Send us your church's e-mail information, and we'll e-mail them anonymously on your behalf. A copy of the letter is posted below.
Could you tell my church about this website?
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This is a copy of the letter we will send on your behalf:
www.OperationWeAreHere.com
We have been contacted by a member of your church family who is geographically separated from their deployed Soldier. In consideration of their needs, we would like to share with you some ideas of how you can most effectively minister to them during their deployment.
We’re a non-profit website resource with one main purpose—connect God’s family with other members of the body of Christ who are hurting (Galatians 6:2).
Being a spouse and family of a deployed Soldier can be one of the most challenging and lonely experiences in life for us in the military. Read what one spouse said,
“I have heard nothing but how I need to be a good military wife. I have gotten no support. My husband hears thank you and has packages sent to him. My children hear thank you and have gifts sent. I have yet to hear thank you. I feel like what I have done in the past 10 months is meaningless. I hear how I have to help my husband. I am so tired. I have not had leave or a day off. The hardest work is ahead of me. I don't know how I will do it. The spouses need more help. They need to hear thank you as well!”
Submitted by Jacqueline, a military spouse
You can be the hands of God’s amazing love to your military families!
My name is Benita Koeman, the founder of Operation We Are Here. I am a Christian, wife of a US Army Chaplain, and mother to three young children. In 2003 my husband deployed just weeks after signing up for Active Duty military service. For six months I was a single parent to a 2 and 4 year old as well as our newborn daughter who arrived one month after his departure. During that deployment our church embraced us, and when I reflect on that time, I remember the body of Christ ministering to each other in community.
Two years later my husband deployed again, this time for one year. The kids now being 2, 4 and 6 years old, I thought it wise to go back to our home area, hoping for a better support system than with my military friends who were already stretched thin. What happened next took me by surprise and let me struggling with deep hurt and confusion. I felt lonely and abandoned and after some time I decided that I was literally on my own.
Upon my husband’s safe return, the congregation cheered and gave him a standing ovation. I observed from the back of the church. I had suffered through the most difficult year of my life, but who knew. For months following I prayed to God with tears and asked “What was that all about? Lord, what do I do with this…Where do I go from here?”
I realized that our churches and others who love us, they don’t get it because they just don’t understand our struggles. And when I realized that my story is shared by other military families, the concept of Operation We Are Here was born.
Operation We Are Here has this mission:
•to create an awareness of the challenges of families/loved ones of deployed Service Members
to create an awareness of the challenges of families/loved ones of deployed Service Members•to offer practical suggestions to churches, communities and individuals on how to support and encourage the military
to offer practical suggestions to churches, communities and individuals on how to support and encourage the military home front•to provide a comprehensive list of resources for families/loved ones of deployed Service Members
to provide a comprehensive list of resources for families/loved ones of deployed Service MembersThank you for taking the time to visit our website for practical ideas that would encourage your military family throughout the deployment of their loved one. You will also discover that Operation We Are Here offers thousands of other resources for the military community and military supporters.
On behalf of the military home front,
Benita Koeman
For updates on new resources and additions to the website, please join our Operation We Are Here Facebook page. We are on Twitter as @OpWeAreHere.
Letter to My Church
Copyright 2008 - 2019 Benita Koeman, Operation We Are Here. All rights reserved.
Operation We Are Here is a HUB of RESOURCES for the military community and military supporters.
Military support is not a concept to embrace; military support is sacrificial action. Visit our military support TOOLKIT.
