On the Ground in Northern Iraq!!

[Charles Lingerfelt, Texas State Coordinator]

To My Dear Family and friends:

Just letting you know that I've arrived in Kurdistan, and am here this evening in Motel Bani. I got in here very early this morning (Thursday - 9 April 2009) around 6:30a.m., after the flight from Istanbul, Turkey.

I had left on Sunday afternoon, following Church with the family, for my flight from DFW to Frankfurt, Germany. After the all-night flight from Dallas, I really was NOT "prepared" for the long wait at Frankfurt International before I could "get-on-my-way" to Northern Iraq.

Anyways, after waiting a day in Frankfurt, and a day in Istanbul ~ both in the airports, I was more than ready to "get on with the program!!" Left Istanbul last night around Midnight, and arrived in Erbil about 2:10a.m.

Following check-in at EIA, I met my Taksi driver, Chaker-("shocker") and off we went toward Dohuk! The drive is about two hours from Erbil International and is up the hills and through the mountains toward Northern Iraqi/Turkey border. I was leaning back in my seat a little later, and almost sound asleep, when I heard the very "excited" voice of a young Iraqi man telling Chacker something, as we had stopped, in one of the Kurdi dialects.

As we looked through the front windshield, we could see the lights of a fuel-tanker shining forward on another tanker that had just wrecked and turned over; it looked horrible!!

Chaker told me, "You stay, Mister Charliss - I be right back! You stay!" By then I was wide awake ~ NO sleepiness at all! I watched as Chaker walked over with the young man to his tanker-truck to be in the view of the headlights. Chaker's driver-side window was still down and I could feel the slight cool morning air. I didn't know IF this were a "set-up" or what ~ so, I decided to get out of the Taksi and walk over to "check-out" the overturned truck and tanker. By then I saw someone moving near the overturned tanker, slowly walking and staggering ~ almost like a drunk!

When the young Iraqi and Chaker noticed him, they went running over to him(about 35 yards) to assist him. When I saw blood on his face, and all over his clothes, I knew then this was NO "setup." The young driver was so severely injured, I thought, "he won't stay alive long enough to make it to the Emergency Room."

After Chaker helped load him into the young Iraqi's truck, we decided to assist him in backing up his truck and turning it around to head back into Erbil, to get "help" for the young injured driver. I later found out from Chaker that the injured man was an Iranian and was here in Iraq for work. While he was driving in the early morning hours, perhaps to get loaded with Petrol and then haul it to a location, he had probably fallen asleep at the wheel and "rolled" his truck and tanker ~ completely demolishing it. I don't see how he made it out of that wreckage of the truck-cab alive.

Before they "headed off" to Erbil, I laid my hand on the truck and prayed for the "injured" young man; I asked God specifically to "spare his life, and keep him from death for his family's sake." I later told this to Chaker and he said, "Thank-you Mister Charliss!" And then, very abruptly, as if he were talking into thin air, Chaker shouted, "Mister Charliss is good man! Mister Charliss is good man!" I said, "Well, Chaker ~ Mister Charliss has Great God! God is good and He is Great!" He agreed with me and we rode on!

I will tell you more of this story later ~ but, for now I must get a shower and a shave. Man! I feel like a "Hippy!" LOL...

In Him is life, and His life is the "light of men." I pray that My "words and the meditations of my heart will be acceptible in His sight."

To Him be All glory,


Charles Lingerfelt, Founding Co-Director/Teacher
Kurdish American School
Dohuk, Kurdistan- Northern Iraq
"Still Trying to Make a Difference"
972.286.0606- Home/Office
972.400.2898- Mobile

P. O. Box 360722
Dallas, Texas 75336
http://www.myspace.com/Clinger_KAS

http://www.myspace.com/ClingerAmericanaKAS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8

Mark Levin blasting leftist idiots:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIh-KecdD3E&NR=1

"To educate a man in mind only, and not in morals is to educate a menace to society."
Theodore Roosevelt

[e-mail]

[Charles Lingerfelt, Texas State Coordinator]

Peggy:
Currently, I am home in Texas. I have been back for about one month now, and I plan to return
to Northern Iraq in Mid-September. When we return this time, we will be taking with us two former
NBA Basketball players, and will be conducting 'Basketball Camps' there in Kurdistan ~ Northern
Iraq. Too, we are seeking others - Former teachers, English, or otherwise, Coaches and others
who might want to go with us to have a "positive impact" upon these students in our School there.

Please help us 'spread the word' and anyone who wishes to travel with us there, just have them
contact me at my e-mail address below.

Thank-you for your comment!

God bless,

Charles Lingerfelt, Founding Co-Director/Teacher
Kurdish American School
Dohuk, Kurdistan- Northern Iraq
"Still Trying to Make a Difference"
972.286.0606- Home/Office
972.400.2898- Mobile

P. O. Box 360722
Dallas, Texas 75336
http://www.myspace.com/Clinger_KAS

http://www.myspace.com/ClingerAmericanaKAS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8

Mark Levin blasting leftist idiots:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIh-KecdD3E&NR=1

"To educate a man in mind only, and not in morals is to educate a menace to society." Theodore Roosevelt

[e-mail]

[Peggy Cravens]

Charles Lingerfelt,

I just finished reading your inspiring report and I apologize that I have not read it before now. Are you still in Iraq and did you go there because you are in the military? Are you still the Texas Coordinator? I know these are a lot of questions but when Jean started this web site all of this was new to me. Time has passed now and I have learned a lot but I am still learning.

If you are still in Iraq, I will be praying for you and the others and that God will one day bring all of you home safe. We pray for our military, we thank them for their service, we can never repay them for the sacrifice and the freedom that they have provided for us.

Peggy, Austin, Texas