Good Morning from Kuwait,

It is 3:21 Sunday morning here at beautiful Camp Buehring Kuwait. It haven't been sleeping well lately, so I asked the doc last night for something to help me sleep. Within fifteen minutes, I was out like a light until I awoke with a start at 2:30 this morning. I looked at my watch and read 6:05, so I got up and took a shower before returning to the room. I once again checked my watch and it was still 6:05 and then realized I was looking at my alarm time, not the actual time. So I am wide awake after five and a half hours of sleep and ready for a worshipful Sunday. The Lord laid on my heart so many of you this morning and so I took some time to pray for you by name. It is so sweet to talk with Jesus even in the early morning hours here in Kuwait.

Today being Sunday avails me the opportunity to attend worship services. The chapel here is run by an Air Force chapel and his assistant. The chapel is like a sanctuary for me and so many others. It is open 24 hours a day and always has soothing music playing in beautiful and clean environment. I love going there every day and fellowshiping with other chaplains and other believers who come throughout the day to pray or to fellowship. It reminds me of what the church should be like all over the world.

I visited a church near Crawford Texas last Sunday. Patton Baptist is one of the many churches that have partnered with myself and my unit to minister to soldiers. It is a country church that is the lone survivor of what once was a thriving little community with a general store, school, bank, post office, and many other homes. Now the church stands alone next to a creek and surrounded by fields. It is an Oasis in the middle of its community. I arrived there about three hours before services began and allowed myself the privilege of praying and meditating under a large pavilion they have near the church. What a wonderful place to visit. Nearly sixty-five people attend the church every Sunday and enjoy one of the sweetest fellowships I have ever seen. Some of the folks are descendents of the early settlers there, but many others drive from every direction in order to enjoy this great fellowship. If you are ever in their neck of the woods, look them up, I know you will enjoy your time there as much as I have.

Camp Buehring is a well developed transition point for soldiers on their way to Iraq. There is much to enjoy here including Starbucks coffee, Mr. Green Beens coffee, Baskin Robins, Burger King, Subway, The Great Steak Place, a movie house, Internet cafes, a large gym, and much more. It is too easy to find ways to stay entertained as we wait for our transition to Iraq. My days are filled with constant wandering as I travel from one end of the camp to the other visiting soldiers wherever I can find them. I am basically practicing a ministry of presence here providing soldiers with the opportunity to talk with me on their own terms. Here are a few of the needs my soldiers have that you can pray for:

- Pray for the a family who are still in Texas. He is one of our NCOs and was supposed to deploy with us, but his 2 1/2 year old girl drowned two days before we left. She was kept alive on life support for a few days but later passed away. Pray for God's grace and strength to be poured out on this family.

- Pray for another soldier who I won't name whose marriage is in extreme trouble. This soldier is here with me and is now struggling with the very reason for living. Pray that he can discover hope in Jesus Christ and that I will have compassion and wisdom in helping him through each day. Pray also for his marriage to be healed and renewed.

- Pray also for all of our soldiers as they prepare to cross the border. Many are anxious about this long deployment and about the dangers that lay ahead.

- Pray for spiritual awakening among the hearts of each soldier as well. Pray that this deployment would be a time of new beginnings for them as they discover hope in Jesus Christ.

Thanks so much for all your prayers for both myself and my family. God is blessing us so richly. Thank you all for your encouraging notes. I read them all, even if I can't respond to each and every one of them.

May God bless you and keep you all as you follow hard after Him

Chaplain Olson

CH (CPT) Mark J. Olson
3-4 AVN REGT, 4 ID
Ft. Hood, Tx. 76544