Category Archives: Days of Remembrance
SGT BOWE BERGDAHL TURNS 27: Still held captive by America’s enemies.
Today is the twenty-eighth day of March. Twenty-seven years ago today Bowe Robert Bergdahl was born into a loving family living in a small town in rural Idaho. Life was good in Idaho and Bowe grew up to become a kind, intelligent, adventurous young man.
Fast forward to today. Bowe’s family still lives in Idaho and they still love him dearly. Bowe, however, is being held captive somewhere in Afghanistan or Pakistan by insurgents who are allied with the Taliban.
While it’s shocking enough to learn that a United States Army soldier has been taken prisoner by those who are fighting against America, it’s even more shocking to know that one has been held captive for nearly four years. As of today, Bowe has seen four birthdays pass since he was taken captive on 30 June 2009. We wonder if Bowe knows that he turns twenty-seven today. We pray that next year that question won’t even need to be asked. It is our greatest hope that in 2014 he will be able to celebrate his birthday, celebrate his life, with his loving family in that small town in Idaho.
What people are doing
Bowe’s supporters have made extra time today to tell others Bowe’s story. Many have distributed flyers and brochures to tell people about his plight. We have a free downloadable brochure that you can get HERE to use to spread the word about Bowe. Facebook users and twitter users are sharing posts about Bowe via social media. We have posts that you can share from our FACEBOOK PAGE “Waiting and Advocating for Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, US Army – POW”. Also, please take a minute to SIGN Bowe’s Guestbook.
Interviews
Dayle Ohlau of Idaho’s KECH-fm 95.3 interviewed Bowe’s parents, Jani and Bob Bergdahl, today. In an in-depth session she finds out more about how the Bergdahls are able to manage through and cope with the crisis of their son being held as a prisoner of war. Also discussed is how Bob Bergdahl is studying the culture in which Bowe finds himself in order to help to bring his son home. Separately there is also a short segment that features Bowe’s family wishing him a happy birthday.
FOLLOW HERE to listen to the in-depth interview with Bowe’s parents.
FOLLOW HERE to listen as Bowe’s family sends him birthday greetings today.
From us to Bowe
We will end our post today by saying “Happy Birthday Bowe! We are standing strong for you until you come home. God willing, may you celebrate your day next year in Idaho surrounded by those who love you.”
photo courtesy of JR – Anacortes, WA
Veterans Day 2012: Thank a Vet
Thank You Veterans, for your service to America. We will always be grateful.
National POW*MIA Recognition Day 2012: Remembering SGT Bowe Bergdahl and the POW/MIAs of America
America currently has only one Prisoner of War from the War on Terror who has yet to be rescued. He is Sergeant Bowe Robert Bergdahl – US Army who was captured in Afghanistan on 30 June 2009.
We who seek to Bring Bowe Home understand that the idea of a Prisoner of War is not just a concept- a Prisoner of War is a real person with hopes, dreams and a desire to live. A Prisoner of War has a family who loves him or her and longs for their loved one to return home. We know these things and it fuels our effort to speak out for Bowe. We will not stop our work until Bowe comes home.
Today is National POW*MIA Recognition Day. Please set aside special time today to remember Bowe and his family in your prayers. Please use your voice today to speak out for Bowe. He needs you to tell the world his story since he cannot. May God Bless Bowe and May God Bless his family.
Please follow HERE to join us to remember Bowe and to show your support for him and his family.
Our thoughts and prayers are also with all of the brave of our nation whose service to America has placed them on the roll of those who are now counted as a Prisoner of War or as Missing in Action. Further, we hold close in our hearts their families whose lives have been changed forever. Our deepest prayers for these families is that they will someday receive the answer that they are waiting for. May all families be healed of the wounds that they have suffered. May every Prisoner of War who has returned home alive overcome the terror of their ordeal and would find peace and healing. We pray that every living Prisoner of War would be rescued and all who are Missing in Action would be accounted for. May all who have sacrificed know that they are never forgotten and that America will be forever grateful. May God Bless them all and God Bless America.
Courage of the Father for Courage of the Son
A son learns many things from his father. Among the things he learns is courage. And this courage is not only that which conquers fear. It is also the courage to be true to oneself and to one’s own inner compass that is the guide as to what is right and what is wrong.
Today, as we honor all fathers for Father’s Day, we say a special prayer for Bob Bergdahl. We are inspired by the courage he has shown in his fight to bring Bowe home. We know, and can see, that his son has learned to be courageous by this same inspiration.
In remembrance of this day, we share with you a little poem about a son learning to be brave.
Father, Son.
The boy watched the ghosts
on the far side of the valley.
There under the black hill. He
stood by the farm gate and
watched. He was his father’s
son, a brave boy. But his
courage failed. He thought
about his father who he
revered. What would he do?
Should he tell his father?
There are ghosts. I’ve seen
them. They flicker and dance
about down there – and I am
so scared. His father had told
him: I believe what I can see
and touch, in what others proved
by bravery, by hard work.
Hard work. And so this was
hard; to go down there in
the dark, down to the river, under
the black hill. The boy set off.
A last look at the house where
his mother read him stories,
where his father ruled the roost
with his clear sight. It rode like
a ship in the night. He headed
for those shifting lights, chill in
the dark, stumbling over clods,
pants soaked by the drag of
lucerne. I can see him still.
When he got to the pigs, heard
them rooting, snuffling – content
in their sty – he almost turned.
He pushed on though, on trembling
legs, heart pounding fast enough
to die. And so he came to where
the ghosts danced – in triumph
ruled. They triumphed round him,
this clear-eyed son. He looked
around. A mile away cars swung
out at the junction, their sweeping
lights touching river mist. Joy.
He could go home. He could go
home, holding his dad’s hand.
by John Garth Raubenheimer
