CHAPTER 11 Ta Pure Adiyo

 

 

 CHAPTER 11

Ta a pure adiyo?

     I tramped merrily to Fred's along with Mabior and Samuel. We were excited to be home. Yei wasn't New York or Los Angeles. But it was home and better than those places to The Team. People along our route greeted us with big smiles and waves. They gave us loud and excited Dinka greetings, "Ta a pure adiyo?" Roughly translated as, "How have you woken up?" 

     It was slow-going as Samuel and The Team slowed our vehicles to a creep as they greeted well-wishers. Samuel kept busy giving out hugs to as many of the Dinkas and others as was humanly possible. All of them reciprocated with something like, "Mr. Samuel, how is that blessing from God doing this fine day?" Of course, the word had spread faster than texting throughout Yei of the Winston's newest member. Most likely, the news had been broadcast by those incessant Dinka drums. 

     As The Team walked by Fred's, we were greeted by Fred and staff falling all over themselves to be the first to hug, congratulate, and ask for pictures of baby Aliza. It was a happy reunion for us coffee lovers. You get used to a certain taste, then miss it when it's taken away. We wound up going into Fred's and pouring our own coffee's as Fred was totally distracted. 

     We were on our second cup when a winded Thon, who had gone ahead, ran up to us with important news.

     "Chief, Mabior, our Dinka brothers have let the cows out!" Thon's mind has weird connections, and it scares me when I sometimes understand those connections. It was the Baha Men's song of similar lyrics. Thon was playing the part, "Who let the dogs (cows)  out? Who, who, who, who?" Thon added a circular dance movement to the words. Every one of us spit hot coffee on one another. Thon really was a lovable hoot. 

     Mabior fell out of his chair backwards, laughing. Finally, Samuel was able to get out, "Thon, what's going on?"

     With a roguish grin, Thon pulled his 357 out of its holster and twirled it on his index finger as he answered with, "Saddle up, podnah, the compound is full of cattle."

     Mabior gathered himself off the ground, shouting, "Mooove over, Pilgrim, the cavalry's on the way!"

     And we were on the way to our first round up. It's nice to be home and in the saddle once again. I looked back at one point to see half of Yei following and singing, "Who let the cows out, directed by Thon?"

     As the crowd parted. Some entering the compound, while the younger ones climbed the walls to get the birds-eye view of the cacophony inside. Mabior and several of The Team were raised around cattle. The crowd cheered every person bucked off. Most of the cattle were disappointingly docile. Led by Mrs. Akech, the wives rushed out to meet their husbands with mutual embraces. Food was arriving in abundance. 

     To my surprise, Leah appeared behind Mrs. Akech wearing a full apron and sporting a bundled newborn as she gazed around the compound crowd for Samuel. Upon spotting him, both worked through the crowd to embrace one another. From a distance, I heard her tell Samuel, "Mrs. Akech is teaching me how to cook!"

     Samuel and The Team had gone to an emergency meeting in Tel Aviv with the Defense Minister, Israel Katz, from the hospital, then on to Yei from there. 

     Such a scene of tenderness and, Sadly, this would change dramatically overnight. War with Iran only moments away.

     In the meeting with the Israeli Defense Minister, The Team had been posed a question by Minister Katz, Where do think Christians and The Team stand in the coming conflict. General Iverson looked around the room at The Team. He told Katz, "These men have their own minds and choices, as do all Christians."

     Each man was asked, including myself. Without hesitation, it was unanimous. We stand with Israel. Shermake quoted Genesis 12:3 "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you."

     Minister Katz walked slowly around the front of his office, pacing slowly back and forth as he talked. Randomly stopping while turning his head toward The Team and staring into the eyes of each. He talked like I had always imagined a commander would have addressed his men to mentally prep them for D-Day in WWII. 

    The Minister began, "The Crusader armies covered a great distance and were composed of numbers that were unheard of in that time. This operation will dwarf the Crusades. Hundreds of Israeli planes and their support aircraft will be traveling over 2,400 miles roundtrip to various targets in Iran. As you know, assets are in place to cause chaos and destruction from inside Iran. You'll go to Yei and be with your nearest loved ones for a very short period. Mossad operatives will come to you at the appointed time like a thief in the night. Be prepared. You are familiar with the areas of your coming operations. You have trained for years for just this time - a time - a time that men from the past would have sacrificed everything to be part of. Furthermore, you will tell your grandchildren tales of this time and your exploits, one of the most exciting times in history. Israel and her allies will be attacking a country 75 times larger than Israel, but God has her backed up by the strongest military the world has ever been witness to, the United States of America. Her mighty Navy and Air Force will help watch over Israel during the assured retaliation to come. Team, for you to be a part of this means only God, himself, could have chosen you. Samuel! Give us a powerful prayer!"

     And Samuel did just that. We all felt the enormity of the coming events, and that weight bore down upon us. 

     Hoseini spoke words that personified his spiritual feelings, "Persia, my homeland, Daniel's army is coming to set you free you."

     A peaceful look planted itself upon Mabior's face. I hadn't seen that look since before Mark and Chan's death. I put my arm around him. He looked back at me, saying, "God has answered my prayers to be part of something like this. It was this Iranian regime that made it possible for that monster, Gusev, to kill Mark and Chan. Revenge is God's, but I prayed long and hard to be one of his instruments of revenge."

     I just nodded. What more could be said?

     Back home, a light knock came on my bedroom door around 2 am. I opened the door to a man in khaki slacks and plain white shirt, saying, "General Jefferson, it is time. Assemble the men in street civies without equipment and weapons. Cars are waiting outside to transport The Team to the airport."

     As we loaded into 5 nondescript vehicles, Mabior turned to me, uttering, "Chief, you don't need to do this."

     It was simple, "A thousand mules couldn't hold me back."

     Mabior scrunched his face as he replied, "Speaking of, you are the most stubborn of all the mules!"

     Laughing, I rebutted, "Me! That's kinda like calling the kettle black. You are the most pig-headed..."

     Seeing everyone staring at us, we gave each other a big hug, and climbed into our vehicle with firm smiles.

THOSE AFFECTED BY THE FLOODING IN TEXAS

 PRAY!

Pray for those affected by the flood in Texas. 

 

 

 

 

Ukraine, Europe, Russia, and China - my Thoughts

 

My home, Oklahoma City and the State Capitol Building and Oil Wells on the boulevard leading up to the Capitol Building

 

     After watching the press conference with President Trump, VP Vance, and President Zelenski of Ukraine, I have some thoughts about our alliances. I'm sure President Trump will once again be accused of being vulgar and uncultured by the mainstream media, Democrats, and European leaders.

     Ukraine, the Breadbasket of Russia, in 2014 the government of Ukraine was overthrown: The Revolution of dignity or The Maidan Revolution. This transpired due to their President Viktor Yanukovych refusing to sign a political association and free trade agreement with the EU, European Union. Instead, he chose closer ties with Russia. Simple enough, except the CIA was behind the revolution that followed.

     Why would the CIA get involved? The thinking at the CIA and other European Intel agencies was that Russia had to be defeated. Their intel agencies had been directed for almost 50 years at the former Communist Soviet Union. Their game plans had all been geared at taking down a horrible world nuclear menace. After the fall of the Soviet Iron Curtain in 1991, they never changed their focus, their plans. Well, not much. They are bureaucrats, and bureaucrats are not very malleable. It would be so much work to redo all those plans and re-aim all those missiles. It was like Hitler telling his bureaucrats in the middle of WW II that the Jews weren't monsters after all, and they'd need to find a new monster and make new plans.

     Okay, they want to defeat Russia - how? The how solution was starting and backing a revolution in Ukraine when the right occasion came along, and that occasion came along in 2014. NATO's thinking behind this manufactured revolt and war: the Eastern Europeans would be much more accepting of the mass casualties of a war with Russia than the U.S. and European countries. The problem of the weapons disparity would be solved by the NATO countries supplying advanced weapons to Ukraine. Even Trump played along in his first term.

     After the Zelenski - Trump Presser debacle on February 28, 2025, it got me to thinking about alliances. Now, here is the result, and possibly the Trump Cabinet's thinking, too.

     Europe with the loss of their colonies and their globalist approach are poor and virtually a shell of their once-upon-a-time powerful selves. As allies, they are demanding and contribute little to the game. The U.S. basically pays most of the bill and supplies most of the bodies for their defense. So what's a better solution to the rising world crisis of war, war, war?

     China, Russia, and the U.S. are the three countries with the most powerful militaries. China and Russia are allied against the U.S. currently, but there are rifts developing in the China-Russia alliance.

     Russia has the more western qualities and history of the two. Also, Russia is a Christian country. The more the parties attempting an alliance have in common the easier the process and the more solid the future.

