Ok, so it has begun! The reason I started this blog last July, was that I knew I was being deployed to Antarctica. A chaplain friend of mine said, ‘wow, you are going to the ends of the earth!!’ And this blog was born...except I titled it “edge of the earth”.
No one country owns Antarctica, and no human is from there. It is the coldest, most pristine and remote place on earth.
I thought I was deploying in December....but yesterday...I received a phone call. And now, I am “spinning up” as the military calls it (getting ready) to deploy (head out) very, very soon!!
When things change, they REALLY change!! And fast!
So how does one “get ready” to deploy? Well, each deployment is different. Last year I deployed to SW Asia, and that as we all know is a war mission. This deployment is not a war mission.
There is much information on the Internet about it. It is called “Operation Deep Freeze”. It is mainly a science mission, research, weather, and other interesting things. Many countries send their people down there every Antarctic spring and summer. And it is about to be spring time in Antarctica! Opposite of the northern hemisphere. It will be daylight 24/7 while I am down there!
McMurdo Station, Antarctica is the main place where I will be, at the Chapel of the Snows. Yes, there is an Interfaith Chapel there! I will also visit the South Pole, weather permitting.
I will be one of the two chaplains there, along with a civilian Roman Catholic priest chaplain from New Zealand, a "kiwi priest" as they are called.
OK, so I am spinning up. Jumping through hoops, filling out forms, getting orders, plane tickets, coordinating logistics, travel, doing last minute trainings, medical things, awaiting orders, etc. All this not to mention the massive amount of personal business I need to take care of before I go.
In many ways, the military is like being with fire department. When the alarm goes off, you react...and quickly. It is a topsy turvy life, always going here and there. At moments notice...to far away places. No sense of “normalcy”.
But it is exciting too. This is no regular job for sure. I guess I must admit, I like the adrenaline rush!! Maybe that is why I like very strong coffee!
I have been in now over twenty years. How have I done it? Caffeine, prayer, and a sense of humor. Lots and lots of prayer, and lots of coffee. And being able to laugh at the absurdities of life.
I will be posting more, as I live out this new adventure....
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