National Prayer Luncheon encourages spirituality for Team Kadena

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Lynette M. Rolen
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  More than 400 people attended the 2016 National Prayer Luncheon at Kadena, March 2.

The event featured Col. Steven McCain, Pacific Air Forces command chaplain, as the guest speaker. McCain called upon service members to remember the reasons why they answered their nation's call.

"I, like you, have come to realize just how special and even sacred the call of our nation really is," said McCain. "Events like these have a way of bringing us back to that sense of calling. And it has a way of re-centering us and what we're all about; who we're called to be and what we're called to do. So on this day, men and women around the world of every religion, race, and nationality bow their heads and bend their knees in respect and honor to their God and pray."

McCain invited individuals and the nation to pray for grace, strength and wisdom to get through the challenges of life.

Senior Airman Anneth Moses, 18th Medical Operations Squadron aerospace serviceman, neonatal intensive care unit, was greatly influenced by McCain's words.

"Initially it was just another free lunch, but as soon as the headline speaker got into his message, a bigger picture was seen," said Moses. "As service members, many of us hold to a higher power to get through the long days we have."

It is these values that keep Airmen spiritually fit to fight and resilient. With a spiritual outlook on life, people are never alone. This was one of the main points that McCain stressed during the luncheon.

"We pray because nobody wants to go to war and nobody wants to go through life alone," said McCain. "This is especially true of those who lay their lives down on the line for the sake of others; like those who have answered our nation's call."

McCain referenced the game of rugby and how the teammates interact with one another. He used an Airman Leadership School class attending the luncheon to demonstrate his point. He called some of the members up to the podium and had them huddle around one person.

"As the player has the ball, running down the field, the players behind her have their hands on her back and they're running down the field as one unit, one force," said McCain. "As the player running down the field senses the hands of her teammates on her back, the two most important words that she can hear are these: 'With you.' What it means to her is, if she goes down or loses the ball, her teammates have her back."

This calls out to the wingman concept, looking out for the Airmen around you. Knowing that someone has their back along with spiritual support makes them powerful.

Moses was one of the participants in the demonstration and she reflected on how it impacted her resiliency.

"It empowered me to be stronger in my faith," said Moses. "Resiliency is built on the four pillars: physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health. If one is off or missing that one may falter and as a medic, sometimes you are required to bounce back from any situational setbacks and press forward."

The demonstration about not being alone was one of McCain's final points as he ended his speech.

"I'm here to remind you that as we answer our nation's call, we don't do so alone," McCain said.  "Our nation is with us, we're with each other, and our creator is closer to us than we could ever possibly realize. We can go into war or we can press into life with a confidence and courage like no other. We can fly, we can fight, and we can win today, and every day both in combat and in life because none of us do it alone."