A Passion for Serving Soldiers
Posted by Guest. Filed in Active Duty, Chaplains, Families, National Guard, Parents, Reserves, Spouses |
US Army Chaplain Rev. Lucy Der-Garabedian, was raised in war-torn Lebanon. She lost her brother, a soldier, in the Lebanese Civil War, and from that experience, became passionate about soldiers.
After immigrating to the United States, she was serving as pastor in Michigan when a friend who was a reservist chaplain questioned why she had never joined the chaplaincy. “I am a female,” Der-Garabedian recalled telling him. “To which my friend said, ‘We have female chaplains in the Army.’ I didn’t know that was a possibility.”
A year later, the pastor with a heart for soldiers left for basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. One of the many times that Der-Garabedian sensed God was confirming her call to serve in a military environment was during her first station in Fort Stewart, GA. There, she counseled a young soldier who — harboring an almost uncontrollable rage toward his abusive father — was both suicidal and homicidal.
“I had to listen to him day after day pouring out his poison until he was himself ready to listen,” Der-Garabedian said. “In the military chaplaincy, we talk about a ‘ministry of presence,’ a ministry of ‘being with.’ By my being with him, a bond developed between us because he saw that someone cared enough to listen to him. I then shared with him that someone loved him enough that He was willing to sacrifice his Son.”
Der-Garabedian said that the young man, who had no prior religious background, accepted Jesus Christ, saying that he couldn’t wait to go back home and share that love with his abusive father.
“Seeing that sparkle of hope, direction and meaning in his life was yet another reminder for me of God’s reality and transforming power in our lives,” she said. “Today that young soldier is a minister.”
In her current assignment with the 500th Military Intelligence Brigade based in Hawaii, Der-Garabedian continues to offer counseling to military families affected by the stress and tension of individual deployments.
“One of the gifts that we have as chaplains is our privileged communication,” she said. “Family members know that they have a sacred space and that the system will not penalize them. That creates a place where differences can be shared and misunderstandings resolved, knowing that the Wounded Healer is present in our midst.”
Prayer: Lord, thank you for chaplains who serve our service members and their families. Provide them with listening ears as they minister through their presence. Guide their words and prayers, that each of these chaplains may continue to be a blessing to those who serve and protect our country, both at home and in dangerous places far away. Amen
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