America Supports You!

After four days on hearing nothing, no calls or e mails I was really beginning to worry. Without putting that burden on any of you, I'll keep it simple. The last conversation I had with Derrick was very intense. His team left him and their interpreter behind at their camp while they went to a few other bases. He said he felt more safe not being in a helo there or a convoy back. I took his word, though all the while I was more paranoid because he was now in essence alone in the middle of nowhere. Him against the nation. It was only supposed to be a few days but ended up being almost 2 weeks (It's a wonder I managed any sleep the past three nights.) Last night, after 3 days of hearing nothing, it was the worst for me. By the time exhaustion kicked in it was 3:30 am. Three hours later I was up with the boys and here I am now after midnight and just don't feel sleepy. All day long I feel like a zombie; it gets late and I wake up- go figure?
So enough of the worry, this afternoon Derrick was able to call. It was another horrible connection, maybe 7 minutes at most and that was through two separate calls. He sounded exhausted and so cold. I checked the weather and the closest reading I could find was a few thousand feet lower in elevation, at that location the high today was 30 degrees. He said he was doing well, just exhausted, busy and the weather has been really awful and that's why he wasn't able to call. I'm going to make myself believe that, even when I feel in my mind that he's just trying to keep me sheltered.
I asked if he received any packages and he laughed. He said he received a TON of them. He received the package from his mom and Melanie (thanks for all the goodies, blankets and other warming up stuffs) He also received the one we sent out the day after Christmas. He now has his big blanket. He said that it's a life saver. Ooh, I forgot I have a picture of it. :) This is the blanket he absolutely needed:

Along with the package we sent and the one he received from Texas, he said he also received about 6 boxes from Robert's friend. Robert is my older brother, and his friend is actually his editor. Robert was at work one day talking to him about Derrick heading to Afghanistan. His editors son had served in both Fallujah, Iraq and in Afghanistan and he understood, through his son's service, the difficulties of being there. He asked if it were alright to send some things to Derrick and his guys as well as the children of Afghanistan. Robert asked me to send an e mail with ideas of what to include in care packages, then mentioned that many people from the newspaper he works with wanted to help out. When Robert called me a few days ago to let me know packages had been sent, I would have never guessed that they would have pulled together eleven boxes for Derrick. He told me how they had so many items donated, but also a lot of monetary donations. With that he and his wife went to Walmart and bought a ton of crayons, markers, coloring books, socks and shoes. Socks are very much needed over there. Then he and his wife carried in all of their eleven boxes into the post office. He told Robert that "it felt damn good sending them too!"
When Derrick's Marines returned to their camp they came with half of his packages. He said that he was so grateful and so were his Marines. He was also told there were four more waiting for him at his Forward Operating Base. (Derrick doesn't have any postal services at his camp, when they bring in supplies they bring up mail as well.)
Robert, if you're reading this, he said he hasn't received the boxes with supplies for the children but when he does he will take pictures of the distribution and the villagers in general. Unfortunately he won't be able to e mail them, as he doesn't have the ability to upload pictures, and he can't send them on disc since he also doesn't have mailing services available where he's at. Everything sent will be used and appreciated, even the boxes the goodies arrived in. He's already used them to fuel his fires. There is something awesome brewing which might bring him home for 2 weeks in the relatively near future. Should that happen I'll save the photos to my computer and send you a disc and/or e mail them to you.
He was overwhelmed by the support and generosity of strangers. Being outside the States for so long we often forget how amazing the average American is. I know I can say for him, possibly more than I can say for myself, we really can't wait to get back to that side of the globe.
Okinawa has been an adventure I don't think either of us would change for the world, but we're ready to prepare for our next big adventure.