{"id":775,"date":"2022-11-06T04:04:43","date_gmt":"2022-11-06T04:04:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fathersvineyard.org\/militaryministry\/?p=775"},"modified":"2022-11-06T04:02:19","modified_gmt":"2022-11-06T04:02:19","slug":"honoring-our-veterans-honor-flight-oct-1-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fathersvineyard.org\/militaryministry\/2022\/11\/06\/honoring-our-veterans-honor-flight-oct-1-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Honoring Our Veterans – Honor Flight Oct 1, 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Blue Ridge Honor Flight Bus in front of the WWII Memorial 10\/01\/22 (contributed photo from BRHF)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After Hurricane Ian pummeled the Florida coast then headed towards the Carolinas, I couldn’t help but be concerned. \u00a0Would our flight be grounded? It didn’t look promising and my faith began to waiver slightly so I reached out to my friends and prayer warriors. I prayed! They prayed! God answered!<\/p>\n

The Blue Ridge Honor Flight Team always has their veteran’s safety at the forefront of all they do, so their decision to fly was not taken lightly. \u00a0After carefully assessing the situation and many prayers, the team deemed Honor Flight 10\/1 safe to fly.<\/p>\n

I reached out to my veterans to let them know our flight was still a go and that I would pick them up at 1400 hours. It rained, but not as the forecast had predicted, so in spite of the fact I became so engrossed in their conversations and missed our turn, the trek to Asheville was pleasant. Although I missed our turn and ended up on the forbidden I-26, \u00a0God was merciful….. No traffic! His hand and provisions were all over this memorable journey with my veterans.<\/p>\n

Thanks to an unexpected generous donation, I was able to put my veterans up in a hotel room the night before the flight. It was an incredible blessing because that meant we wouldn’t have to get up at 0300 hours to drive to the airport Saturday morning.<\/p>\n

Another unexpected blessing came from one of my colleagues, affording me the opportunity to take my veterans to a dinner of their choosing. They chose Longhorn Steak House. It was delicious! I enjoyed listening to my veterans, Jimmy Johnson and Jim Huffstickler recount their stories during Vietnam. I felt privileged as I listened to them recount many stories. They quickly became like family and I felt like I had known them my entire life.<\/p>\n

After dinner, God did something amazing; through the clouds and rain He sent a rainbow! I know that was Him saying, “I got this!” His beautiful promise, the rainbow, was affirmation this trip was going to be amazing and amazing it was!<\/p>\n

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Our promise from God. Rainbow outside Longhorn 09\/30\/22.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thank you to everyone who supported me on this trip! I could not have been their Guardian without the love, support and prayers of my church family and friends! Being their Guardian was an absolute privilege and honor! I also want to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who gave of their time to write each of these veterans!<\/p>\n

As Veteran’s Day 2022 quickly approaches, please consider ways you can bring honor to those who’ve serve and who are currently serving. Be observant! Seek them out! Thank them! Buy them a meal! Pay for their groceries! Shake their hand! We owe so much to each of them for their sacrifices, their bravery, their love for country and fellow man. Our veterans are our national treasures!<\/p>\n

Thank YOU veterans for YOUR SERVICE! If you have served in WWII, Korea, or Vietnam, please consider going on a flight with us. Blue Ridge Honor Flight<\/a> wants to honor you, fly you to Washington D.C., to visit your memorials then bring you home for the long overdue WELCOME HOME you deserved! \u00a0Please contact me for more information or click here<\/a> for an application. There is NO COST for you to fly. Honor Flight trips are a way we give back to you!<\/p>\n

If you’re interested in being a Guardian, click here.<\/a>\u00a0If you would like to donate towards future flights, \u00a0you can give through the church. Be sure to indicate Honor Flight on the memo line of your check or click here<\/a> to give online. If giving online, be sure to indicate designated gift, Honor Flight.<\/p>\n

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Vietnam Army Veterans Jimmy Johnson (left) and Jim Huffstickler in front of the Reflection Pool at the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Jim Huffstickler, Director Lisa Marie Barrett and Jimmy Johnson in front of the fountain at the WWII Memorial.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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After Hurricane Ian pummeled the Florida coast then headed towards the Carolinas, I couldn’t help but be concerned. \u00a0Would our flight be grounded? It didn’t look promising and my faith began to waiver slightly so I reached out to my friends and prayer warriors. I prayed! They prayed! God answered! The Blue Ridge Honor Flight … <\/p>\n

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