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Rock Chapel hosts National Prayer Breakfast

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Patrice Clarke
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Rock members celebrated prayer throughout different religions during the Rock Chapel's National Prayer Breakfast March 17 here.

Chaplain (Col.) Brett Oxman, the U.S. Air Forces Central command chaplain was the guest speaker for the prayer breakfast, which started at the Desert Winds dining facility here and migrated to the Rock Chapel.

The event opened with the reading of President Lincoln's 1863 proclamation which called to set aside a day for National prayer, the purpose of the event.

According to the proclamation, President Lincoln requested all people to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.

After the proclamation, readings from the Christian Bible as well as the Quran followed and then the guest speaker was introduced by Col. Patrick Mordente, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing commander.

During the program, Chaplain Oxman expanded on the theme, "Here we are, send us," and thanked all the servicemembers in attendance for their service.

"You are the ones who volunteered to pick up this portable tabernacle of hope and carry it to far flung shores in order to bring hope, freedom, and prosperity to those who couldn't help themselves," said Chaplain Oxman. "You are the ones who put on this uniform and you answered that call from Isaiah that asked who will send for us. You volunteer and say here I am, send me."

Chaplain Oxman explained that though the military members of his father's generation deserve to be called great, so do the military members of this generation.

"It is true that the military members of my father's generation are great," said Chaplain Oxman. "But so are all of you; you are the Americans who volunteered to create a space in your heart for God. That's why I am proud to stand here today because when I look back on Sept. 11, our nation was attacked, our way of life was attacked. The world was also attacked. Freedom of religion and humanity was also attacked. It was you who answered that call and said here Lord. Send us."

The entire event was a welcome distraction to the daily deployed life of Staff Sgt. Meghan Kalina, a security forces member assigned to the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.

"I thought the entire event was amazing," said the Port Charles, Fla. native. "Just the words that were spoken, it was so diverse with the different people who spoke. It touched home. These types of events really break up the monotony of waking up, eating chow and going to work."

Capt. Christopher Anderson, the plans and programs flight commander at the 386th Expeditionary Communications Squadron lent his musical talent to the event and sang the National Anthem.

"I really enjoyed this whole event," commented Capt. Anderson. "I think events like [the Prayer Breakfast] is absolutely essential in deployed locations. It goes along with General Schwartz's direction that spirit be an important part of an Airman's life. Any time we have an opportunity to come together in the Lord's name is a good time."