War Stories Database
Prayer and the Gold Ring
By SFC Joe Roberts
Service Date: Current
Often times when we hear someone say that they have a war story it revolves around work or a particularly interesting family event, but there are now hundreds of thousands of American men and women that have war stories that are a little more substantial. I have spent the last year in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. I have lots of war stories, but the particular events that I have experienced are insignificant in relationship to two distinct recurring themes, prayer and the gold ring. To put some things in perspective I have quickly added up some numbers. In the last year I have drank over 500 gallons of water. I have eaten over 400 MRE’s (Meal Ready to Eat). I have slept on the ground, on a runway, on a desk, on a cot, and in a bed. I have experienced temperatures from 30 degrees to 130 degrees. I have driven over 30,000 miles. I have worked with 250 different Afghan National Army soldiers, and I have watched 9 of those brave men die in battle. And I have prayed 1,056,098 times. I may have exaggerated just a bit on that last one, though at times it seams like I have prayed more. As I grew up and learned about faith, it always seemed to me that prayer was something that was very structured. Prayers had a certain time, either at church or at bed time. They were something that followed a particular syntax, reciting certain words in a particular order. Prayer was something you did with your hands folded, and your head bowed. What I have learned in the last year, though, is that God will listen to you just about anytime, anywhere, under any circumstances. I am admittedly not the most religious of persons. I try to go to church every Sunday, but sometimes I opt for sleeping in instead. I have struggled at times throughout my life with my faith, but have always known the presence of God in my life and have felt blessed by it. The one thing that I have never been very good at is praying. I have often heard that religion comes to people when they feel they don’t have many options left. I would not say that I have been in this situation, but I have come to know the power of prayer, and I realized it when I felt I didn’t have many options left. I can’t get into any specifics of what my mission has been here in Afghanistan. What I can share is that I work as a mentor to the officers and soldiers of the Afghan National Army. I have traveled all over the country, from Kabul, to Heart, to Kandahar, and everywhere in between. I have seen the good and evil in man. I have felt pity and rage. I have helped provide humanitarian assistance to those that need it, and I have been shot at by others. The one thing that has helped me get through it all is looking to God in prayer. Most of the prayers that I offer are not very elaborate, most just a few words. I pray every night, thanking God for getting us though another day. I ask him to keep my parents and sister safe, and I ask that he help my wife and daughter get through the next day. Sometimes I find my self simply looking up and asking for a little help. I have offered prayers of thanksgiving for showers and hot meals. I have asked God to look over the souls of men lost in battle. What is important though is that I have learned the power that prayer has to lift up spirits, and calm nerves. Quite simply I have learned the power of prayer. As I alluded to earlier there were two things that have helped me through the last year, prayer, and now the gold ring. Laura slipped a gold ring on my left hand a little over 4 years ago. Like most people I was excited to get married, and at the same time wondered what the future would bring for us. Shortly after we got married terrorist struck the World Trade Center in New York City. Like all Americans I was horrified at what I watched unfold on my TV. Unlike most Americans I also knew that there was a very real chance that I would be called upon to serve justice to those involved. It was not until last year that I was tasked with being called up to active duty. I had spent the last 7 years in the National Guard waiting to help in the event of a flood or tornado. Like so many other National Guardsmen I was now asked to leave my wife and new born daughter and head overseas to fight terrorism for my country and the world. I can’t describe to you what it was like to leave that day, but I knew that it was to serve a greater good. I am one of the luckiest men alive. I was lucky enough to find what I consider the perfect wife. I have known since I met Laura that she was the perfect woman for me, the last year has just solidified the fact. Many times people look at men and women that are deployed overseas and feel sorry for the sacrifices that we have to make while being here. I, and everyone else that serves in the military, knew the risk and have accepted the consequences of putting on a uniform. I am not saying that life here is easy, far from it, but it is a life that we selected. What I think is often overlooked is the sacrifices that the families make. My wife went from having someone to share raising a child with, to doing it alone. No longer was there someone else there to take out the trash or do the dishes. Every day became a balancing act between work, household duties, and raising a child. On top of all of that, she is working on a Masters degree at night. The wonderful thing is the support network that Laura and I are lucky enough to have. Our parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends have stepped up with a helping hand. I will never be able to put into words my thanks to all of those that have helped out in the last year. Every day I look at the gold ring on my finger and thank God that it is there. It is amazing that such a simple symbol can have such profound meaning. The gold ring that I wear is a daily reminder of Laura’s love for me, and my unwavering devotion to her. The ring also reminds me of our beautiful daughter. I have missed many first in Elise’s life, but know that I was there at least in spirit, for all of them. I know that without the ring on my finger both of those girls would not be in my life, and again I thank God on a daily basis for both of them. So where does that leave us, staring at a gold ring and praying? It leaves us with this, no matter where we find ourselves in life; there is always something to be thankful for. I am lucky to have Laura and Elise in my life and I am reminded of that every day. I also know that God listens and answers prayers. So typical war story or not, I felt that it was worth sharing. Know that God loves you and watches over you, and a little prayer now and then never hurts. Sergeant First Class Joe Roberts Kandahar, Afghanistan July 1, 2005
