Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, a Christian who has been unafraid to profess his faith and lead his organization in prayer, shared a powerful moment with troops in South America where he offered moving remarks with fellow soldiers to honor the two National Guard victims attacked by an Afghan Nation in Washington, D.C. Andrew Wolfe is still hospitalized from his injuries and “fighting for his life” while Sarah Beckstrom tragically succumbed to injuries sustained in the assassination.
For context, a 29-year-old Afghani with ties to the American intelligence community ambushed National Guard troops stationed in the nation’s capital as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to combat chaos created by Democrat’s soft-on-crime approach. Rahmanullah Lakanwal brought a single handgun to the streets where he fired twice at the now-deceased Beckstrom, striking her in the head. He then picked up her firearm and shot at Wolfe. Lakanwal was eventually subdued by a third guardsman and is currently being treated for his own injuries.
Speaking in front of a cohort of troops stationed overseas during Thanksgiving, Hegseth joined with his fellow servicemen and servicewomen to mourn and honor the loss of their brothers-in-arms. “Now, obviously our hearts are heavy right now for the loss of specialist Sarah Beckstrom. Some of you may have known her, obviously a beautiful human being and a great American willing to serve her country, brutally targeted, ambushed on the street, no words for the sadness we have for her family,” he opened.
“And we pray for pray for them, and we’re also pray for the staff sergeant Andrew Wolfe, the Air National Guard, an airman fighting for his life right now, my wife and I had a chance briefly last night to be there lay hands on him and pray over him, and I promised his mother one thing that we would keep praying for him. And so if you would bow your head and join me in prayer for him,” he continued, before beginning his prayer.
“Dear Heavenly Father, we don’t understand Your ways all the time. Sometimes we are confused by violence we see or things that happen to great people, one of which is Sarah, who we commend You into Your arms in heaven right now, and we ask that you be with her family. And then we ask that you be with the family of Andrew Wolfe, who right now lays in a hospital bed fighting for his life.”
“Lord God, be with those doctors and nurses, and may Your healing hand be upon him, perform miracles, which we know you can do, help him to recover, demonstrate the resolve that he’s shown every day of his duty. Watch over him, guard him. Pour out Your blessings upon him. And again, we don’t know why things happen, but Your will be done. May we be obedient to it.”
“And then Lord God, watch over all of these troops in front of me, all of the troops across Washington, DC, every single incredible American who dons the cloth, who wears the uniform to defend our nation. 24/7 around the ward around the world. Lord Jesus Christ, be with them. Protect them. Give them wisdom.”
“Give them courage and be with them in every endeavor that they undertake, Lord God, but most especially, we commend Sarah into Your arms, and we ask that You watch over Andrew and all of these troops as they continue to do Your job. It is in Your Holy Name we pray. Amen.” Watch that powerful prayer below: