Religion

By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor

Retired Army Maj. Connie Dana of Flint volunteered at the Wounded Warrior Ministry Center in Landsthul, Germany, in May. A member of Lanes Chapel United Methodist Church, Mrs. Dana made the trip because, she said, "as a Christian, I knew it was time to give of myself.

"The Wounded Warrior Ministry receives and distributes items donated by individuals and organizations primarily from the United States," she said. "The center uses monetary donations to purchase duffel bags, towels, phone cards and other items," for soldiers wounded in battle and airlifted to Landsthul.

Many of the soldiers arrive with little or nothing, she said.

"They don't have time to pack, especially the severely wounded," she said. "The men and women appreciate the support of people back home and are grateful for the smallest things, like the chance to choose from several brands of toothpaste, shampoo and soap."

The all-volunteer staffing of the ministry allows 100 percent of donated funds to go directly to the purchase of items for American soldiers, she said.

"Having experienced the hot dry climate of Iraq and Afghanistan, the patients enjoy the cooler climate in Germany," she said. "Many of them reach for the zippered hooded sweat jackets and sweat pants at the center."

While Mrs. Dana was volunteering at Wounded Warrior with friend Dianne Fisher of Superior, Colo., representatives from the White House staff and National Guard Bureau visited WWMC patients on the wards. The Disney Corp. sponsored a USO Military Appreciation Cookout, and the president of the National Parent/Teachers Association "dropped by for a visit,"

"Hopefully, the message is getting out that the chaplain's office is doing an outstanding job meeting the needs of troops," she said. "The Wounded Warrior Ministry Center is a great place for volunteers to offer encouraging words and messages of appreciation to our serving military."

Volunteers have been blessed with spontaneous hugs when patients hear their home states mentioned, she said.

"It takes such little effort to lift the spirits of these brave men and women," she said. "We met a cross-section of Americans from coast to coast, and each person passing through the center has blessed our team. Some of them are facing long months and even years of reconstructive surgery, learning to live with prosthetic limbs or without vision. They have paid a high price for our freedom."

Keep these wounded warriors in your prayers, she asked.

"Many of them are praying for you," she said, "and the forces left behind in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's sometimes difficult to determine who is ministering to whom. Mostly, we just love and serve each other and leave the rest up to God." Visit the Web at

TOUGH CHOICE: Specialist Marcela Supnet of the 10th Mountain Division decides which quilt to select for patients at the Wounded Warrior Ministry Center at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in May. The handmade quilts and other items are dispensed to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and other patients at the hospital.
(Courtesy U.S. Army Photo By Thomas Warner)