Covenant Chaplains Team Up to Help Wounded Soldier
LANDSTUHL, GERMANY (June 5) - Two Covenant military chaplains - one in Iraq and one in Germany - had a rare opportunity to work together to assist a seriously wounded soldier.
When Army Sgt. Conan Marchi was wounded in Iraq, Chaplain Mark Nakazono ministered to him while Marchi was being treated at an aid station. Nakazono has been in Iraq for six months on his second tour of duty.
Later, Marchi was evacuated to Germany, to be treated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center here.
Nakazono followed up on the soldier by emailing the army garrison chaplain at Landstuhl, Doug Wootten, another Covenanter minister.
"God opened the door for me to continue the ministry that Mark had began not only to the soldier but also now to the wife, and the soldier's parents," Wootten says.
"It was an awesome experience for me as all four of us kneeled by his hospital bed and prayed," Wootten recalls. "When I asked Sgt. Marchi what besides his speedy recovery we could pray for he said, 'Pray for my guys, for their safety and for all of us to come home soon.'"
"I have been with many soldiers and even some civilians who have been wounded in Iraq, Afghanistan or brought for treatments from other parts of our world," Wootten says. "It always touches my heart when 99 percent of them ask for prayer, not for themselves, but for their fellow soldiers [in the combat zones.]"
Wooten says he and his wife, Karen, are available to minister to anyone on the base. People with relatives, friends or neighbors being treated at the hospital can call the Woottens at 011-49-466-573, 011-49-536-6743 (office) or email them at dwootten@greennet.de.