Article September 1, 2003 Issue

A military mom shares her prayer

By Kathi LaTourrette

AS I WRITE THIS, my home in Evergreen, Colorado, is in the middle of a downpour, and the hummingbirds that were just at the feeder have taken refuge from the rain. My children are both United States military pilots—"hummingbirds" in their own way—and I don't know what kind of "downpour" they might be in from one minute to the next.

My daughter, Tenille, flies for the Navy. Her brother, TenEyck, a pilot for a commercial airline, is in military service at the moment flying F-16's in the Air Force. So if you ask me where my children are, my answer could be simply that they're in the air. I do know neither of them right now is in a combat area, but there's no knowing when that might change. And danger is not confined to war zones. Refueling huge aircraft at high speeds or doing maneuvers at twice the speed of sound is not exactly what you'd call a "comfort zone." So I have another, a better, answer about where my children are. It has to do with prayer.

Both of my children have been motivated by a desire to serve their country. They grew up with a couple of neighbor brothers, now young men, who are also in the service. One brother is a Marine based in Okinawa. The other is a Navy Seal, and we don't know where he is. Their mom, their aunt, another friend, and I have served as "other moms" to all four young people, embracing them in our love and prayers all the time.

About the author

Kathi LaTourrette's professional and volunteer work life—PTA president, Sunday School teacher, Girl Scout leader, substitute high-school teacher, writer—has always involved young people and their activities. She also enjoys hiking, biking, golfing, and birding.

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