Hey Mom and Dad,

I am doing well. It was good to hear your voices yesterday. Thank God for technology. Y?all had said that you might have a letter of mine printed in the paper, or read at church. I would like at least the people in Sonora to understand what is really going on over here, not what they hear on the news.

My first taste of the Middle East was when I landed at Kuwaiti International. I thought: What a dirty, hot, disgusting place. The wind was blowing extremely hot, and when I arrived on station here at Camp Fallujah, it was even worse. How could God be in this place?

Then I met the people of this land. They stunk. They were uneducated. We have to constantly watch them because some are thieves. I thought again: How could God be in this place?

If you watch the news, especially CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC or CBS ? they all show you the death and destruction that is happening over here, soldiers and Marine dying daily ? one would think that we were losing this war.

Just like the Vietnam War, the public thinks we are losing. But just like the Vietnam War, we in truth are winning. We have won every conflict, every skirmish, every firefight, but the media wants the great American people to believe this is a losing cause. It isn?t.

Today, I was able to go to church. It was held at the base theater. With a laptop computer, a projector, two speakers and a microphone, the chaplain played some praise music. I sat there and watched ? watched the Marines, soldiers and sailors walk in and greet each other, all different ranks from a Navy captain all the way down to a Marine private, and all perfect strangers but all brothers and sisters.

As I listened to the music, I began to notice an awesome presence. I have been in a church where I felt the presence of God, but not like this. I fought back the tears, can't have the young warriors see a Marine captain cry. Overtaken by his presence, I began thinking about all the info y'all see on the news and what the newspapers tell you about this place.

I was wrong. God is in this place. The beginning of life, so close to the land of milk and honey, and what is it? A war zone. Rockets, mortars, small arms fire, IEDs; how could this be? Is this where it all began?

This is why we are here. These people are good people; they are our brothers and sisters. They were so brutalized by Saddam Hussein?s regime that, when I walk by them, they cower from me. Yes, some are thieves, but they try to steal out of necessity. These people need us and want us here; they have told me this themselves.

Because we are here, they have jobs again, they get paid, they put food on their tables, their schools are open and children are learning, their hospitals are open and working, their infrastructure is up and running. Do you see this on the news?

We are helping our neighbors. These young Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen are doing wonders over here. I am in complete awe of them.

This cause that we are fighting and dying for is a worthy cause; what we are doing over here is the right thing to do.

You have paid with your own flesh and blood. Shane Folmar died a hero, on his feet, facing the enemy. He gave his life so that this battle would be fought here, not at home.

God bless you all and God bless America. Pray for us. Semper Fi.