Welcome back to Faith & Joy, a weekly newsletter that makes you smile no matter how hard you try not to!

Hey everyone,

Happy Friday! This evening officially marks the kick-off to the beginning of everyone’s Memorial Day weekend, and we would like to season the holiday with some of the wonderful things going on in the world right now. We hope they warm your heart as much as they do ours and that you have a beautiful weekend celebrating our country’s great heroes.

Stay safe and enjoy the weekend! ❤️

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Today's Enjoyment:

• Quote: Human happiness and moral duty…

• Video Reel: This little hummingbird needed a helping hand.

• Trending Loveable Stories:

  • Veteran Flies American Flag Once More

  • Soldier and K-9 Reunite 2 Years Later

Quote of the Day 💭

Reel of the Day 📽️

Trending Stories 📰

SMILES

Veteran Flies American Flag Once More

An American flag flies proudly once more at US Air Force veteran Herman Duran's rebuilt home.

Saved from the flames of the Hatcher Mountain Fire in Sevier County, Tennessee which claimed over 100 homes just a year before, Duran celebrated the moment with the firefighters who risked their lives to keep the community safe and save his cherished items. The veteran was living in Florida when the fire broke out.

Duran had intended to retire to Tennessee this year. Then he received a call about the fire and evacuation. He could do nothing from afar.

Northview Fire Department Battalion Chief Heidi Satterfield recalled the moment she decided to save the flag.

This small gesture moved Duran deeply.

On Wednesday, the same firefighters who thought to save the flags in the midst of a wildfire got to hang them on Duran's new home. Satterfield expressed her delight, saying,

"We don't usually get to come and experience the new home part after devastation happens."

Duran kept his promise to rebuild his home and rehang the flags.

To further show his gratitude, he presented the firefighters and Lipsey Home Builders with a special flag of their own.

(Click here to watch the full story)

ANIMALS

Soldier and K-9 Reunite 2 Years Later

Her 2-year wait is finally over.

U.S. Army Platoon Commander Kristen St. Pierre has officially been reunited with her K9 partner Chase, and it was a heartwarming moment, to be sure. They hadn't seen each other since Kristen deployed to Afghanistan in 2019.

Kristen cared for Chase during her tour of duty. In exchange, he helped sniff out explosives. When she deployed, though, she was forced to leave him behind.

Then, Afghanistan fell and Chase disappeared.

After two years of searching and desperate phone calls, it was a twist of fate on social media that led Kristen to the Kabul Small Animal Rescue page. That’s where she saw a picture of Chase and immediately contacted them. She teamed up with the founder, Charlotte Maxwell-Jones, to bring Chase back to the U.S.

An entirely new set of challenges began.

Navigating the Taliban's rules, Maxwell-Jones and her team had to re-register and coordinate with various ministries. Kabul Small Animal Rescue is the only animal rescue in Afghanistan, caring for a wide range of animals.

They’ve even had a few oddball requests, like transporting a fighting camel.

The organization worked with the Taliban government, obtained export permits, and went through extensive testing and checks to bring Chase home. While it seemed like there was no end to the hurtles, they cleared each one as it came until their mission was complete. Chase now resides in Fort Benning, Georgia, with Kristen and her husband.

She believes their reunion shows that "humanity is still occurring in Afghanistan."

(Click here to watch the full story)

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