Thanks from the Troops

Iwanted to send a great big thank you for your support. We received the box you packed full of licorice and the Warfighter Soldiers were ecstatic. The licorice was sent to CH John Heatley who recently redeployed. I received the box sponsored by Reverend James Anziano and spread the licorice around Camp Dubs.

May you see God’s blessings today,

Licorice Ladies,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the box of licorice. It is incredibly delicious. My favorite is the black licorice, but all of it that we have tried thus far is outstanding. It is a great ministry tool to be able to have soldiers come from all over the post for the free gifts and leave having received the love of Jesus Christ. We cherish every package that we receive and utilize them to their full potential. Your generosity brings a smile to all of the soldiers who come here.

We all have an important duty and responsibility to keep our country free which comes at a heavy price. Freedom is not free, it is paid for both by the soldiers who step out on the battlefield, and the families that give them up during deployments. Our families are the true heroes! Your dedication to support us while we are deployed is a blessing from God. Attached is a copy of our February 2011 newsletter article so you can see a little about of what is going on for us.

Thank you for everything that you have done and your support in the future!

CH(CPT) Rick Barnes
TF Gridley Chaplain
FOB Sharana

I want to thank you for taking the time to send some licorice to my soldiers here in Afghanistan. As you can see the licorice brought a smile to every soldiers face that received the licorice. You ladies are great Americans who support and remember that daily our soldiers sacrifice their lives, bodies, and time with their families to keep our borders safe and secure. These particular soldiers that you see in the pictures are doctors, nurses, or medics that care for the wounded soldiers at our Forward Surgical Support hospital. They will work for hours on end to ensure that the wounded are take care of and that they receive the best care possible. God bless each and every one of you who contributed to sending the licorice and most importantly letting the soldiers know that Americans love them enough to take time out of their day to support them. God Bless!

Chaplain (CPT) Ice, Timothy of 426 Brigade Support Battalion of the 101^st screaming eagles.

Hello,

I received a package from Joanne McKinney on 15 Feb, which had 16 different flavors of licorice candy in and I am looking forward to eating and sharing them.

I am in my office in this picture and this is where I opened the package and it brightened my day and blessed me. Now I will be able to bless others through your kindness and thoughtfulness.

Thank you for support and more importantly praying for us each day while we are deployed and separated from our families.

The LORD bless you,
CH (MAJ) Brett Charsky


Dear Licorice International,

Pictured: Chaplain Pat Opp and chaplain assistant, PFC Mark McCollum. Pat is from Aberdeen, SD and Mark is from Lakeland, FL.

 

They are currently stationed at Fort Carson, CO.

This letter was written by Chaplain Opp.

Dear Ladies at Licorice International,

 

We received your licorice the other day and it is fantastic. We plan to share it with our Soldiers as they come and go carrying out missions.

It's such nice generosity from wonderful people like you that at times just overwhelms us. I know the Soldiers and Marines that come to see us love it. I bet I have 30 people a day visit my chapel just for candy.

 

I probably have 50 plus come for coffee. God sure is good . . . I get a chance to bring a personal touch of Christ into their lives. We have chapel services every Sunday, prayer devotionals on Wednesdays, Karaoke Nights on Fridays (we have service members from each branch of service here sometimes even Danish and British Soldiers). Then we have a Chaplain movie night with soda and popcorn.

 

I guestimate that we serve or personally touch between 200-350 a week.

We look forward to continuing to minister to our excellent service members who serve our great country and protect the freedoms we enjoy.

 

God bless you Kim Kolb and others who have given so much to us already.

I am very grateful!

From CH (LTC) Tom Behling

34th Infantry Division

 

Minnesota Army National Guard

On behalf of the soldiers of United Stated Division - South in Basra, Iraq, I would like to thank Mr. James Engelstad and The Licorice Ladies for the wonderful gift. It certainly was a morale booster and enjoyed by many.

 

Photo: Chaplain assistants getting ready to enjoy some licorice.

 

From Michael D. Wood

Brigade Chaplain

 

Thank you very much for your contributions to the Paratroopers of 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. The Soldiers had a very merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season because of your generous gifts. The impact of your kindness on our Soldiers' morale and joy in this season is immeasurable.

