On my 5th deployment to Afghanistan as a Chinook pilot, we were tasked with moving building material for a new patrol base. The current patrol base had had a ring of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) dug around it, so it was almost impossible to leave the base without sustaining casualties. The mission was to move the base about a mile, to the other side of the ring of IEDs, and allow the patrols to continue more safely.
During the planning for this operation, we kept being told how dangerous it was going to be. It was agreed that under no circumstances were we to drop this load after the sun had risen. The day before we flew the mission a British soldier was shot in the head and killed in the exact field that we had drop off our load in. Despite this it was agreed that due to the urgency of the mission it should go ahead as planned.
Before first light we took off and flew to the old patrol base to pick up our underslung load. As we were in hover, we were told to hold off, instead of flying directly to the drop off point. There had been some ‘activity’ seen on the landing site. Eventually, we heard that the Taliban had seen us and were planning to “take out the fat cow” (they called the Chinook a “fat cow”). Meanwhile daylight was fast approaching, and we knew we only had a limited time left to drop off our load. Finally, one of our Commanders said over the radio, “Continue as planned, I’m happy with the risk.” “Yes,” someone said, “He might be happy with the risk of losing a Chinook and us on board, but we’re the ones taking the risk!”
Then an eerie silence fell across the intercom. I started to pray in the quiet of my spirit, simply, “Lord, please keep us safe.” Then finally our crewman spoke up, “I hope you’re praying for us Rich?” Instantly I replied, “Of course I am Chris. You don’t need to worry. We will be kept safe; nothing will happen as we drop off this load. We’ve got angels surrounding us keeping us safe. No one is going to shoot at us and it’s going to be uneventful.” Surprising even myself, I spoke out of the confidence that I had that Jesus (to borrow a line from someone) ‘had made me immortal until He called me home.’
We were finally ‘cleared in’. We dropped the underslung load and flew back to Camp Bastion; nothing happened, and no-one shot at us. It’s one of the most uneventful stories I have from my time in Afghanistan; however, I really feel that God answered my prayers that day. I had put my confidence, my trust and hope in God and, when the time mattered, he came through and delivered me from the ‘fowlers snare’ and ‘the arrow that flies by day’ (Psalm 91).
*Photo credit: 45153340.jpg File Date: 31/10/2011
