Servant Spotlight: Tracy Zayasbazan

Guest blog: Melissa Baxter

Shortly after graduating high school, Tracy Zayasbazan went to see a recruiter with her friend who wanted to join the Navy but it was Tracy, instead of her friend, who enlisted. Her dad was a Navy man but, before that day, she hadn't really considered it.

Her walk with Jesus was tough. She hadn't found a place for Christian fellowship and discipleship between boot camp, school and her first duty station. God carried her and protected her through her time in the service.

Tracy's time in the service prepared her for life, giving her structure and a mission. She was stationed in Florida, Mississippi, Bermuda and, prior to her discharge, the Great Lakes Naval Hospital; near her home town.

She married Jorge and served a church where she connected with other believers and really begin to learn what it is to be a true follower of Jesus. Tracy, a cancer survivor, said, “God has always been my rock especially when my health was compromised or our finances weren't aligned to what He would want them to be. My times of trials have drawn me so much closer to my savior and have allowed me to mature and completely depend on Him and live in a way that glorifies Him.”

There is a strong military tradition in Tracy's family. Her father is a retired naval officer, her brother a Colonel in the Marine Corps and her son serves in the Army Reserve. Her sister, too, is a veteran, serving a tour with the Air Force. She had to lean heavily on her faith when her husband, Jorge, was called to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom; leaving her a solo parent for over a year.

She continues to serve today as a pastor's wife and at the American GI Forum National Veterans Outreach, where she helps find housing for homeless veterans.

Servant Spotlight: Edwin Dyer

Guest blog by Melissa Baxter

Born in 1926, Edwin Dyer has been a member of Baptist Temple almost 70 years. Nearly every Sunday he is found sitting in the second to the back row on the right side with a bright smile and kind word.

During WWII, Edwin’s family had a café that was required by the government to stay open every day to feed the Kelly Field workers. Although this wasn’t ideal, his family did get extra rations to make up for the inconvenience.

A hard worker, Edwin’s first job was running a projector at the movie theater making about $200/month (a lot of money back then!) As a high school senior, he was named the best paper boy in San Antonio for delivering the most Express-News papers and was awarded a $25 war bond.

He graduated from Hot Wells High School at 16 and was drafted into the Army at 18 as an infantry man, training at Ft. Hood. He served in the Philippines with the 32^nd infantry on a crew that cleaned up after the major battles during the liberation of the islands from the Japanese. He said “It wasn’t easy.”

Finding a job was difficult after leaving the Army but Edwin was in the 52/20 club. The US government paid $20/month for a year while veterans looked for work. He finally went to school to be a lithographer/typesetter, a job he enjoyed for 41 years.

Baptist Temple's pastor at the time, Vernon Elmore, had lunch at Edwin's parents café with Sam Prestige, Minister of Music, and church member, Walter Lynn. This led to an invitation for the Dyer family to visit Baptist Temple. The family joined Baptist Temple together when Edwin was about 24 years old.

Edwin is a Shriner and his proudest moment came when he was able to facilitate the treatment of a young boy with club foot. He feels that he was a vessel for the good work that was done for that boy and his family.

Honoring Veterans

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2005-06

The sacrifices made by our military are worthy of our honor but honoring veterans doesn’t always take extraordinary efforts. It can be as simple as respect, remember and repay.

David's mighty men honored their leader and future king with a daring raid behind enemy lines to collect water from a well. David returned the honor. “Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” (2 Samuel 23:16-17)

David poured out the water as an offering to God. He respected the risk taken by his mighty men. His act ensured that their valor would be remembered and payed the sacrifice forward.

Respect

My church gave me a small going-away party when I went to boot camp so many years ago. It was a sign of respect for this important right of passage. Today, when National Guard units deploy into war zones, they are honored both upon their departure and their return. Words cannot convey what I felt when, upon our re-entry to America, we were greeted by a line of senior veterans. They shook our hands and welcomed us home. Later, in the Atlanta airport, we were greeted by applause. I will never forget these simple acts of respect.

Remember

My church never forgot me while I was overseas. I received care packages and letters. My family was cared for. On the other hand, one woman told me that her church never once contacted her while she was deployed. She never forgave them.

Notes, care packages, church bulletins, and newsletters can be a comfort to a lonely service member, desperate for a reminder of home. Remember, also, the family left behind. A phone call to a lonely wife, an invitation to a meal, or an offer to take the kids for a while will mean a great deal. There is much that is missing from a family where one of the parents have been called to active service.

Repay

The cost of military service can be high. Some families have lost a member. Some soldiers have been severely wounded. All soldiers have had their lives disrupted. Education, careers and family are put on hold when duty calls.

After WWI discharged veterans got little more than a $60 allowance and a train ticket home, later, embittered, they marched on Washington to demand their due.

Following WWII the GI Bill transformed America by multiplying the number of educated Americans, populating our suburbs and creating new job opportunities. The GI Bill was one of the most successful piece of legislature in American history. Veteran’s benefits repay sacrifices that cannot be measured.

Let us respect, remember and repay our veterans and pray for the day when there will be no more war.

He will judge between many peoples 
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.

They will beat their swords into plowshares 
and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation will not take up sword against nation, 
nor will they train for war anymore.

 

Micah 4:3

No Soldier’s life is wasted.

It is painful for a soldier or the families of any person in military service to hear that a life lost in service to our country was wasted. People enter military service for many reasons including patriotism, economics and adventure but, once that uniform is put on, you serve for personal honor, your comrades and the long line of those who have served with honor in the past.

Senator Barack Obama said in a speech in Iowa last month, "We now have spent $400 billion and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted."

He later apologized. Perhaps he can be excused for his lapse. He has never served in the military and cannot know what goes through the minds of our young service members. He does not know the fear, loneliness and deprivation that are part of the sacrifice we are often called upon to endure. He does not understand the level of fortitude shown by a soldier who enters a room first or goes to investigate a suspicious bag lying by the road.

Senator John McCain, a veteran of Viet Nam who was a POW for over five years, has a long family history of military service, and has two sons who are currently serving, said pretty much the same thing on David Letterman.

"We've wasted a lot of our most precious treasure, which is American lives,” said McCain.

What was he thinking? Were his years in a POW camp wasted? Did he forget the way the military was scorned back then? Has he forgotten how the courage he displayed is an inspiration to others who face the possibility of capture?

In all branches of the military and in our veteran’s groups we honor our dead long after their families are gone and their names have been forgotten. I have been in military service since 1976. I have seen the tide of public opinion rise and fall. I do what I do because it is a part of me. I believe it is the same for most in the military. People speak of fighting for freedom, for causes, for whatever… In the end we fight for each other. In the end each other is all we have.

Early in my career my squadron lost three Marines in three separate training accidents. These were not war losses. These deaths were not wasted and were no less honorable than a combat casualty. Everyone in uniform understands that we are in a dangerous profession that may have cost us our life.

I am in the National Guard now and have already deployed once. I am ready to go again if called upon. I don’t make these decisions. I swore an oath and I live by it. I will go where I am sent and fight at home if it comes to that. I don’t crave parades or special honors but they are touching when I experience them. It’s what I do and will probably do for a few more years.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
From “Tommy” - Rudyard Kipling

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to love, And a time to hate;
A time of war, And a time of peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1,8 (New King James Version)