| Miami church supports one of its own at war
By Michael Wacht
MIAMI — When Derek Mills graduated from United
States Marine Corps boot camp, he attended worship at his home church,
Peace United Methodist Church, here.
Now that he is involved in the United States’
military action in Afghanistan, Peace is offering its love and support
to Mills and the members of his unit.
Ron Ohlzen, the church’s co-lay leader, said
he remembers Mills being very strong and singing loudly during the
service. “He told us his faith kept him going during boot camp. He
said he enjoyed being in the company of other Christians there.”
Ohlzen says supporting Mills “affords the
ability for the church to tie in with a serviceman over there.”
“It’s not just some foreign action that we
only saw on television. That’s one of our own over there…we’re
tied in to what’s going on on the other side of the world,” he
said.
Last January, 24-year-old Mills called his
mother, Laurie, and asked if she would send a care package to him and
members of his unit, who were stationed at the Kandahar airport in
Afghanistan.
Mrs. Mills asked members of her church and
children at South Miami Heights Elementary School where she works and
her son attended school to write letters and put together care
packages for the members of her son’s unit.
“The men and women in the unit appreciate the
fact they’re not forgotten,” Ohlzen said. “People have been
supportive and responsive to them. They felt they weren’t a
forgotten contingency of Americans sent overseas.”
During prayer time Mills gives the 35 to 40
people in attendance at worship updates on her son. “She tells us as
much as she can, as much as Derek is allowed to share,” Ohlzen said.
Their efforts on behalf of a member of the
United States’ military have caused the ethnically-diverse church
members to come to grips with their response to the military action as
Christians. “I can’t say we were pro or con,” Ohlzen said.
Members began having discussions about the
attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., before and after worship
service, which Ohlzen described as casual, directed and unemotional.
“There was no screaming or yelling,” he said.
“We reacted to the feelings of hurt from what
happened in New York and Washington, D.C.,” he said. “We’re
supportive of the President bringing the people who caused the attacks
to be held accountable and to make sure they don’t do it to anyone
else. We felt like we couldn’t turn the other cheek in this
situation, because these people aren’t answerable to anyone.”
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