The Good Chaplain saw an article the other day on false bananas, and it brought back a flood of memories about his time in Eastern Africa. Lately, many news items bring back memories of his deployment in 2010-11 to Djibouti. On Sunday, our local Illinois Army National Guard unit deployed 200 people to Djibouti.

All this news comes at a good time as I outline our book on the Good Chaplain’s time in Eastern Africa. The working title is Eastern Africa: Stories of Hope and Faith.

We have fond, and not so fond, memories of that deployment. The Good Chaplain had terrific experiences traveling around that portion of the continent and visiting with orphanages, village leaders, ambassadors, and even the Ethiopian Pope of the Orthodox Church.

I had fun too, visiting Illinois Girl, my parents, and being free to come and go as I pleased.

No one comes away from a deployment unchanged.

Victoria Terrinoni

But a friend was also killed in Afghanistan during this time. And there was the monster tornado bearing down on Moore, Oklahoma, where we lived at the time. So those are sad and scary memories.

Each deployment has its good times and bad for both the deployed member and the partner left at home. Unfortunately, no one comes away from a deployment unchanged. It’s the nature of the beast.

But we must make the best of the time apart to grow and learn. So I look forward to each opportunity to discover a new strength or talent. And now that we are retired, I wonder when he will go away again — at least for a night!

Until next time,

Vicki

Victoria Terrinoni is the author of Where You Go, I Will Go: Lessons From a Military Spouse. She followed the Good Chaplain around for 31 years as a military spouse. Available on Amazon or the Shop tab above.