August 31, 2004

<>Wanted to let you know that we had a great call from Adam this morning. I have taken the day off work - God's timing! Anyway, I was home and so was Rod. We had probably the best conversation with him since he left.

He said that it was 146 degrees today! They worked all day. He is in charge of construction for the entire platoon. He is really glad to be busy. His skills from his civilian job are really coming in handy. He gets to tell officers what to do. He says that he gets up at 5:30 am and works until at least 6:30 pm. He is building huts of some kind. He is glad to be tired and busy. But the heat is rather exhausting. He said that now it can be 120 when he gets up. But he says that his health is good. And the medical part of me believes him. <> I asked about safety and he said that he feels safe. They get fired at every night. They hear it and can see it. He said that enemy fire is blue and green tracers. (Tracers are every third or fourth bullet is a certain color. Our tracers are red.) This is gun fire, but he kind of chuckled when we asked about it. He doesn't want us to know or worry about him.

He said that they will be moving to the barricks from the tents soon and they just found out the barricks have window air conditioners that were just installed. I'm thankful for that. He said they can sleep OK, but they do hear fire during the night <> We sent him his birthday present, it was a little guitar and he received it yesterday. He was really excited and is looking forward to playing for chapel in the future. We will be sending him music soon. We were surprised that it got to him already. It was supposed to take 6 weeks and it is already there. He has received several packages from home and gets mail regularly. Just keep the notes, card and letters coming. He loves to hear from home and loves to get mail.

Please Pray for
1. tolerance to the heat and health.
2. Praise for air conditioning in his barracks
3. Praise for fatigue and good sleep
4. Pray for safety and alertness <> Adam knows that I am emailing a lot of people and says thanks for prayers and mail.

We appreciate you.
In Christ's love,
Jill

August 29, 2004

<>Just a quick note. Adam called yesterday about 9 am. He has been calling in the middle of the night, so we were really surprised. He could only talk a few minutes, but Ashlee was here so she did get to talk to him.

He said they had a lazy day, played 7 on 7 football and volleyball. Our tax dollars at work?! Anyway, he said they should be leaving on convoy soon. Whatever that means. We are just taking one day at a time. We so appreciate your prayers.

Just pray for safety and alertness. And patience as they wait to start their missions.
In Christ's love,
Jill

August 26, 2004

Just a quick note. Adam called and we talked very briefly early this morning (12:45 am). It was 8 am for him. He has a cold of some kind. So do others in his tent. Otherwise, just very hot. He said he just hasn't felt good for about 2 days. He did have a small pox vaccine just before he left and also anthrax. ( You know the medical part of me!)

Just pray for
1. His health and the health of others on the base.
Thanks for praying
Jill

August 25, 2004

<>I just got an email from Adam. He has access occasionally. He is still at base, but anxious to do something. They built a bunker today but it didn't take long enough. He said it is boring when they are not working. It makes him miss home more. Please pray for him to be busy and keep his mind focused on what needs to be done.

He said there really isn't anything to do if they are done working for the day. It makes the time go slower. He did say that if anyone wants to send any hand held games, like solitare, yatzee, poker, etc. Those games help the time go faster when they are free. If you want to send some spare batteries, that would be good. <> Just keep praying.
Thank God for:
1. email and the ability to communicate a little more frequently
2. Pray for a lot to do - hard work to make him tired and activities to occupy his free time.
3. Concentration and focus for the upcoming mission.

I'm so thankful for all of you.
In Christ's love,
Jill

August 24, 2004

Just a quick update. We got a call from Adam about 2 am this morning. What a great surprise and relief to hear from him. He has not left the base yet, but will be soon (whatever that means - he can't tell us). That is OK - but it was great to hear his voice.

<> He clarified some things about the mortar attack. He and his buddy were walking to chow when they heard a popping sound. Then they saw some of the rounds hitting the ground. He said they were far enough away, but it still got everyone's attention around his area. Further clarification is that there were Marines hurt, but none killed. Thank the Lord for His protection. We are so thankful for that news.

