A Marine’s Testimony

At the tender age of seven, Brian Vanderpool experienced a life changing moment when he watched the movie, Saving Private Ryan. It left such a deep impression on him that he decided to become a Marine. He found out later the movie actually depicted Army personnel, but he had his mind made up.

Recently, Lance Corporal Vanderpool, now 20, returned home on leave from an 8 month tour of Afghanistan. He was not expecting to be greeted by a cheering crowd at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, which, in his words, “left a big grin on my face.”

Early on, Brian began to prepare himself for his chosen military career. In school, he played football and ran cross-country. He joined the Firebird Young Marines when he was 11 years-old and eventually “retired” as a Young Marine Gunnery Sargent. All of his physical preparation helped, but the Young Marines gave him the edge he needed to succeed in boot camp, where he became a “guide.” The guide is the head recruit of the platoon and has four squad leaders under him.

Brian and his family attended a local church. In his junior year, his youth group went on a retreat near Big Bear Lake in California. It was during this retreat that Brian gave his life to Christ. Although he didn’t realize it at the time, his faith in Jesus was also preparing him for boot camp, and much more.

Brian’s battalion was stationed at Camp Leatherneck, a 1,600 acre United States Marine Corps base located in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. They were responsible for disrupting enemy movement and crippling supply lines of materials the Taliban used to make IED’s. His platoon would pray together before each mission. He, as well as other Marines, carried a small bible in their BDU pants pocket. Brian kept a card with Psalms 91 printed on it in his shirt pocket. His platoon had the opportunity to interact with the local population, working to win hearts, while looking for Taliban fighters. To his knowledge, no one had the opportunity to share the Lord with any of the Afghan citizens.

Personally, Brian was not aware of any persecution of Christian Marines while serving in a Muslim country:

“The military can take a lot of things away from you, but one thing they can’t take away…is freedom of religion. They can’t force us not to bring a bible with us, and if they did, we’d do it anyway. That’s the one thing the Army, the Navy, the Marine Corp, will never mess with. That’s really how a lot of infantry men stay sane.”

Brian’s battalion suffered three casualties, and IED’s were a constant threat. As for combat, Brian said it is a very different experience than what he expected:

“Being in the heat of the moment, you don’t think about being shot. You really think about finding cover and getting to the best possible position to get them (the enemy). But afterwards, when you get off the helo and get on the bus to be driven back to base, you’re like…there were some close calls out there!” When the fighting was over, Brian made it a practice to pray for the families of the enemies he encountered on the battlefield.

When asked how his Christianity came into play during combat situations, Brian answered...

(Excerpt) Read more at http://therelevantchristianmagazine.com ...

I really don't understand that, unless it was to pray they don't reproduce and make more.

Your not a Christian are you?

If you are, then you need to pick up that thing we call a Bible and start reading the manual God gave us on how to operate the machine you call your life.

We are told by Christ to forgave and prayed for those who persecute us as he did for those who crucified Him. we too are to pray for those who hate us. Being a Christian, I'm sure Brian prayed they would find Jesus and turn from their evil ways.

Plus, if the enemy combatants have a family he probably prays for the Lord to take care of them, because he is still going to do his job and kill them if he has a chance. Just as God takes no pleasure in sending evil people to hell, neither should we.

"You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48

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