Is It Worth It?

A family of the church I attend had a picnic yesterday to honor their son that had just recently returned from an 18 month tour of duty in Iraq. He drove trucks for convoys going in and out of Baghdad. A very dangerous tour, to say the least. He saw a great deal that he has apparently not talked about yet, and we respect his privacy. Yesterday I did ask him one question: "Is it worth it?" He was thoughtful for a moment with a slight frown in his expression but then smiled and said, "Yes." I then asked him why. This young man is a husband and a father to a little boy not yet two years old. He has been through fire, pain and death that I can only imagine. He said that the Iraqis want us there but also want us to leave when we are done. He said the people know what life will be like if we just pull out and not finish the job. He saw the vast disparity between the rich and the poor in Iraq and believes we are making a difference in the lives of the people of Iraq. I thanked him for his service to our country and then watched him and his wife take their son for a stroll in the park.