After all that we were able to just talk for a little while. He said that the chow is good, they have meat and he said "it probably comes from dairy cows!" Rod asked him if he thought it was camel, but he said a quick "no". He said that he got to wash his clothes for the first time yesterday. And that he got a shower. He usually uses baby wipes to clean up, showers are few and far between. But he was thankful that he got one.

I asked him if there was anything that he needed and he said "junk food would be good. I can't get anything here."

If you want to send him any, don't send chocolate or anything that will melt together. It is really hot ( 115 at 8 am) and sometimes his mail will sit for a long time before he gets it. It is better if things are individually wrapped or something that he can share with the guys in one sitting. The sand filters into anything, so when something is opened it needs to be used quickly.

Well, thank you for praying. Adam said thanks to and to tell everyone that he misses them and loves them.

In Christ's love, Jill
Prayer:
1. Praise for safety of the Marines
2. Healing for those wounded
3. Concentration and alertness and wisdom

August 22, 2004

We have not heard from Adam since yesterday, but Rod's brother Sid, heard from his son Jesse (for those who don't know, we have 2 nephews in the same company as Adam. My sister, Mae's son, and Rod's brother, Sid's son.) Jesse is still at the base. So we know that Adam is not with his whole company, or may not be with his company at all. So Adam is on a mission somewhere. Please keeping praying for all our troops.
Love, Jill

August 21, 2004

Rod got a call from Adam this morning about 10:30 am. Adam let us know that his base was bombed during the night (that would have been yesterday for us). He said that no Marines from his company were injured, but he did say "We lost some good Marines." We are so thankful that he is OK, but are grieving for the parents who are finding out now that their sons are dead. It almost makes me feel selfish. I just have to pray for those families. I have been watching the news all day, but haven't seen anything on their base. Adam said that he is leaving on a convoy and won't be able to contact us for 2 weeks. He was pretty shook up when he talked to Rod. They were only able to talk 3 minutes. Sometimes the commanding officers tell the guys to call home and let their families know that they are OK before it hits the news. We are thankful for that.

Please pray for
1. The families of the Marines lost in the explosion. Pray for the Marines in their units and their concentration and ability to continue the fight.
2. Pray for the chaplins dealing with families and Marines.
3. Pray for Adam for calmness and alertness as he leaves for his first mission. Pray for protection of the convoy. Pray that they would each feel God's protective guiding hand.
4. Pray for the leadership of each unit.
5. Pray for the leadership of our country.

This is hard for all of us. I was with Ashlee and Jason today and that helped a lot. Rod was at Promise Keepers in St. Louis and I know that he had support there also.

We are so thankful for the prayers you each offer on the behalf of Adam and our other Marines and soldiers fighting for freedom.

I'll update you as soon as I know anything else.
In Christ's love,
Jill

August 18, 2004

We got a telephone call from Adam early this morning just after midnight. It was great just to hear his voice. My motherly instincts knew that his voice sounded fine. He said that it was between 115 and 125 degrees hot, but he said that it didn't seem that hot.

<>He said that he tried to call before, but the lines to use the phones are very long. He had waited in line several times for an hour or so and just as he was getting close to the phone, he had to leave to do whatever. He said that if he called when it was late here, there wasn't much of a line. We assured him to call whenever! He said that the base is huge and is divided into 4 sections. They have a big prison there with many POWs. He said they have some big name Iraqi terrorists in their prison. His fire team (a group of 4-6 Marines that work together most of the time) was assigned prison guard duty for the next 2 -3 months. Since Adam is a machine gunner, he didn't have to do that job. He has to be available to go with a convoy if needed. He is glad that he didn't have to pull guard duty. I think that guard duty is a lot safer than his machine gun job, but will just continue to pray for his safety. He has been on several convoys already.

