Shane Came Back

On May 1st I went into surgery. So did Shane. Mine was scheduled and his was not. Shane and his Sergeant, John, were hit by an RPG. Obviously, the two were not in Hawaii. Both were very badly wounded. Both were evacuated to Germany. John’s family joined him for the flight back to the States. The sergeant's family lost their precious son between there and here.

Shane’s 22 year old wife Hazel, the mother of three little ones, flew with her youngest to Washington D.C. and the Walter Reed Hospital. Her first trip was to visit a mostly unconscious young soul housed in a much battered and broken body. She was with him all day and every day. Tough duty for a young lady not that many years removed from a comfortable adolescence. Hazel returned to Hawaii to spend time with her other children. The report came that Shane was in crises – pneumonia and a blood infection. The prognosis did not lend itself to hope. That was June 10th or so.

A few days ago, the doctors cut me loose to do all the silly things I love to do. Today Shane is being prepped for outpatient status. A member of the Pearl Harbor congregation and a soldier awaiting his third deployment to Iraq just visited us. He was thrilled to have read the e-mail reporting Shane’s recovery. In the course of our discussion Aaron offered a salient observation, “Why are we surprised when our prayers are answered?” He’s so right! Two weeks ago this congregation met for the sole purpose of praying for Shane and other wounded members of this congregation. I know for a fact that members of this congregation have been praying individually long and hard for Shane. Unlike politicians and preachers, prayers work.

That being the case, please pray for Shane and Hazel. The road to full rehabilitation is several years long. This young man and his younger wife are worthy of our very best prayer efforts as well as all of our appreciation.