Feature by Anna Gorra "In one moment you've got guys who are swearing a lot, and then in the next minute they're talking about God and the Bible." --Dean Bob Bailey

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Features | Send mail to The Voice Ranger's Family Prays and Awaits Return From Iraq Christopher "Toff" Bailey has been serving as a Ranger with the military in Iraq. --Photo courtesy of Christopher "Toff" Bailey Dean Bob Bailey's son, Christopher, has always been a warrior child, always adventuresome, always, as Dean Bailey said, "on the edge." Christopher, or "Toff" as he is nicknamed, and his two brothers formerly trampled trails in the countryside, armed with their childhood ammunition and miles of imagination. But the reality of wartime quickly altered Christopher's "calling." The day 28-year-old Christopher, the Baileys' middle son, left for Iraq was a day of mixed emotions, Dean Bailey said. "We always felt like we wanted [our kids] to do what they wanted to do. Christopher has always had a warrior heart, so it just made sense," he said. Dean Bailey doesn't remember entirely what he said to his son when he and his family said their goodbyes at the Eugene National Guard Armory just over 18 months ago. He does remember that he assured Christopher of his love and affirmed what Christopher was about to do. He told Christopher to trust the Lord who is in control of each man's life. Dean Bailey said, "You've been called to a position where God is using you to stop an evil threat, not just to our country, but to people all around us." Anita Bailey, Christopher's mom, said she can't remember exactly what she said to him the day he left. "I had every confidence that Toff would be an excellent soldier. I also totally believe that the Lord knows the number of his days. Thus, he is in no more danger in Iraq fighting a war than he would be here." The day Sept. 11 rocked the United States, Christopher was earning his college degree at Concordia University and had recently gotten married. He was settling into life with his bride and had only six credit hours to complete his degree. He watched as his buddies were sent to Afghanistan and was disappointed he wasn't going with them. Then his opportunity came. He left his college education unfinished when he was called up. He first began his service with the Army Infantry, then Airborne and finally served two-and-a-half years with the Third Ranger Batallion. Christopher has been serving with the 2162 Army Oregon National Guard for a year in Iraq. Now he is a Ranger. "The Rangers are the most elite soldiers in the world," Dean Bailey said. "They know how to take care of each other." There is always a chance of tragedy when on the front lines fighting terrorists. Within the first month Christopher was stationed at Camp Cook in Iraq, five soldiers lost their lives in a rocket attack. Christopher was fewer than 100 yards from the impact. He's experienced a number of similar events in his months overseas. "He definitely has been in many life-threatening situations," Mrs. Bailey said. "When he was ambushed in early November, he e-mailed us and asked for prayer. We had hundreds praying within the hour. His account of the event so obviously points to the Lord's protection." The Bailey family hears from Christopher about once a week by e-mail, but sometimes as many as three to four weeks pass before they get word. When he is able to correspond, Christopher shares many experiences with them. Christopher has had opportunities to hold conversations about life and death with his comrades. "You've gotta understand the environment over there," Dean Bailey said. "In one moment you've got guys who are swearing a lot, and then in the next they're talking about God and the Bible." This sort of on-the-edge environment provides ample opportunities for Christopher and other Christians in the military to share their faith. As the old saying in the military goes, "There are no atheists in a foxhole." Dean Bailey is passionate about Christians' responsibility and response during this war. Christians especially need to be concerned and careful with how they talk about the war, he said. The troops overseas are concerned about what people think at home. They take to heart even trite statements U.S. citizens make. Christians need to think back through history and remember how the United States liberated many oppressed countries, Dean Bailey said. These actions in turn have created opportunities for sharing the Gospel openly. Iraq is not exempt from such opportunities. Dean Bailey said Multnomah Bible College and Biblical Seminary can and should be more active in practical ways regarding this war. A few months ago, SWOT (Student World Outreach Team) secured a bulletin board in the Student Commons to give students and staff an opportunity to post pictures of friends and family members who are serving their country. Dean Bailey posted Christopher's picture and some facts about him to set an example for others to follow. A major purpose of the bulletin board is not only to put a face with those serving, but also to inspire more prayer from the campus for the troops. The board is quickly filling up. Danielle Davis, a junior at Multnomah, was one of the first students to post her friend Emily's picture on the board. She included some facts about Emily and ended her brief biography with "she loves the Lord!" Davis said Emily has gone through periods of discouragement in her faith since arriving in Iraq. Davis is proud to see so many pictures going up on the board. "I think it's important to remember we have friends over there and to remember to pray for them," she said. Dean Bailey said this war has given Multnomah reason to set up an "academic exercise on the validity of war." Although debate is important, Dean Bailey encourages the entire campus to pursue tangible action. Some of his suggestions for action are holding specific prayer times and sending care packages and letters of encouragement to the troops. They are hungry for literature, and their spirits are lifted through these acts, Dean Bailey said. He is quick to say that Christians need to pray not only for the troops who are securing Iraqi freedom, but also for the Iraqi people. Mrs. Bailey sends care packages with items the soldiers need and want and prays for the troops. "I pray, we pray, that Christopher's heart and mind would stay healthy," Dean Bailey said. "If he comes back wounded or missing a leg or an arm, that's terrible. But what's in his heart and mind is more important. "When you have to pick up body parts of your buddies and bring them back in bags, that's huge," he said. "Or when you see children killed and you see explosives being strapped to mentally retarded children and set off in front of our troops, when someone tells me that we need to negotiate more with [terrorists]...you can't negotiate with that." "I pray for his safety and that the Lord would be very real and evident to him," Mrs. Bailey said. "[I pray] that [God] will be preparing him for however He wants to use him. I also pray for his wife and their marriage." Dean Bailey knows that viewpoints vary on the war. As a father whose son is serving his country, he personally understands the need for war. "I think of Scripture when Jesus interacted with soldiers," he said. "He never told any of them to get out of the military. In fact, he affirmed what they did in their leadership skills and abilities. "I know the men and women who are over there do not want to kill innocent people. And they're not over there as excited murderers by any means. They're good men and women who are doing their job; they're doing a good job." Dean and Mrs. Bailey's warrior son will be leaving Baghdad sometime in March and will be home at an unknown time thereafter. In his office, Dean Bailey displays on his side table a quote by John Stuart Mill that sums up his feelings about war. It reads: "War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Features | Top Of Page Send mail to The Voice| Journalism department website © 2005 The Voice. 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