Jonathan in Afghanistan

I had to throw these two photos in for all to "enjoy." I couldn't help myself.

These guys are holding our Advent candles. We didn't let the fact that we didn't have a wreath stop us from celebrating the coming of Christ each week as we approached Christmas.Pretty cool backdrop for a worship service! Had to pause for the occasional helicopter flyover. I'm preaching a short sermon here for the men and women of the 55th Rescue Squadron out at Camp Bastion. This is me with some of the maintenance airmen at the A-10 squadron. We had worship in a loft where the guys hang out when they have down time. It is a maintenance hangar (clam shell) and got very noisy sometimes!

My guitar skills improved dramatically while I was deployed, probably because I played at five services every weekend. I had to get better or suffer through the torture of listening to bad worship music 5 times every week! This is from the C-130 squadron.

This is my awesome chaplain assistant, SSgt Christopher Davidson. He was with me every step of the way, setting up for services, keeping me safe, and serving as a great brother in the Lord. The Air Force Band from San Antonio came to visit for Christmas. This is a shot of them playing for some of the wounded warriors at the hospital. Note the cool hat Amy sent me. The highlight was when they played for a Afghan boy. They really cheered him up...so much so that he even smiled and laughed with them. He even learned how to say "Merry Christmas."Me praying at our Veteran's Day ceremony to honor those who have gone before us. I always think of my Papa on Veteran's Day. He served as a paratrooper in the Pacific Campaign during WWII. Just had to share this cool picture I took from the back of a Chinook (helicopter). It was a British helicopter that took us to Camp Bastion to visit some Airmen out there.

Here is our chapel team at Christmastime. That is the peace sign above my boss' head...or is he a bunny?

It got a little chilly in December. This was a COLD night spent waiting for a ride from Camp Bastion back to Kanahar. The helicopter ride was even colder!