Sunday, May 29, 2005
Kill Zone
In honor of Memorial Day our preacher (Don) asked one of our members, Glenn, to speak to the church. Glenn is one of a group of retired gentleman that meet for breakfast on Thursday mornings. Then they proceed to our building and cut the grass. Glenn is also military retired. In fact, he is a former "The Sgt. Major of the Army," the highest ranking enlisted man in the entire army.
Glenn through occasional tears, told of an experience he had during the Vietnam War. He was a Platoon Sgt. during that time. He had two men in his unit, best friends who had come in under the Army's "Buddy Program." He said these two men were closer than blood brothers.
Glenn spoke about how the Viet Cong (VC) used the American mindset of not leaving anyone behind in a battlefield against them. He said the VC would set up "kill zones." Their aim was to wound an American soldier and then continue to "wing" the down soldier casuing him to cry out in agony . The VC would then kill any soldier(s) attempting to rescue the wounded soldier and start the whole vicious cycle over again.
Glenn said on a particular day one of the 2 friends wondered into a VC kill zone. He was immediately wounded and called out for help. Glenn yelled for everyone to fall back into the jungle knowing the VC's intent. He said everyone obeyed him except for the wounded soldier's friend who promptly ran to his wounded buddy. As he picked up his wounded friend Glenn said they could all hear him say to his buddy, "I knew you wouldn't leave me." Glenn said that it was at this point that both of them were shot dead. I don't think there was a dry eye in the church as Glenn told this story. Glenn said this was they type of sacrifice we should remember on Memorial Day.
Then Glenn reminded the church that 52 Sundays a year, we have a "Memorial Day" for a friend named Jesus. A friend who saw each of our eternal souls in the "kill zone" of Satan's. And like the friend in Glenn's story, Jesus willing stepped into Satan's kill zone for all of us.
Glenn through occasional tears, told of an experience he had during the Vietnam War. He was a Platoon Sgt. during that time. He had two men in his unit, best friends who had come in under the Army's "Buddy Program." He said these two men were closer than blood brothers.
Glenn spoke about how the Viet Cong (VC) used the American mindset of not leaving anyone behind in a battlefield against them. He said the VC would set up "kill zones." Their aim was to wound an American soldier and then continue to "wing" the down soldier casuing him to cry out in agony . The VC would then kill any soldier(s) attempting to rescue the wounded soldier and start the whole vicious cycle over again.
Glenn said on a particular day one of the 2 friends wondered into a VC kill zone. He was immediately wounded and called out for help. Glenn yelled for everyone to fall back into the jungle knowing the VC's intent. He said everyone obeyed him except for the wounded soldier's friend who promptly ran to his wounded buddy. As he picked up his wounded friend Glenn said they could all hear him say to his buddy, "I knew you wouldn't leave me." Glenn said that it was at this point that both of them were shot dead. I don't think there was a dry eye in the church as Glenn told this story. Glenn said this was they type of sacrifice we should remember on Memorial Day.
Then Glenn reminded the church that 52 Sundays a year, we have a "Memorial Day" for a friend named Jesus. A friend who saw each of our eternal souls in the "kill zone" of Satan's. And like the friend in Glenn's story, Jesus willing stepped into Satan's kill zone for all of us.