     What does Russia have to offer? Russia is deep in fossil fuel reserves and mineral wealth. However, most of it is under-developed and unorganized. The U.S. has the talent, technology, and organizational skills to develop Russia's resources. Russia borders China, and she fears a rising and aggressive China military. Add to that the issues with their treaties currently are on the rise. North Korea, a wild card deluxe, is influenced and has a history of cooperation with Russia, and her ties with China are at their weakest point ever. With Russia in our sphere of influence, North Korea may be a volatile addition. She and China are definitely having issues. With North Korea's addition, we would have China basically hemmed in with South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Indo China, and Taiwan already in our sphere of influence.

     The U.S. and Russia as allies? Why not. European alliances, NATO, that's like doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different outcome. What if we allowed Ukraine to defeat Russia, supplied billions upon billions more and who knows what kind of additional weapons to them, a rogue country already? The enormous nuclear stockpile and conventional weapons stockpiles in a defeated Russia and in the wrong hands is terrifying. I do not wish to add to the fears the world faced as Russia collapsed in the 90s about their nuclear stockpiles and even today haunts us as to who has stolen what and sold to whom.

     One last point, Ukraine borders Russia. Remember the near nuclear war with Russia we had in the 60s when they put missiles in Cuba?  Remember the Monroe Doctrine? You seriously don't expect a reaction out of Russia with NATO supplying all manner of weapons to Ukraine? Just like in Israel's situation, I think Russia is justifiably concerned about NATO supplying weapons and billions of dollars to support the Ukraine war effort.

     I was a big supporter of Ukraine in the beginning, but we need to really break down what the facts are. Intel agencies are masterly at directing our thoughts in a desired direction. You need to do your own investigation and come to your own conclusions. I cannot say that I have all the facts and have it all down to a science. Maybe my thoughts are being directed. I know I have followed a seemingly directed path on several occasions. Pray - pray for God's wisdom and clarity on the matter. Pray for our leaders to follow God's will, not theirs. Love you all and pray for peace.

 

 

Chapter 10 A GIFT FROM GOD

 

 

Mountains of Iranian Kurdistan

 Chapter 10

A GIFT FROM GOD

 

    The journey across the Iranian border and into Iraq was made manageable by the Kurdish driver and his accompanists. Three Kurds singing at the top of their voices on the rough mountain roads concerned Little Brother as much as Leah giving birth without him there.

     Thoughts rambled around in his head carrying guilt. The two soon-to-be new parents had put so much into breathing exercise practices prescribed by the nurses at the Tel Aviv hospital. Leah and Little Brother were taking the coming child very seriously as any parent should.

     Now, the Team was overboard with their offers of help, prep, and nerves. Before Leah flew to her parents in Israel to stay near the hospital, she had gathered The Team to scold them about their being more nervous than she was. She shook her finger at them, saying, "If you don't calm down, someone among you will have a heart attack! Thon! What happened to your sense of humor? Mabior, I have been with you with bullets flying all around your head, and you never exhibited any nerves. You are an absolute wreck. Alek, you used to be so involved with your weapons that you rarely gave me the time of day. Twins listen to me, Sam and I cannot fit another baby present in our home. Look, I love all of you, but you must calm down!"

     Inside Iraq, the driver headed the Rover toward Harir US Air Base near Harir in Western Kurdistan, a semi-autonomous area of Iraq. Arriving at the air base was not what Samuel expected. As the Rover and its passengers were fully expected, they were waved through the gate without stopping. As the dirt-covered vehicle came near the runway, a sizeable gathering of US military and Kurdish workers and dignitaries lined the road cheering the Rover on to its destination.

     Samuel sat sheepishly waving the entire trip through the air base. Until he neared the waiting plane for his flight to Israel. An Air Force ground crew snapped smartly to attention as they approached, giving a crisp salute. Samuel and the Rover's crew jumped out of the jeep gawking at the plane before them - a Gulfstream III C20 US military passenger jet.

     Major Korda, the pilot, released his salute and offered his hand to Samuel while introducing himself. "Sir, General Iverson ordered the best plane available. Welcome aboard. It's an honor to be your pilot, Mr. Winston. This is Lieutenant Armstrong, my co-pilot."

     Taking a brief pause from gawking, Samuel asked Major Korda, "Major, is your last name an indication of Kurdish ancestry?"

     Surprise showed in the Major's eyes as he answered, "Yes, sir, it is."

Hearing this, the three Kurds were in awe. The three dirt-covered men removed their hats and wiped their hands on just as dirty pants while taking turns shaking the Major's hand.

