Gateway to Iraq

...the compelling and poignant account of one woman's experience as a chaplain on the edge of war. When Dr. Rachel Coggins received the call to serve overseas, the Army Reservist left a comfortable Georgia home to live in a harsh environment filled with challenge. Assigned to a base called the Gateway, she welcomed military members entering the war zones of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait and then bid them goodbye when it was time to return stateside. In between those times, Chaplain Coggins listened to the warriors-to their fears, their worries, their heartaches, and sometimes, their joys. She became a confidante to some, a comfort to others, and a friend to still others. Chaplain Coggins offers a glimpse into a world few civilians ever see. In retelling her experiences, Coggins reveals the struggles that confront today's war-zone Soldiers and their loved ones, struggles that are often hidden from most Americans. What readers are saying: "What a great book I couldn't put it down. I laughed, cried, imagined, thought, reflected, prayed all at the same time" -Kathy Oldfield, seminarian "You bring the war home and make it a personal journey, rather than some far away experience in a country most of us don't even know." -Carol Glover, Chaplain's wife "Compassionate, compelling and heart-felt ...rare insight and much needed perspective." - Angela Marshall, Teacher Rachel is an Army Reserve Chaplain and the wife of an Air Force Chaplain. She holds a Doctorate of Ministry in Women's Studies and is founder of Rachel's Well Ministry. She and her husband, Michael, and son live in Arizona.