| NEWS
| July 21, 2005
No Regrets
Student returns safely from Iraq
 |
| The Shorthorn: Sara Bookout |
| Samuel Odamah, architecture
senior and lance corporal of the U.S. Marine Corps, recently
returned from Iraq after serving 210 days. In
addition to his military duties, Odamah serves as a university
ambassador. |
|
By Tracie
Morales
The Shorthorn Staff
His cell phone showed one new message.
When Lance Cpl. Samuel Odamah checked to see who called, he heard
a familiar voice.
“Hey, we’re getting deployed,” the voice said.
For a second, he thought it was a joke because his friend would
often play pranks on him.
“This time it was different,” Odamah said.
Two and a half months later, in August, the architecture senior
left to serve a 210-day tour in Iraq. Before leaving, Odamah served
as a university
, a member of the Tuition Review Committee and various architecture
organizations.
Agatha Odamah said dark clouds loomed over her heart when her son
announced he had been called for duty in Iraq. She remembered driving
down the road and praying to God that he would return safely. She
said the Lord gave her assurance that he would come back.
“There was peace in my heart,” she said.
Samuel said the dangers of Iraq quickly became a reality when he
was sent to a two-week training camp and exposed to potential threats.
He said he often slept through his classes as a student, but as
a Marine, he knew his life depended on paying attention.
“I was awake the whole time,” he said.
Samuel said he served as a motor transport operator and was surprised
to learn that Iraq was not as bad as the media represented it on
TV. But he said he remembers the fear he felt some days.
“Faithwise, if God wants me to leave this earth, then it will
happen,” he said.
He said his experience helped him realize that his family was the
most important thing in his life. He stayed connected to those he
cared about through phone calls, prayers and recordings of the church
services his mother’s prayer group who would send him.
Samuel said he would always remember the man who taught his war
religion class in Iraq, Cpl. Clark, because he went on a mission
one day and never came back.
“People were there one second and not there the next,”
he said.
Agatha said the family held a celebration for Samuel on Good Friday,
the day he came home. She said Samuel had played the role of father,
brother, friend and prayer partner and that he left a “young
boy” but returned a “great man.”
In the future, she said he will be a leader because of the force
of attraction that surrounds him.
“He has been a joy to the world,” she said.
As Samuel returns to the world of design, he said he looks forward
to creating and presenting projects and that he enjoys meeting new
people and creating spaces for them to live life.
“It exposes you to different personalities, people, cultures,”
he said.
These days, Samuel said he spends his time studying and working
as a resident assistant at Trinity House.
Trinity House Director Lauren Miller said she enjoys working with
Samuel because he’s a team player and always offers to do
projects that no one else wants.
“He’s very considerate,” she said.
Overall, Samuel said his classes are going well as he completes
11-credit hours this summer session. He said he had to put his education
on hold, but he doesn’t regret his choice to serve in the
Marines.
“I shouldn’t be in a rush,” he said. “Life
is precious.”
|
|
