Smoking’ sign!). There is a narrow window of time in which the sea ice melts sufficiently for an icebreaker to chop a path for two ships to safely traverse – a fuel ship and a later cargo ship. While the cost of doing business here is enormous, it would be even greater if everything had to be flown in versus a shipped in.

Anyway, the fuel ship docked and the chief engineer attended worship and invited a few of us for a tour. It was a fascinating tour and afterward the captain invited us to join them for dinner. This was a U.S. flagged ship (apparently a requirement when moving government goods) and it had a traditional captain’s dining room. The food was excellent.

The next evening I came to the chapel and there was a man sitting quietly in reflection. I didn’t bother him, but I wanted him to know I was around. A few minutes later he introduced himself as one of the two cooks on the ship. After he mentioned it, I recognized him. He lives full time in Florida, travels in 60-day increments and rarely gets to attend church. Surprised to see a chapel here at the bottom of the world, he took advantage of it for some private reflection.

I visited with him for a bit about his family, his faith, etc. and then he began telling me about his job and how he came to travel the Seven Seas cooking. He took great pride in his work – but it was work that demanded long hours and obviously long durations away from home. When we were finished I asked him a question – 'Do you feel appreciated by the Captain and crew?'

He admitted that it was a question he’d never been asked, and he paused to think of the right response. I was expecting a ‘no’ answer and was formulating a response when he picked his head up out of his worn hands, smiled and said, 'Actually I do. Almost everyone always says thank you!'

I was reminded of the Apostle Paul’s writings, which tell of the importance of everyone in the church and, by extension, of any large complex organization. In watching this very complex organization work together to provide scientists a platform for research, I see daily the absolute importance of everyone – drivers, cooks, dishwashers, maintenance people, heavy equipment operators, cargo handlers, finance people, janitors – everyone here contributes in some way and absent any one of those groups, among others, things would soon grind to a halt and there would be no research.

I was reminded of just how powerful those two words are: "Thank you." Or as the Kiwis would say, 'Thanks, mate!'"

Blessed are those who can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.

-- Elizabeth Asquith Bibesco

A monument to Jewish chaplains who have died while on active duty was dedicated yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery.
You can read about the ceremony here.

Incredibly, until now, Jewish chaplains have not been recognized on Chaplains Hill at the cemetery. The oversight came to light in 2007 when someone went looking for Rabbi Alexander Goode's name and could find no mention of him. Chaplain Goode was one of the "Four Immortal Chaplains" who perished along with more than 600 men when the USAT Dorchester was torpedoed during World War II. All of the chaplains -- two Protestant ministers, a Catholic priest and Rabbi Goode -- gave up their life jackets to others. The chaplains were last seen on the deck of the listing ship, their arms linked, singing hymns and offering prayers together.

A grandson of Rabbi Goode attended the ceremony yesterday. It must have been an immensely satisfying day for this family, and for those who have benefited from the ministry of Jewish military chaplains.

I thought you'd like to know about a job posting I saw on a facebook page yesterday. Samaritan's Purse, the Christian relief and evangelism organization, is looking for a retired chaplain to fill a full-time opening.

Here is the listing from the Air Force Chaplains facebook page:

Chaplains: Samaritan’s Purse is looking for a retired chaplain to fill a full-time paid position beginning Jan 2012 at their headquarters in Boone, NC, directing four months of summer activities (to include counseling) that provide injured military members and their spouses with a week of “healing” at a lake-camp in Alaska. For more information, please contact BGen (Ret) Jim Walker at (828) 278-1549 or at jwalker@samaritan.org.

I know so many chaplains who would be perfect for this job!