In today's letter and with all that is going on in the world especially in the middle East, I want to reflect on what was taking place on the other side of the world, a little over fifty years ago. It seems so long ago but America still has not healed from the wounds of the "Tet Offensive" in Da Nang, Viet Nam. I went back into history and relived what was taking place in this beautiful city, with all its lovely French influence in architecture and life style, but all that would suddenly change forever.
A cease-fire was to have been in effect for it was a holiday, this is where the term ‘Tet' comes from. Tết short for Tết Nguyên Đán 'Festival of the first day', is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. Tết celebrates the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese calendar and usually falls on January or February. However, on this day, all hell was about to break loose. On that day in 1968, During the Tet Offensive attacks on Da Nang, 142 U.S. and ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) soldiers were killed. I was 27 and about to become a new father each evening I sat riveted to the Television with family and watched as they unloaded body bags off cargo planes, coming home from Viet Nam. Daily we would hear the stories of high school friends who had become casualties of war who never made it home to see families, and we prayed for America.
I hate war and you can see the reasons why, in the casualty count that took place. The war exacted an enormous cost: estimates of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians killed range from 970,000 to 3 million. Some 275,000-310,000 Cambodians, 20,000-62,000 Laotians, and 58,220 US service members died.
I actually was so moved by what I saw, I went and tried to sign up at the Army recruiter. He asked me what do you do? I said, I work with young people in the barrio of Houston's East End. I deal with basic youth conflicts and try to reach them before they become addicted and in grained into the culture that destroys their lives. He stopped me right on the spot and said, "we need you more here than over-seas! Tore up my application right on the spot and by so doing changed my destiny. It was of no consequence to him, what he did that afternoon but to the thousands of young people whose lives were touched by what God continued to do, it was a matter of PROVIDENCE.
Here is where my story of Fang from Da Nang comes in. My friend Bob Summers had a cousin that was a nurse in the hospital in Da Nang. Because she had to drive a military jeep to move from place to place around the city, for her safety some of her associates gave her a dog to protect her. It was a German Shepherd, and after the war she brought it home to the United States. This is where my friend Bob Summers comes in. His cousin was purchasing gasoline for her car with Fang in the back. When the attendant came up to window to take her order, Fangs old training kicked in and he attacked. This created a scenario where the dog lover Summers, ended up with Fang. Fang had a bad case of P.T.S.D. which affected his disposition.
You could talk to Fang, you could say, "FANG, YOU GOOD DOG", and he would wag his tale and dance for you. You could also tell him, "FANG, YOU BAD DOG", and Fang would moan and put his paws over his eyes and lay down on the floor like he had been poorly appreciated and scolded. This brings me to the reason I bring Fang up today. Remember where he was from; Da Nang. Think about what he had been through, "The Tet Offensive." He bore mental scarring from all he had endured.
On the Fourth of July, when people celebrated America's birthday, and the fireworks began you could not find him anywhere, he would be in the bedroom hiding under a bed in the most distant part of the house at Wildwood. (a retreat house Bob and JoAnn own in the Hill Country of Texas). I had an uncle and a second cousin that were just like old Fang. My uncle was a prisoner of war in Germany who had been marched all the way across Germany and held in horrible prison camps during WWII. My second cousin was a soldier in Korea, but the trauma leaves similar results; the mental wounds of war. On the FOUTH OF JULY we celebrate their sacrifices for our freedom, and we celebrate America.
As a pastor, I have served many people who bare past scars and traumatic memories, but I have watched and learned that Jesus can heal the deepest wounds in your life. Jesus immortal body had scars. Was it not wonderful that He showed and allowed DOUBTING THOMAS to see and touch His scars? Is it not a moving thing that He was WOUNDED for OUR transgressions, He was BRUISED for OUR iniquities, the CHASTISEMENT of OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM, AND BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED?
I BELIEVE IN YOU, I BELIEVE IN AMERICA, I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER, AND I BELIEVE IN THE THREE IN ONE, GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Your Pastor,
Pastor Cleddie Keith
A cease-fire was to have been in effect for it was a holiday, this is where the term ‘Tet' comes from. Tết short for Tết Nguyên Đán 'Festival of the first day', is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. Tết celebrates the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese calendar and usually falls on January or February. However, on this day, all hell was about to break loose. On that day in 1968, During the Tet Offensive attacks on Da Nang, 142 U.S. and ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) soldiers were killed. I was 27 and about to become a new father each evening I sat riveted to the Television with family and watched as they unloaded body bags off cargo planes, coming home from Viet Nam. Daily we would hear the stories of high school friends who had become casualties of war who never made it home to see families, and we prayed for America.
I hate war and you can see the reasons why, in the casualty count that took place. The war exacted an enormous cost: estimates of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians killed range from 970,000 to 3 million. Some 275,000-310,000 Cambodians, 20,000-62,000 Laotians, and 58,220 US service members died.
I actually was so moved by what I saw, I went and tried to sign up at the Army recruiter. He asked me what do you do? I said, I work with young people in the barrio of Houston's East End. I deal with basic youth conflicts and try to reach them before they become addicted and in grained into the culture that destroys their lives. He stopped me right on the spot and said, "we need you more here than over-seas! Tore up my application right on the spot and by so doing changed my destiny. It was of no consequence to him, what he did that afternoon but to the thousands of young people whose lives were touched by what God continued to do, it was a matter of PROVIDENCE.
Here is where my story of Fang from Da Nang comes in. My friend Bob Summers had a cousin that was a nurse in the hospital in Da Nang. Because she had to drive a military jeep to move from place to place around the city, for her safety some of her associates gave her a dog to protect her. It was a German Shepherd, and after the war she brought it home to the United States. This is where my friend Bob Summers comes in. His cousin was purchasing gasoline for her car with Fang in the back. When the attendant came up to window to take her order, Fangs old training kicked in and he attacked. This created a scenario where the dog lover Summers, ended up with Fang. Fang had a bad case of P.T.S.D. which affected his disposition.
You could talk to Fang, you could say, "FANG, YOU GOOD DOG", and he would wag his tale and dance for you. You could also tell him, "FANG, YOU BAD DOG", and Fang would moan and put his paws over his eyes and lay down on the floor like he had been poorly appreciated and scolded. This brings me to the reason I bring Fang up today. Remember where he was from; Da Nang. Think about what he had been through, "The Tet Offensive." He bore mental scarring from all he had endured.
On the Fourth of July, when people celebrated America's birthday, and the fireworks began you could not find him anywhere, he would be in the bedroom hiding under a bed in the most distant part of the house at Wildwood. (a retreat house Bob and JoAnn own in the Hill Country of Texas). I had an uncle and a second cousin that were just like old Fang. My uncle was a prisoner of war in Germany who had been marched all the way across Germany and held in horrible prison camps during WWII. My second cousin was a soldier in Korea, but the trauma leaves similar results; the mental wounds of war. On the FOUTH OF JULY we celebrate their sacrifices for our freedom, and we celebrate America.
As a pastor, I have served many people who bare past scars and traumatic memories, but I have watched and learned that Jesus can heal the deepest wounds in your life. Jesus immortal body had scars. Was it not wonderful that He showed and allowed DOUBTING THOMAS to see and touch His scars? Is it not a moving thing that He was WOUNDED for OUR transgressions, He was BRUISED for OUR iniquities, the CHASTISEMENT of OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM, AND BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED?
I BELIEVE IN YOU, I BELIEVE IN AMERICA, I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER, AND I BELIEVE IN THE THREE IN ONE, GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Your Pastor,
Pastor Cleddie Keith