His unit is still getting acclimated to the base and Iraq, but will be moving to some old Iraqi buildings soon. He is thankful for the air conditioning right now.
<> Some of you have asked if he needs anything and I asked him that last night. He said that phone cards would be nice. The minutes burn through very fast, but he can use them on the base to call back to the States. Otherwise, he said he really doesn't need anything right now.

When you pray for him, please thank the Lord for
1. His good spirits - he sounded great.
2. Acclimation to the climate
3. Safety thus far and in the future.
4. His spiritual growth and relationship with God. I didn't get to ask him about their chaplain.

Again, you all don't know how comforting it is to all of us to know that so many people care and are lifting him and our family up in prayer.

In Christ's love and protection,
Jill

August 17, 2004

We are so thankful for your prayers. We haven't heard directly from Adam, but we did get an update through the internet web site from Major Quehl. He let us know that they are all in Iraq at an airfield called Camp Al Asad. (if you would like to see where it is in Iraq, just do a search for Al Asad and you can see right where he is). The company is in the process of transferring gear from the company they are replacing. As I said before, I am so thankful for the guys who will be heading home soon.

We know that the living conditions are better than expected for right now. They have a chow hall run by a civilian contractor and have 3 hot meals a day. As a Mom, I am thankful for food that is apparently plentiful. They will have access to a small store, phones and internet periodically. We are thankful for that also. Right now, they are sleeping in tents that are air conditioned, but soon will be moving to old Iraqi buildings. They have room at the camp to run and a gym to work out in.

I am so thankful for this update and to know that right now he is more comfortable than I had imagined.

So please thank the Lord for food, shelter from the heat and access to communication.
I hope that we will be able to hear from him soon personally, but I am so glad to hear this news.

He knows that there are a lot of people praying for him and he always says to tell you all thank you. I'm so thankful for all of you.

If you haven't sent a birthday card, please do so soon. It may take over a month for them to start getting mail. Since his birthday is September 17, the cards should get there around the right time.

I am attaching some pictures of him. If you want one for your refrig or any place. The second picture was taken at the Peoria airport right before they boarded the plane to leave. Of 140 Marines there, they got Adam's picture. He is the one holding the 2 M16 rifles.

Please try to write the address exactly as above so there is no delay in processing.
I'm thanking God for faithful people like all of you. Thanks also for your encouraging notes and emails. I am keeping copies of all of them for Adam to see when he gets home.

In Christ's love,
Jill

August 14, 2004

My sister got a call from her son, Jeremy, (who is also in the same company as Adam) at about 1 am this morning. They were in Kuwait, but packing and moving out quickly. Don't know anything else. Please pray for safety as they are transported to their base.

Thanks for caring and praying.
Love, Jill

August 13, 2004

Adam called about 5:45 am to let us know that he was in Frankfurt Germany. They flew from California, stopped in Bangor Maine to refuel, watched 7 inflight movies and landed in Germany. He didn't know how long they would be there, but he had a phone card, so he called. They will be going directly to Kuwait from there.

Keep praying,
Jill

August 12, 2004

We had a call from Adam last night, letting us know that they would be leaving today. We had a good talk with him and he assured us of his faith in God and his desire to share his security with others in his company. He said that the guys had all been talking and were sure that the guys in the company that C Company is replacing were very anxious to get home. That point is comforting to us as parents. It's a little easier to know that they are taking another company's place. We for sure want someone to take C Company's place when it is their turn to come home. We talked for awhile and said our goodbyes.

Then this morning about 10 am, I got a call at work from Adam. He was at an Air Force base somewhere about 2 hours from Camp Pendelton. Some man from the local VFW had brought cell phones to the company and told them to call whoever they wanted and talk as long as they wanted. Adam said there was a whole box of phones. What a blessing to be able to talk before he boarded the plane. He also called Ashlee and Rod. I just took that as afirmation that God is watching over him and allowed us to talk to him another time. We have already had some comforting things happen and the guys aren't even there yet!

