Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, I write to you with some tremendously encouraging newsnews that highlights the vast impact that people like you are having in our armed forces. Last month, distribution of Rapid Deployment Kits reached the two million mark!

Thank you for all you've done to make this possible! With millions of RDKs delivered since September 2001, your gifts of God's Word have helped troops around the world find real comfort and hope. And a very encouraging account shows how these Kits continue to make a difference in the lives of our troops. A grateful mom of an Air Force recruit recently sent the following note:

"You have no idea how blessed [our son] was in receiving the [Rapid Deployment Kit] ... You all provided him with exactly what he needed. He brought his RDK home with him after he finished his schooling [and] before he went on to his permanent duty station.

"He had found verses that helped him deal with the things he was going through, highlighted them, and passed his Bibles around for the guys in his flight. He told me that he wasn't sure he would have made it through basic training without his RDK. He used the devotion book until it was about to fall apart. I met a couple of the guys in his flight at graduation and they told me that [our son] had really helped them stay focused on the things that mattered by sharing the verses with them. Of course, that made me a proud mama!

"So from a mother's heart, I thank you for the wonderful ministry you have, and may God continue to use you to reach the men and women in our armed services."

Upon learning of this recruit's story, a military chaplain responded, "Awesome! I know firsthand the impact RDKs have on the lives of young men and women like [this Air Force recruit] as they face the daily challenges of boot camp. I saw the impact RDKs had on thousands and thousands of recruits at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, during my time there as the Depot Chaplain ... I can assure you, RDKs are also making a positive impact on hundreds and hundreds of Marines, and others, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan today."

You are making a positive impact on multitudes of troops around the world, because without you, the distribution of Rapid Deployment Kits would be impossible. You are touching lives with the Good News. Young men and women are reading these materials until they are "about to fall apart"; they are sharing them with others; they are finding the strength to continue in the midst of great adversity because you have cared enough to reach out to them with the Hope of Christ!

However, even as you and I give praise for the distribution of two million RDKs, there are so many service members who have yet to receive them. You see, due to the tough economic times, more and more men and women are signing up to make the military their career. A recent headline read, "For Military, Bad Economy Aids Recruiting" (AP, 1/19/2009). Basic training camps are swelling, and many of these recruits--often being trained to go into war zones--have never before heard the Gospel.

So with so many men and women still in harm's way, and many more just joining the military, more RDKs are needed to meet all the requests. Would you prayerfully consider again reaching out to point our troops to Christ?

It still takes just $3.25 to get one of these Kits, filled with the hope of the Gospel, into the hands of a service member. A gift of any amount$52 for 16 RDKs, $130 for 40 RDKs, or even $650 for 200 RDKswould do so much to share the Gospel with men and women facing extremely difficult challenges. Please understand: I know that times here are hard and I truly do not want to pressure you; I simply put this need before you and ask that you consider if the Lord might have you give with joy, not "reluctantly or under compulsion." (II Cor. 9:7)

Thank you again for your continued partnership in reaching our troops for Christ. Placing God's Word into the hands of men and women around the world simply would not be possible without the ongoing support and faithful prayers of ministry partners like you. May God bless you.

Your partner in the Gospel,

Bob Dees
Major General, US Army, Retired
Executive Director, CCCI Military Ministry

P.S. Military Ministry has just published a new bookWhen War Comes Home: Spiritual Healing for Wives of Combat Veteransas an encouragement and practical guide to those who are suffering from the secondary effects of PTSD and other combat-related problems. Please pray that this resource (like our earlier book, The Combat Trauma Healing Manual, for returning warriors) will bring real comfort and spiritual solutions to those who have served us so faithfully. To find out more please visit www.ptsdhealing.org. Thank you again.