Encouragement

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The Shepherd
© 2010

by

Stephen A. Peterson


An order came down from Battalion Headquarters asking for two volunteers to patrol 10 miles around the northeastern territories in Afghanistan. The objective was to gather information about Taliban activity and strongholds. They would go up on the mountain every day, and on that same day in the evening they would return to their base camp. For roughly two hours the soldiers would report detailed information to the Battalion intelligence officer. Specialist Richard Lay and Sergeant Luis Sweazy volunteered for the mission.

On the second day of their operation, a teenage Afghani met the soldiers with a request, “American soldiers, tomorrow I must go with you on the mountain so you will get lost.”

The men said, “Why? We went up yesterday without your assistance. We know the way. We won’t get lost.”

The teen said quietly again, “But I must go with you.” Again the soldiers turned him down. The third time the teen said, “I know the mountain like the back of my hand.”

“We have detailed maps that have the exact terrain features which are accurate with five meters.”

But there is no inclement weather on your map,” came the reply.

The two soldiers declined the offer for a third time. They went up on the mountain alone once again. And, true enough, inclement weather in the form of a dense fog enveloped them. Soon they were lost. They floundered around for nearly nine hours. Darkness was about to come making it impossible for the soldiers to get back to their base camp before nightfall. As darkness began to settle on the mountain, the soldiers were ready to give up, when they spotted the teen coming along their side ready to shepherd them back to their safe haven.

How often do we think we can go on our way along throughout our lives? Things go well and we believe we that we have made it without the Shepherd. Then when danger occurs all around then we are lost. Yet, if we would look around, we would see the Shepherd there to guide us to safety.

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