Joshua Charles Powers, beloved son, brother, uncle, nephew and grandson, went Home to be with the Lord on Friday, January 23rd in Baghdad, Iraq at the age of 27.  Josh was working a security detail when the car he was riding in was struck head on.  Both Josh and an Iraqi colleague were killed.

Josh served with the 10th Mountain Division in the U.S. Army for four years.  His military service included tours in Korea and Afghanistan.  Josh was born in Lancaster and moved to the South of France at the age of six with his parents and sisters, Elizabeth and Michelle, as missionaries with BCM International.  He returned to Lancaster with his sisters for his high school years attending Living Word Academy and Conestoga Valley High School.  After school, to the delight of his grandfather, LTC Marvin Powers, he joined the U.S. Army Infantry.  Following his Honorable Discharge, he began working as a private security contractor in Iraq.  During his vacation times, he traveled around the world visiting thirty one countries, leaving friends wherever he traveled. Josh attended Webster University in Thailand and was looking forward to returning in the fall. Josh was fluent in French, Spanish, English and was learning Arabic at the time of his Homegoing.  What was appreciated by all were his qualities of sensitivity, sense of humor, courage, strength, love and generosity.  He gave much of his income to help supportthe ministry of his parents in France as well as others in need.   His special love was for his sisters and his nieces, Joyce, Chloe, Joy and Cassie.

Joshua is survived by his parents, Chuck and Cathy Powers of Toulouse, France and sisters, Elizabeth Anneville and her husband Herve, also from Toulouse and Michelle Hildebrand and her husband Ben from Lancaster, PA.,  as well as  his nieces, Joyce and  Chloe Anneville and  Joy and Cassie Hildebrand. He is also survived by his maternal grandmother, Grace Williams, and paternal grandmother, Ruth Powers. Josh had a large extended family who will greatly miss him.

Missing him as well will be his "band of brothers", his Army buddies and colleagues.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, January 29th at Hempfield Brethren in Christ Church, 2600 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster.  Friends will be received at 4 P.M. with the service to follow at 5 P.M.  There will be a private military burial service at Ft. Indiantown Gap  Friday at 1:30 P.M.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in memory of Joshua be sent to the Joshua Powers Memorial Fund c/o Fulton Bank, 5998 Main Street, E. Petersburg, PA 17520.  Joshua had a great burden for the people of northern France who have never heard the Gospel and his desire was to work with his parents to establish a church in Desvres, France.

Arrangements by Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home & Chapel, Lititz, PA  560-5100.

To send an online condolence, please visit www.snyderfuneralhome.com.

1 Thessalonians 4:13,14 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who have fallen asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.  We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in  Him.