 

From CH (CPT) Timothy Brown

The Licorice Ladies,

Thank you so much for the licorice. It is delicious. It has been a real big hit here. I never realized that licorice could be so good. My assistant was just as happy as I was to get the gift. We share it with the soldiers that are here with us. I am at FOB Fenty in Afghanistan.

Please give our thanks to all those involved in sending this to us.

Photo: Chaplain Brown and his assistant on a mountain ridge in Torkham.

 

From Chaplain David Lile

 

My name is CH David Lile. I am presently the 3-3HBCT Chaplain stationed at COS Kalsu. We will be redeploying to Fort Benning within the next month. I wanted to send a huge thank you to the ladies and the organization that has supplied the Brigade with care packages of licorice throughout the deployment. As one soldier noted with glee upon delivery of the last care package. “My Kryptonite (Green Apple) arrived just in time, I needed a little extra boost for the final month of work” J Our replacements are trickling in as we speak so if you would like to continue the ministry the 3ACR Chaplain CH (MAJ) C. Wayne Brittain would be the contact point at the Regimental Troop address.

From Chaplain Russ Dewell

TF CYCLONE Base Ops Chaplain

 

 

I want to pass along many thanks and "Wow! Now THAT'S licorice!"reactions to you from service members in Afghanistan with whom I share your generous gifts of multi-flavored and multi-tasty licorices. Your simple gift and bountiful kindness to us makes morale problems a non-issue here. Never before in history have U.S. service members in foreign lands been SO showered with love and admiration from the American people . . . but your special gift definitely stands out. No one sends what you provide. Please honor our sacrifices by living freely and boldly everyday enjoying the freedom to make whatever flavor of licorice you want. Now THAT'S worth fighting for! God Bless.

 

From Chaplain (CPT) Rudy Stevens

Thank you once again for your wonderful gift. We soldiers do appreciate the support you have provided. Your licorice had to be the best I've ever tasted. The soldiers especially enjoy the chocolate licorice. I will be going on a flight this Friday and will fly a flag for you all. Expect to receive it in a few weeks.

We thank you so much for the licorice. I did not know that there were so many flavors. The soldiers love the gift. Thank you!

 

Chaplain, CPT Michael Kim and

Chaplain Assistant, PFC John Rosello

HHC Chaplains Office

 

Thank you for the wonderful gift that we received from you. We will distribute the items to the soldiers in need. Because of people like you, our deployments are a little easier. We really appreciate the love you have shown us and pray that you experience the peace of God on a daily basis.

 

From Chaplain Mark Rendon

My name is Chaplain Rendon and I'm deployed to Cob Basrah, Iraq. I wanted to send a very passionate THANK YOU for all the licorice you've sent our way over the past year. The Soldiers really enjoyed the many flavors you sent. I as well as the soldiers appreciate all those who've donated their time and money to be a blessing to our troops. God Bless You.

From Chaplain (MAJ) Paul Madej, TF Mountain Warrior, Afghanistan

My week was long, burying two great Soldiers who died on the battlefield. I am just sitting here glad that the week is over when Chaplain Brown walked in with Blue Raspberry licorice. Never had it. IT WAS AWESOME. There is a God and He loves ME! Thank you so much.

From Captain Chaplain Folauga Tupuola

On behalf of the 4-9IN Batallion, Lt Col Bieger and the rest of the Soldiers, we would like to say "Thank You" very very much for the delicious licorice. We pray that God will bless you all abundantly for your donation, concerns for our Soldiers, and most of all for your prayers. The various flavors of licorice is what the Soldiers really loved. Thank you and again, God bless.

My name is Chaplain Terrell Jones. I am the Brigade Chaplain for 4th Brigade 2nd Infantry Division station at Fort Lewis WA. Right now, we are on a 12 month assignment here in Iraq.

It was truly a blessing to receive your gift of licorice. The soldiers love them. Please let the group who sent them to us know we all appreciate their loving outreach.

God bless and thank you for remembering us.

 

Chaplain, CPT Michael Kim and

Chaplain Assistant, PFC John Rosello

HHC Chaplains Office

Thank you. We received your package today and we are deeply touched by your generosity. We will distribute the items to those soldiers who need them. People like you are truly a blessing to us all. We pray that God richly blesses you and all those around you. The licorice you sent is delicious, thank you very much.

