By the Rivers of Babylon
May 21, 2003

This was taken Sunday afternoon, May 11, 2003, Babylon, Iraq just after the concert by the 3rd Marine Air Wing Marine Corps Band in the amphitheater rebuilt to original specifications by Saddam. I'm with Army Chaplain Terry Callis. He's Assemblies of God and a good brother in the Lord. Click here to see Roots' photo album.

Last week I had the experience of a lifetime. I actually visited the ancient city of Babylon where so much history of antiquity has taken place.

The headquarters for my command, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, has chosen Babylon as the place to set up camp. It’s south of Baghdad and sits on an estuary of the Euphrates River, called the Shatt Al Hillah. Saddam Hussein built one of his many presidential palaces on this location, believing he should be regarded as being as great as the ancient emperors Xerxes and Nebuchadnezzar. Saddam has his name on everything, especially on the ceilings of the palace buildings. His ego knew no bounds.

My responsibilities for being here is to oversee the ministries of Camp Commando, in Kuwait. I flew up to Babylon to pay a call on my senior chaplain. Let me tell you some of what I experienced while in this area of Iraq.

1. Strolling through the ornate palace Saddam built to his honor. Marble floors and stairs cases, ornate pastel colored ceilings, magnificent views of the surrounding landscape.
2. Sleeping in Saddam’s palace.
3. Jogging around the grounds and then up the circular drive where his palace is situated.
4. Sitting on the riverside patio, reflecting on the historic significance of this place down through the ages.
5. Sharing Christ with Marines and soldiers with the river as a backdrop.
6. Touring the ancient ruins of the old city of Babylon.
   Hearing horrific tales of the brutality of Saddam foisted on the people of this region.
7. Riding in an LAV (Light Armored Vehicle) around the palace grounds.
8. Enjoying a concert by the Marine Corps Band from the 3rd Marine Air Wing in the restored amphitheater. Saddam was invited. He didn’t show.
9. Having my heart touched by the Iraqi people.

But perhaps the most notable moment occurred when I was sitting just inside the Ishtar Gate of the ancient city of Babylon writing in my journal. An elderly Iraqi man who runs the souvenir shop approached me. We had met previously, and he was always very respectful. I was always in my desert camouflaged uniform with the cross on my collar signifying I was a minister of the Christian faith. I would always greet him with the word “salaam,” which means peace. I would accompany this with a half bow as a show of respect: respect in recognition of his age, and respect for his country and its history.

So here he was coming over to me. He asked me what I thought of Iraq. I told him it is a wonderful country full of rich history. Just a few yards away from us was a large group of Marines starting on a tour of the ancient ruins. My friend then took me by surprise when he said, “You not leave.” I knew he wasn’t talking about me only, but about us as a military force. So I gestured toward the Marines and said, “All these Marines have families that they want to return home to.” He again said, “You not leave.” I said we would stay until their country was established as a free nation.

It was later that day that I learned what this man had endured at the hands of Saddam and his thugs. Apparently he had made a comment disagreeing with a policy of Saddam’s, and his punishment was severe torture.

This, and other stories I was told, made me both proud and sad. Proud that we freed these people from an evil, demonic dictator. Sad that such abuses took place.

These things took place in a geographic location history calls Babylon, that is both peaceful and serene. As the Bible says, “By the Rivers of Babylon.”

May it be so again for these people for whom Christ died.