The World According To Chris Brewer

As it stands, it is 8:44 PM and I am in an internet terminal at Camp Stryker on the outer border of Baghdad International Airport. This place really sucks, so I’m glad we are departing for the International Zone soon. Compare this place (dust, tent city, Army-run, convoys passing every half second) to the International Zone (lush tropical area, Saddam’s former palaces, coalition-run, you can walk safely to most places) and I am praising God I don’t live here in Camp Stryker.

So we spent the night in Al Udeid, Qatar last night and it was so hot outside I didn’t even venture outside the tent. I slept 14 straight hours for some reason. We took off from there in a C-130 cargo plane, and arrived in Baghdad about 2:45 PM local time. (We’re 8 hours ahead of East Coast time.) We’ve been waiting for our armored bus ride to the IZ called the Rhino. It makes the trip every day around 11 PM. They have to wait that long because they have to clear the roads of all Iraqi traffic so the bus can barrel and weave its way through at 70 MPH to avoid terrorists. It’s gonna be interesting. I will be riding the Rhino 2 hours after you get this email.

We have heard distant gunfire, helicopters going by, and other war-related sounds that have given us all here some good reality checks. It’s gonna be an interesting six months.

Already I have had the chance to witness to many people. It just so happened we bedded down in a tent last night with a bunch of Australian Air Force folks, and one of them asked “You got an alcohol ration card, mate?” I told him I didn’t drink, told him why and it went into a big discussion about Jesus and my personal convictions. He seemed really attentive and receptive to the gospel and it was cool. I told him I’d be praying for him on his journey and he said he’d do the same for me.

That’s about it for now. God bless and thanks for everything. See you all in 177 days!