Chaplain Christina Cogen

US Army-25 Infantry Division Aviation Chaplain

Thank you so much for sending us licorice. It has been a big hit with the troops serving here in Iraq. You are doing a great thing for us and we appreciate it. Mahalo.

From Chaplain Mitch Nethery in Afghanistan

What a wonderful surprise to receive some of your fabulous licorice here in Afghanistan! I have to admit right up front that I did not share the cinnamon twist with others. I ate the whole thing! I did place the rest of the shipment in the Agape store for the general consumption of soldiers. They were excited as well to have this offered. Thank you again for serving the soldiers while they serve! Life goes better with a smile! Blessings & Peace.

From Chaplain David M. Todd, Department of the Navy

Greetings from Camp Bucca Chapel

Thank you for your generous support of our Sailors of the Navy Provisional Detainee Battalion (NPDB) Six, "Gray Scorpions." Even something as simple as a pack of gum or a piece of their favorite candy can remind a person of what life is like Stateside and who they are over here serving. We visit the sailors on watch and distribute the candy during their shifts as quick pick-me-ups from home. Thank you so much for your support. It means so much to our sailors.

From Chaplain Thomas G. Behling

Deputy Command Chaplain, MND-S:

Thank you very much for your gift. Your kindness is greatly appreciated! We look forward to opening packages like these, ones sent with love and thoughtfulness. It brings a special joy to the day, knowing that friends and family back home are supporting us and thinking of us. On behalf of all the Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines--THANK YOU!

From Chaplain Arleigh F. vonSeggern:

It is with thankfulness and appreciation that I respond to receipt of the package of licorice. There is quite a variety. These items will be made available to our soldiers for their use.

St. Paul had written: "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil 1:3-6, NIV)

Your gift is an encouragement to myself and our soldiers. It is through reminders like this that our soldiers are reminded that people back home do remember us.

In His Service,

Chaplain Arleigh F. vonSeggern

Chaplain with the Ministry to the Armed Forces of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

From Chaplain Ray Bailey:

I am passing a word of thanks through you to the Adopt-a-Soldier Ministry of the Berean Church in Lincoln, NE. This is a special gift (Flavored Licorice Twists). Many on the ship right now are enjoying the blessing. Today was one of our medical doctors birthday. She is 29 and I wrapped one of the bags of licorice up for her as a birthday present. I gave her the peach-flavored licorice. I've never had so many of the flavors of the licorice you sent and now I've discovered many new flavors that I now enjoy.

 

From Chaplain Ray Bailey:

I am with the 31^st Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Okinawa, Japan but we are currently deployed out to sea. My Marines and Sailors love your licorice. I am from Lincoln, NE and hope to make it into your shop to see it and personally thank you. My mother and oldest daughter live in Lincoln. My daughter works at a salon on 9^th street. I was back in June but so busy I didn’t make it down to your shop. I will next time and look forward to it. Go Huskers!

 

From Chaplain Assistant Mark McCollum:

Thank you for all of your support. The licorice was gratefully received by our soldiers and command. The support we see from gracious Americans as yourself is awe-inspiring. It lets us remember what we are fighting for. We, the chaplain and I, run and maintain a chapel here at FOB leatherneck. We have three Sunday services; first, a Catholic Mass service that Chaplain Coffey provides; second, my chaplain, Chaplain Opp, runs a contemporary Christian. This is the one I attend. Lastly, we have a night service, Chaplain Duprey runs this. It is a very special thing we are doing here. Pray for our safety as our soldiers roll out for missions and support the war on terror. God bless.

 

From Chaplain (CPT) Joe Ward

TF Red Dragon

1092nd ENBN Chaplain

FOB Sharana Afghanistan

 

I just wanted thank you for the licorice you sent for our solders here in Afghanistan. Your licorice has certainly been a "hot" item in the Agape Store! Our soldiers are able to come to the Agape Store and get items they just want, free of charge. All the items are donated by kind and caring folks like you. When our soldiers enter the store and see the many items that you, and others like you, have provided, they know that they are not forgotten. They see in a very real way the love, concern and support of folks back home. Thank you for caring. May the Lord bless you and keep you in His care!

 

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isa 41:10