Spirit of America in Afghanistan

Sgt Hook reports on Spirit of America's impact in an Afghan village.

He writes:

. He was a heavy set man who resembled Santa Claus without the red suit but there was no mistaking the steely confidence of a leader of men in his eyes. I couldn’t help but wonder what stories he might tell given the right circumstances. After explaining that I had thousands of children’s shoes given to me by Americans back home to be delivered to the Afghan children, I asked if he would allow me the honor of delivering them to the children of his village(s). The mayor delightedly accepted my offer adding that it was he and his villagers who were honored and that when I returned it would not be necessary for all of the security forces that had accompanied us. In fact, he professed with a spark in his eyes that we could walk from our base to his village and he guaranteed our safety.

Two weeks later we approached that same LZ in a CH47D Chinook helicopter loaded full of shoes, clothing, and school supplies. We spent hours in the hot desert sun fitting children for shoes and sorting the other supplies that had been donated from across America. Afterwards we were invited to share bread and tea with some of the elders who expressed their gratitude to us repeatedly. I thought that it was important to impress upon them that these generous offerings that we had delivered were not from me or my soldiers, but from mothers and fathers and children across the United States who are genuinely hoping and praying that the people of Afghanistan will succeed in being free and live a life ripe with liberty. With that spark in his eye, the mayor looked into my face, pausing for effect, and asked me to thank the benevolent people of America and to pass on an invitation for all to visit his village. We stayed a little while longer watching as the children ran around the stone walls under construction that soon will be their school seemingly testing out their new footwear, smiles all.

Only time will tell if that exchange will have an impact on the future of Afghanistan and her people and if they find the will to keep the rat bastards terrorists out of their villages. I can tell you that our visit to the village of Jildalek would not have happened if not for the Spirit of America as they funded the shipment of many of the goods that were donated.

>Click on the SOA link at the top of my right margin, please, and give.

Posted by Mitch at December 7, 2004 07:02 AM | TrackBack