Roger Davidson works on one of four stained-glass windows that eventually will be shipped to a non-denominational military chapel in Baghdad. Davidson's son is stationed in Iraq.

mamta popat / arizona daily star

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A U.S. military chapel in Iraq is getting a makeover thanks to a labor of love that began in Oro Valley.

Four stained-glass windows, created by the parents of a deployed Air Force master sergeant, are expected to arrive in the war zone in time for the holiday season.

The panes will grace the chapel at Sather Air Base in Baghdad, a major hub for arriving and departing troops from different branches of the military, including thousands from Southern Arizona who have passed through since the war began.

Roger and Pam Davidson of Oro Valley have spent the last few months creating the decorative windows at the request of their son, Master Sgt. Brian Davidson, a public affairs officer on his fourth overseas tour in five years.

The sergeant, who was stationed at Tucson's Davis-Monthan Air Force Base until 2004, recently wrote home that the busy Baghdad chapel could use some sprucing up.

The chapel is a double-wide, trailer-type structure with chairs, an altar and bare walls — a big step up from when services were held in a tent. It serves about 1,400 military and civilian personnel.

"The first service I attended after arriving here made me think we needed some color in the building," Brian Davidson said in an e-mail interview.

Chaplains at the base liked the stained-glass idea, so his parents went to work.

"We're happy to do it," said Roger Davidson, a retired electrical engineer.

"The way I look at it is, our son has devoted his life to the military. This is our chance to make a contribution."

Pam Davidson, a painter and folk artist, designed the windows according to the military's instruction that the images must be ecumenical — no crosses, for example, because troops of different faiths use the space at different times.

The depictions they settled on — calla lilies, a butterfly, a lighthouse and a dove with an olive branch — are captured in crimson and cobalt, amethyst and topaz, fern green and fiery orange. The panes are 18 inches wide and 43 inches tall.

Roger Davidson has spent about 100 hours crafting each one, carefully cutting the glass pieces and soldering the lead beading that holds them together. He started making stained glass as a hobby awhile back, and has made several dozen windows for friends and family.

Putting the panes together is just the first part of his task. He also must build special wooden shipping crates capable of withstanding a long journey with delicate cargo.

Once they arrive in Baghdad, the panes won't be hung in the normal way because glass windows are a hazard in a war zone, where they might be blown up.

Instead, military engineers will create display boxes with backlighting so the stained glass can be hung indoors on the chapel walls.

The Davidsons are trying to arrange for the military to ship the windows from D-M. If that doesn't work, they say they're prepared to pay the shipping costs themselves.

Pam Davidson puts her hand to her heart when she thinks about the chance that colorful works created in her garage might lift the spirits of worshippers in a war zone.

"It makes me feel blessed," she said. "It's wonderful to be able to help our troops."