October has turned out to be a very busy and productive month for us here at the 420^th MCB, we have seen our friends and co workers at the 113^th SB leave country after a great year of service, we are ready to see our down trace 516^th MCT leave after serving us well.  We ourselves are all getting excited about returning home after a wonderful period of serving our country.

While being here it has been a struggle for me to really seek out and explore my relationship with God.  The temptation is to put that on hold because there are so many distractions and the Army would work you 24/7 if you let them.  My goal has been not to conform to that way of thinking but the opposite, I have been really looking for ways to study, pray and experience God’s power.  I have had some bumps in the road some people telling me I am not here to do ministry, and NO i didn’t punch them in the face but I sat back and said “Well anywhere I am I can be doing ministry”  it didn’t get past that but the take away from that experience for me was, I am doing ministry In this environment I am not Pastor Jonathan I am Specialist Nalywaiko.

As I look at the different things that have been accomplished this month it is easy to see why the atmosphere is one of excitement.  In Proverbs it says

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

– Proverbs 13:4

We have had to learn what that diligent has meant this last month through the endless on-line trainings to the countless drug and alcohol trainings we have had to be very diligent.  Our unit went to the firing range this month and diligent has to be practice in order to complete the task.  We all are excited to fire our weapons because we have diligent in knowing how to do this.  In everything we do we should look for ways to become even more diligent and less sluggard.

we have been doing these Mocha outreaches going to the different tents and making blended drinks, they have way to much sugar and are crazy sweet and loaded with calories but it has been a good way to get down and hang out with the soldiers.

OCT 10^TH

Well we got to go to the wonderful firing range the other day and it was pretty good.  I usually do alright and qualify, not top of my class but if I ever have to shoot someone from 200 meters out they will most likely have no arms and an ear….if they stay in one spot and allow me to get my breathing right and my sights aligned……but then again if I am having to shoot anything there are big problems because I should really be protecting the Chaplain if we get fired at not trying to return fire.

When I was growing my family was very NO GUNS ALLOWED even our squirt guns were bright colors and even then we had strict rules on no shooting people.  So coming from that to the Army was pretty exciting for me.

I remember one of my favorite moments at Basic training……wow……..11 years ago, no it wasn’t laughing at them trying to say my last name and then them yelling at me for laughing or even smiling it was the day we were on the grenade range, (yes they gave a Nalywaiko a live explosive) we were all in this old school cement bunker with body armor, gloves, knee pads, and all kinds of protective gear. There was this gigantic door the drill Sergeant would open up then the next person would run out hit the ground and very quickly go through the motions of bringing grenade to body then grasping the pin with one hand then pull and throw.  They made it very clear if anyone tried to pull a grenade pin with their teeth they would probably end up chipping or knocking them out.  We had been going over these motions for the last three days with dummy grenades oranges whatever they felt like putting in our hands and telling or really yelling at us to grenade throw GO GO GO.  Well I was getting closer to doing the run hit the ground ready thro thing and the Drill Sergeant looked at me and ran over and yelled “NALYWAIKO WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SMILING?” And I responded “because I’m so excited to throw live grenades and blow shit up” then he said “YOU BETTER THROW THAT F*&^ THING FARTHER THEN ANYONE ELSE.” “Yes Drill Sergeant!” So it was my turn I was so excited I nearly hit the door as it was still opening, I ran out hit the ground with the Drill Sergeant yelling at me I grasped that thing pulled the pin and let it fly……off off and away it was beautiful right in the circle they had on the ground, I won’t tell you the explicated deleted’s that came at me next in congratulations, before I ran back to the bunker the Drill Sergeant asked what my MOS (job) was I told him “Chaplain Assistant” he smiled and said “That’s going to be one protected Chaplain.”

People talk about how hard Basic training is and it was very hard most likely one of the hardest things I ever had to do.  I was away from home in an environment that was new and strange to me and they crammed so much training into the day by the end of the day my head felt like it was stuffed and it took me a while to calm down enough to sleep.  Well I am glad those days are over.

We got to the range this time in a charter bus, got to range had everything set up and the first thing I heard over the megaphone from the Training Sergeant was “Push down pull up on your harness and exit to the left and enjoy the rest of your day at Magic Mountain” yup training outside of Basic is way different, I relieved that that might have been the last time I ever fired a military weapon again L

When I get back home I have requested to go into the IRR or Individual Ready Reserves, which means I would not have to drill once a month and I would not have to do two weeks a year or deploy for the rest on my contract period.  I have mixed emotions about it the Army has been a part of our lives for eleven years now, some years more than others but always there.  Now that I am getting closer to hanging up the uniform I am glad I never have to leave my family again and I am proud of the service I gave my country but I am a little sad I won’t have that feeling of being a part of something so huge and complex with others that is hard to explain….well like I said I have done eleven years on and off for the military and I think my time is done.

