I am so relieved.

I am still here in Iraq, trying to help the people escape the insurgency; and I've also been trying to spread the gospel.  I want to be a pastor when I get out of the military.

I'm David McCormack.  Have been here over two years now; don't know when I'm getting outta here, but I pray, hope it's soon.  A guy can only take so much heartbreak...

Yet I remain hopeful, especially since meeting little Faril Houdad earlier last year.  Only a teenager, but she looks far younger: she's petite; looks no older than a child.

I've seen her three times now; twice in her village where she lives, and now again today.  She's in a hospital bed, recovering from injuries incurred by a bomb blast.  Thank God she wasn't seriously hurt to where her life has been threatened; however, she's still shaken up, bruised, bandaged, and it breaks my heart.  She could have very easily been killed; it's only by God's grace that she wasn't.

When I'd heard the terrifying news that my little Iraqi friend had been injured, I cried, O, Lord, how I cried!! I thought she'd been hurt severely or even killed; but when I saw her looking at me through a bandaged face from her hospital bed, smiling as wide as the moon, I tell ya, my heart leaped for joy!

I'm sitting with little Faril now.  She is now sleeping; medications have since kicked in.  She was in a lot of pain, nursie came in, gave her a shot to try to ease the pain; she's now since fallen asleep.  She should sleep for a while.

I am seriously thinking of taking Faril home with me when I get out of the service--anything to get her out of this awful, war-torn land.  She is a Christian; the insurgents don't like anyone who is not Muslim, and they'll do anything in their own power to get rid of the "infidels" (their name for us).  They are not nice people, and to be around their hatred and violence is scary!

Every day we hear of new attacks, hear bombs, guns going off.  I have seen several of my military buddies get injured, wiped off clean off the face of this earth by their actions, and it's hard to deal with on such a regular basis.

My Christian faith has been tested time and time again; yet I try to soldier on, as a good Christian should.  Now is another test: my little friend has been injured by their hatred, and now I must try to be there for her as she recovers.

Well, I am going to go now; gotta get something to eat, try to get something to settle my queasy stomach.  Ever since my little friend was injured, I haven't been able to eat.

I will write in here again when I can. Hopefully I will find out when I'm gettin' out of here, and if so, I am taking Faril with me. She has nobody here, and she'd be a lot safer if she gets out of this war-torn nation!

~End of part three.~