     Asking for the driver's phone, Samuel prodded them to squeeze together for a picture with the pilots.

     Commenting to his mates, the driver told them, "I've always told my sons they can accomplish great things even from a poor family such as ours. This Kurd from the United States is proof."

     Overhearing the man, Major Korda pulled a card from a pocket of his immaculate uniform, offering it to the man and instructing him, "Sir, call me tomorrow at the number on my card. I'll arrange for your sons to spend some time at the base, and take a ride in some of the aircraft here."

     The driver grasped the Major in a loving hug with tears wetting his face.

     While those discussions went on, the flight crew was taking photos with Samuel.

     Climbing the stairs onto the plane, Samuel turned, shouting, "Hey, we need to pray before we take off."

     The crew chief gathered everyone in the area. After a strong prayer, Samuel climbed back up the stairs to the plane.

     As the Rover driver was about to launch himself into his seat, he turned and asked the pilot, "Take good care of this man? I have heard many stories about him. He is an important man with a good wife and child waiting for him."

     Major Korda smiled, "My brother, I'll take good care of him, but you take good care of your family, too. The world needs good families now, more than ever. Remember, call me tomorrow."

     As the jet lost contact with the runway, Little Brother yelled to the Major and his co-pilot through the open cockpit door, "Are you a Muslim or a Christian?"

     Both replied, "Christian."

     Samuel mused, "Gentlemen, how can a person look out from that cockpit and not see the hand of God?"

     Major Korda motioned for Lt. Armstrong to take the controls, and turned to face the passenger compartment, "Samuel, I asked the same question the first time I rode in an airplane. That plane was piloted by my Father. He had flown us, my Mother, brothers, and sisters, from Iraq to Turkey. We were escaping Hussein's tyranny. To be truthful, It was more than tyranny. It was genocide. He was gassing us Kurds in Iraq. Our people were dying by the thousands. A horrible time."

     Releasing his seatbelt, Samuel stood and walked two steps to grasp the Major's hands, telling him, "I have read stories about those harrowing events. The Kurdish people are very loving and loyal. I am certain that if Hussein had given the Kurds even a small piece of sovereignty and shown just a little compassion, he would have had a loyal friend through thick and thin. I cannot imagine what would cause people to do such ghastly things to their fellow man."

     Breathing deeply, the Major replied, "Now, Hussein is dead and Khomeini is close. Man struggles to serve justice because justice is God's. We Kurds are a patient people for we know that God's justice will come in his time and his way, and he may use the Kurdish people to administer a piece of that justice. My people were excited when we received word of The Team in Iran. We knew that God had not forgotten us. You cannot imagine the lift your presence has upon us."

     Sdot Micha Airbase loomed in the distance as the pilots began their ascent to land. The ground crew was waiting with a car and driver nearby to transport Samuel to Sourasky Medical Center where Leah and the newborn awaited the new father's arrival.

     With newborn, Aliza Eliana, in her arms, Leah lay there talking with her Mother, Hannah, and Father, Elijah. At that moment a nurse rushed into the room, shaking, "Mrs. Winston, there is a dirty and scruffy man, maybe homeless, wanting into your room."

     At the same time, the door slowly opened revealing a man exactly as the nurse described him, dirty and scruffy. Leah shrieked, "Sam!" While immediately breaking out in tears.

     With a sheepish grin on his face mixed with a hesitant move to the bed to embrace and view his daughter and wife, he was intercepted by Hannah.

     "Son, put this hospital gown around you, first come to the sink to wash your hands. Then you'll be just fine."

     The nurse stood there unable to speak at the sight before her.

     Elijah, beaming with pride, leaned over to the nurse's ear, assuring her, "It's her husband, Samuel, just back from a mission in Iran."

     The nurse blurted out, "Iran!"

     Elijah gloated, "Yep, Iran. Samuel's a member of The Team, God's Special Forces Unit."

     With a gulp, she said to nobody and everybody, "Forgive me for not knowing." Then she rushed out of the room to spread the news.

     As the nurse traveled down the hall, excitement erupted throughout the hospital at the news of Samuel and Iran. Add to that the reverberation of the news that the PM, Netanyahu, was on his way up to see that dirty and scruffy man, wife, and newborn daughter. That event seemed to open the floodgate of important visitors. General and Mrs. Iverson and Mrs. Akech and her husband had the honor of attending the door and welcoming visitors awarding them a cordial addition to the waiting list. It was a grand event with hospital administrators seen frantically rushing here and there to arrange space and to create a spur-of-the-moment great experience for all. But there was one thing that Samuel and Leah kept searching for in the line of visitors each time the door opened. A piece was missing that would make the event truly exceptional.

