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So many families experience what that little girl in the video has. Months of separation, worry, and heart sore, followed by a happy, tearful reunion. Others don’t even get this happy reunion…
Have you ever wanted to show your gratitude to our troops and their families for what they do? Have you wanted to brighten someone’s day or impact their life in a small meaningful way? Have you wanted to show your support for the troops but never found a way to do it?
Let me tell you, it’s as easy as sending a letter to a soldier overseas!
Letters are a great morale booster, especially since many troops hardly have living conditions out there overseas. Many of them live in tents, with only a microwave to prepare food, or not even that. Others don’t have showers, and others work 12 hours a day without much time for anything else. But the homesickness is there. Many of them get little or no mail from home. Some soldiers see their buddies get care packages from their families, while they come back from 12 hours of duty to- nothing. They are so appreciative for anything that reminds them of home.
So you and your family can brighten someone’s day by sending them a letter or a card, telling them how much they are appreciated, and that they are not forgotten. My family and I have already done this a few times, and we’ve even received letters in reply! It’s very exciting to get a reply back.
Note: If you are a young lady, please understand I think it’s inappropriate to write to a male soldier yourself. So I am not suggesting this in my post. You can write to a female Marine/soldier through AnyMarine.com.
You can write to a male soldier as a family. If you want to write as a family, just get a card, write a few words of encouragement in it, and have younger children/siblings make a nice drawing (they always love children’s drawings and hang them up on the wall). Then sign it as the “Smith” family (for example), and mail it to either a female or male Marine. If you let them know you’d like to hear from them, you may get a reply in a few weeks or a few months!
AnyMarine.com is our top favorite website to use!
You just:
1. Go on the website
2. Click “Where to send”
3. Browse through the list of names (on the left hand side) and read what the soldiers say and request.
4. Choose a name of a soldier you want to contact by clicking to request their address.
5. Fill in the boxes with your email and name. Then check your email to get the address.
6. Write a letter or make a package with the things they request.
7. Put their name and complete address on the envelope.
8. Send it overseas!
One time we wrote to a female Marine overseas and she replied back just around Christmas. We were so excited. She was very nice and wrote us a detailed letter. She even made a drawing for us to keep!
Some ideas for things you can send:
1. A handmade card
2. Drawings by younger siblings
3. Bible verses written on small colorful notecards
4. Dogtags with verses on them
5. Postcards from the city or state you live in
6. A package!
Recently, we sent a card from our family to a Marine we chose from the list. My two younger sisters each added something to the envelope. Ana sent a poem she made about the 4th of July. Sarah sent a drawing she made. Soon we got an envelope in the mail as a reply. It had something bulging in the envelope.
When we opened it, there was a small neatly folded flag in military style. It was in a little ziploc with a note. The Marine wanted to give that flag he had carried with him overseas to Ana and Sarah to keep.
Send a Package
I would encourage you to even think of sending a small package with items they request. You may want to do that as a Christmas gift! Or just because! You never know what reply you will get, and I guarantee you it will brighten your day just as much as theirs! In winter there are many requests for beanie caps and socks because it gets really cold. Brrr! So if you like crocheting or knitting, this would be an inexpensive and good idea.
Support through Prayer
One thing to keep in mind is to pray specifically for the ones you contacted, for their families and their protection. That way you do two things to support the troops!
One last note
Here are a few tear-jerker videos to motivate you to write a letter!
EXCELLENT!! Thanks for sharing this information — very encouraging for us all to reach out and bless our soldiers this holiday season!
Yes, absolutely. I look forward to hearing of more people willing to show their support in this way!
We will be doing this to express our gratitude this month…thank you for the inspiration…blessings from your new follower…Nicole
Dear Nicole, I am SO glad to hear you will be doing this! I’m glad my post was an inspiration for you. Thanks for letting me know. It is so good to get feedback!