Acts 2:38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So I was talking to a fellow Chaplain Assistant the other day.  I had the wrong idea about where he came from, I was taking him for a small town po-dunk church type guy….nope we had a great conversation about larger Churches verses small Churches.  Now I have worked in both and have feeling about each but it was nice to sit and talk to another fellow Christian about the differences and the positives and negatives.  Unfortunately this worked me up so much I couldn’t get to sleep so I kept running thoughts through my head about how I was going to be back at a large church environment.  Honestly I do not think I am going to be any different, they might not understand some of the things I want to do or why I want to do them, but all I can do it try to explain how I feel God has put on my heart to be the Christian Man and Pastor he wants me to be.

Short story on what I am talking about.  When I first started at a larger Church, because I was new I saw a few things that we could improve on and make a little friendlier.  Well actually a little bunny trail….Look squirrel….

I have always tried to be outgoing and showing love to everyone I meet (My Dad’s teachings) so instead of just buying someone a meal I will sit down and eat with them, I feel that is really what Jesus would and did do, he didn’t cruise thru the drive thru and get a happy meal then throw it to the guy sitting holding a sign…..I know I know no happy meals in Jesus’ time, but you understand what I am saying?  It is a blessing and a curse, because it never fails when we are late to get somewhere we happen to pass someone with a sign that says “HUNGRY” and I pass by, but then a little voice from the back seat

(QUE LITTLE VOICE) Daddy aren’t you going to get that man some food……..”Yes dear I am….”  Turn around.  See I was always taught that when you least expect it that is when God is going to show up in an amazing way in your life, you can be just going along in life then ((BOOM)) something so crazy happens you look at it and have no flippin clue what it is about but God shows up and really works in your life and maybe lives of others he puts in your path.

So back to my story about the large Church I worked in, just happened my first day was the same day the Church did a food pantry handout to all who came, you had to register and you could only come back so many times and so on, but the door to get to the office was right in the middle of the huge line of about 100 people waiting to get food.  When I say waiting they were camped out ready to WAIT, lounge chairs little BW TV’s umbrella’s to shade the sun or rain or snow whatever it was.  So being me I wanted to stop and talk to them or in some way connect with them and hear the stories they had to tell.  So I did and later in a big staff meeting I asked if I could pass out water to the line when I got into work.  There were no objections so it was a great little way for me to step away from the everyday Youth Ministry stuff and really just connect with people.  Later on I had recruited some people to help me and we started serving coco when it got cold, it was Jonathan and the COCO girls….well maybe I was the only one who called us that, I have always tried to make it a goal of mine to not only do the Ministry of the Church at the Church but outside of the Church as well.  I have been very blessed to be able to do this is so so many ways, at one Church I worked at I actually worked for a substance prevention program as well which allowed me access to the high school and eventually allowed me to have an office at the school….Yes I was a Pastor and I had a office at the public school….That’s another story all together so I will stink back to what I am trying to say.

God is moving in my heart and I am not 100% sure what he is going to do with me, I know I am going to be serving in the Church at a Church and I know God is really moving at the Church I will be serving at so I am ecstatic about that.  But right now I do not know how I will be impacting my community outside of the Church.  I will continue to look for opportunities to show Christ’s love in unique ways and I have a few ideas, but how that will look is a bit fuzzy to me right now.  I hope you have been encouraged by my blog today, if you want to add any comments feel free to post a response.

Aug 20, 2012 9:00 AM

Temp 105.8°F

Humidity: 8% Dew Point: 33°F Avg Wind: 10 NW Pressure: 29.56″ Rain/Month: 0″

Sunrise: 5:19 AM Sunset: 6:22 PM

As reported at:

Kuwait International Airport

Today

Hi: 111 °F

Sunny. Temperature of 111°F. Winds NNW 19mph. Humidity will be 30% with a dewpoint of 72° and feels-like temperature of 124°F. … more

Tonight

Lo: 93 °F

Clear. Temperature of 93°F. Winds NNW 17mph. Humidity will be 56% with a dew point of 75° and feels-like temperature of 104°F. … more

Well here we are finally in double digits away from our return.  There are so many things I look forward to when I get back.  I am not going to get all excited yet, but when we get closer I will most likely have some good rants and raves about what I am looking forward to.

Here the temperature is cooling down a bit, in that I mean instead of constant 125 we are more closer to the 105 mark more often, which I know is not really cool but to us it means cooler weather is on its way.  This time next month we might even see double digit temperatures during the day.

We have had a good amount of concerts and comedy show come by here the last couple months, they provide a good outlet to just sit back and enjoy some entertainment away from the busy work week that we have (sometimes)  I have also enjoyed the movie theater on my day off so that is nice also, I miss my family but I know what I am doing here is making a difference and I am proud of that.

Work here has been going smooth; we have been able to provide a good amount of religious support to soldiers so it makes me feel good to know that.  I have been getting thru my college classes, which is a goal of mine.  I have also been able to continue working out and losing weight.  So going home I will be smaller smarted and fit WOOHOO.  Last thing I will say about returning is I can not can not wait to give my girls a big hug and tell them how much I love them!

I am looking forward to is starting my new job and working with an amazing group of people!

Well that is all for now short post today but thanks for reading and if you want to send me an email you can at naly56m@gmail.com