GAIL WHITE Adopted soldier gets much support on the home front

Sheila Fox knew the war with Iraq would begin days before it started.
Her son, Cpl. William Mitchell, with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, called.
"Mom, you're not going to hear from me for a while," Sheila remembers her son telling her over the phone.
Because of the nature of the Expeditionary Force, she knew her son would be on the front lines, heading straight into the heart of battle.
While Sheila watched and read the accounts of the war, waiting, worrying and praying in her Negley home, Joanie Farmer was watching the war effort as well, in her Poland home.
"I wanted to do something -- anything," Joanie says.
Headline
The headline of one of my columns caught her eye; "Adopt A Soldier Gives Patriots A Way To Serve." Reading the story, Joanie learned that Sarah Forney of Fairfield Township also wanted to "do something" to help the war effort.
Sarah had hooked up with Point Man International Ministries in Washingtonville and was compiling names of soldiers, asking citizens to "adopt" a soldier.
"They must promise to pray for that soldier every day and send their soldier letters and care packages," according to the column explaining Sarah's mission.
Sarah had another stipulation for her Adopt A Soldier program. "The families back home need support, too," Sarah believed. Along with the soldier, Sarah wanted those involved in the program to support the family as well.
After reading about Adopt A Soldier, Joanie immediately called to adopt a soldier and his family.
Her adoptee
The soldier she was given was Cpl. William Mitchell.
Joanie wrote to Mitchell and began e-mailing his mother, Sheila.
"She calls him Billy," Joanie chuckles at Sheila's childhood name for her 22-year-old son. "She sent me a picture of him. He's a handsome-looking kid; so young."
Joanie has shared with Sheila how grateful she is for Billy's service.
"He's putting his life on the line for me and everybody else," Joanie says. "They are doing a great job."
Sheila is just as grateful for Joanie's support.
"You are so scared," Sheila says of the long days and weeks when she has not heard from her son. "When you hear someone say, 'I'm praying for him too,' it means so much."
The women have shared laughter along with their prayers.
Joanie was preparing a package to send to Billy. She asked Sheila what he liked. Sheila mentioned beef jerky.
"It's awful looking stuff!" Joanie said after buying the dried meat. "I don't know how they eat that! She says that he likes it, so I'll send it."
The women have also shared tears of joy.
Collect call
After more than a month, Sheila received a collect phone call from Billy one Friday evening.
"He said his unit had flown to Kuwait for a few hours," Sheila said. "He saw a pay phone and called home."
Sheila learned her soldier had, indeed, been on the front lines through much of the fighting in Iraq.
"He can never tell me what they are doing," Sheila explains. "The only thing he could say was that they constantly moved."
Billy did tell her he was in one of Saddam Hussein's palaces.
When she asked him if he was hurt, he responded, "Nothing too major."
"Knowing him, he's got duct tape around him to keep going," Sheila said, concerned but proud.
A little duct tape, perhaps. But for certain, a lot of prayer, thanks to supportive, concerned patriots on the home front.
"I told Billy when he comes home, he will have some people to meet," Sheila says.
Those involved in Adopt A Soldier will be the first.
gwhite@vindy.com
XIt is not too late to donate, submit a name of a soldier or adopt a soldier. Call (330) 427-6909.