We found out that all the HUMVEE's are armor plated now. What a great increase in protection! Also, the company will be transported to their base by AIR! That is so much safer. The plan was to take a caravan from Kuwait into Iraq. It was estimated that it might take as long as 2 weeks to get to their base. Convoys are so dangerous because in the desert they can be seen for miles around and any enemy has time to get ready to attack. We are so thankful that the guys are being air lifted to their base. They don't know if they will go in by plane or by helicopter, but that really doesn't matter. They will just be much safer. Thank God for His protective hand.

Also, Adam found out that the company will be stationed at Al Asad Air Force Base west of Fallaujah. We are so thankful that he will be at a base that has some protection. Hopefully, he will have access to some ammenities - like food and showers - maybe email. I'm not holding my breathe but I'm just so glad for the protection of a base. Adam sounded really good said that he is ready to go and get started.

We are trying to get him a guitar shipped to Iraq for his birthday. He had looked at some on the internet before he left and it looks like we may be able to get it shipped directly. We will be sending him praise and worship music. Just pray that God will use his ability to lead others to trust in Christ.

Thank you all for praying. You don't know how much it means to all our family to know that so many are praying. We are assured everyday that God is listening and protecting all our men. Please be praying for the military leadership in Iraq. Pray that God will give them wisdom and direction as they direct our troops. Adam's commander is Major Quehl. If you can pray for him, that would be great. As I said before, we don't know who his chaplain will be, but pray for him also.
I'll keep you all updated.

In Christ's love,
Jill

August 4, 2004

August 4, 2004

We are so thankful for all of your prayers. Now is the time that we really just have to take one day at a time and not worry about tomorrow. We know that NO ONE can take better care of Adam and all of our boys than God. The days are slipping by fast as we wait for the flight to Kuwait. Adam is at Camp Pendelton in San Diego right now. His group are waiting for 6 more to join them. Those 6 are coming from Camp Le June in North Carolina. They are supposed to fly from the Carolinas to Camp Pendelton on Monday, the 9th. We don't know what the hurricane will do to those plans. Whenever they get to California, the whole group will leave sometime thereafter. Because of the security alert, those plans are not public. We think that is a very wise move. We don't need to know when, we just want them all safe.

Just a quick update on Adam's job. He is a machine gunner. He carries a 25 pound machine gun with him. When they are riding, he is either at the front or the back of a convoy for convoy protection. We are so thankful that the Marine Corp just outfitted the battalion with those new "metal" plates for their flack jackets. The boys are concerned about the extra weight - the inserts weigh another 25 pounds. Pray for strength and endurance for them. It is extremely hot - 136 by some reports. We and the Marines are thankful that they don't have to wear their chemical protections suits this time around. If you want to see some pictures of the Marines leaving Peoria, go to PJStar.com and click on the photo gallery. You will see a picture of a group of Marines. You can see Adam in the group - he is holding 2 M16s and standing sideways. A great looking guy - right! Also, the photographer took Rod and my picture as we were watching the guys go. That was one of the hardest moments of our lives, but we are just trusting God to take care of them and bring us back the same men we sent over there. Adam gave me permission to share his most important prayer request with all of you. He is most concerned that he not have to injure any children. Please pray that God would protect him for that. Adam's birthday is September 17 and he will be 22. This is the second year that he will be gone for his birthday. I want to really shower him with cards. I'll get his address to you ASAP. If you want to send a card to our address, I'll pack them all up and send them as a group. Our address is Rod and Jill Schertz, 1583 Wiedman Road, Metamora, Illinois 61548. Please feel free to share this card shower with those you know. Even if they don't know him, the cards will mean a million to him. I'll keep you all updated as we get more information. Please email me back if you would rather not get these updates. I know that you get a lot of mail.

We are so thankful for all of your thoughts and prayers.
I'll close with a quote from General Tommy Franks - this helped me to think about Iraqi Freedom II in a whole new way. He said " If we don't fight terrorism outside of our country, we will be fighting terrorism in our own country." God bless the USA and all our troups, whereever they are.
In Christ's love,
Jill