     A week passed by, and Samuel slept on the couch beside Leah's bed. That morning marked the beginning of the last day of hospital for the Winston family. Leah had experienced some minor issues that were safely resolved.

     A head popped in the slightly opened door to ask, "Boker tov (good morning - Hebrew), are you ready for some aruchat boker (breakfast - Hebrew)?"

     Leah looked at Samuel, who had just sat up, sleepy-eyed, "Boker Tov, Sam, ready to eat?"

     Samuel was always ready to eat.

     The bubbly lady exited the room with a heartfelt, "Shalom."

     The two went about digging into their meals. Samuel looked at the wall clock. Leah, noticing, commented, "Sam, Aliza will be here shortly. After I feed her, you can take care of her while I shower and dress. It's so exciting to leave. Soon we'll be back home in Yei to start living as a family."

     Samuel, his mouth stuffed, mumbled, "You bet. I'll take her down to see all the newborns."

     Laughing, Leah chastised, "Samuel Nathanael Winston, don't talk with your mouth full."

     "My Mother always told me that same thing."

     Leah put her fork down. A sad look swept over her face at that last comment. "Sam, I wish your Mother and Father could have been here. I remember fondly our trip to Oklahoma to visit them. I remember how welcoming and loving your relatives and friends were. It's sad for us to be separated from your family at times like this."

     Still eating, Samuel concluded, "Oh - I'll be fine. We'll see them soon, I'm sure."

     Leah scrunched her face, responding, "Sam, I won't put up with you not making more effort to get your parents here. James said he'd put them on the first plane. All you had to do was say the word. But you - you hem-hawed around, never making arrangements."

     As if that conversation were the intro, the same nurse that had announced Samuel's arrival, threw open the door and breathlessly announced, "Mrs. Winston, coming down the hall is a large group of men that look exactly like Mr. Winston did upon his arrival!" At that, she opened the door fully.

     Leah screamed, "It's The Team! They're home."

     Samuel jumped up spilling his food tray, shouting, "What took you guys so long?"

     Mabior shouted back, "We had work to do, unlike someone we know!"

     Leah's Mother walked out of the nurse's station at the same time that The Team appeared. She immediately sidestepped back into the room to muster nurses. They loaded up with extra hospital gowns to cover the men. Then she flew to the baby station to grab Aliza for The Team to see.

     Diemba's wife, Fadoul, had been sitting in the waiting room till the Winston's finished their breakfast. She heard the commotion. Stepping into the hallway and seeing her husband, she ran to embrace him.

     Once again, the hospital was a picture of madness, but a wonderful and Godly madness.

     The nurse who had the privilege of announcing both momentous events stood proudly before all the nurses on duty who stood gawking at the sight, introducing the new visitors, "These men before you are the rest of The Team just back from a top-secret mission in Iran."

     The Team packed into the small hospital room after being fitted with a hospital gown and washing hands. The sound of everyone talking at once was like a gaggle of geese. The whole family was home, and there was a new member who came down the hallway swaddled in the arms of a very proud Grandmother.

     Without a word of caution, she handed Aliza gently to me, James Jefferson. The room went silent. I don't know if I had ever held a baby this young and tiny. It scared the daylights out of me. My only thought was, "Oh, Lord, you must approve of our work, for you are adding to our numbers, and, by the way, don't let me drop this beautiful thing."

     I asked Hosseini what everyone was laughing about.

     His reply, "Chief, the nurse asked for Aliza to give her a final examination before leaving the hospital. Leah explained to her that she had no idea where she was. The nurse's shocked expression at that answer was priceless. Leah looked at her with a 'what's the fuss about' look, saying, 'Do you seriously think something could happen to my daughter with The Team around?'"

     Both of us laughed, as I made my way through the crowd handing Aliza to the bewildered nurse.

     However, Aliza was snatched from the nurse's arms by Amani. Alek began complaining that he was supposed to be next. All this while Leah and Fadoul, Diemba's wife, sifted through the candy boxes brought as presents. Samuel held the attention of a group, telling them how he was quite the expert at changing diapers. Tales of his heroic changing of poopy diapers without gagging was a hit. What a family.

     Unknown to us, powerful forces were gathering back in Yei, South Sudan. Fortunately, those forces were powered by God.      

 

 Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv