The Softer Side Of War

Every now and then we do missions of a different type. We don’t go out kicking in doors and hauling off bad guys. We go to schools and homeless shelters and help out with what we can. A few days ago our platoon headed out to a little village out near the Tigris River. There is a little school out there that from the outside you would think it hasn’t been used since the invasion a few years ago. But nearly everyday about 200 children between 4 and 10 cram in to the eight classrooms and hit the books. The school has power but only for a few hours a day. The heaters were stolen out of the classrooms making it more like a concrete freezer with the temperature only getting up to the low 50’s on warmer days. These kids like school however, not like when I was a kid and would try everything in the book to avoid a dreaded day of 4th grade.

This is all a good sign for the future of Iraq in my eyes. Despite all the adversity, these families continue to get their children up and out the door and to school six days a week. These kids will get their basic education and hopefully continue on through high school and develop some sort of skills along the way. Something that they can apply to making the country a little better, something so they don’t end up digging holes on the side of the road for $45 (US) so someone can come by later and drop a IED in it.

The success of these kids is what will keep my children and your children or your grandchildren from coming over here and being exposed to the darker side of life. Our mission was simple, to pass out spiral notebooks, crayons and candy. To try to help these little kids out a little, and maybe make them smile a little too. We also did an assessment of the building and talked with the principle on what help he needed to help the school running. Number one on his list was heaters, and I must agree it was pretty chilly in the classrooms, with most of the kids wearing their jackets and gloves inside. We did a pretty good job on that mission. The kids got crayons and notebook and plenty of candy.

At first they were pretty scared mostly due to the fact that at some time soldiers have probably kicked in their door in the middle of the night and arrested their Dad, Uncle or big brother for one reason or another. But once we came in and took off our helmets and glasses and got down on their level and passed out some candy, they started to smile like a kid that age should. These missions are good to do. Something to break up the violence and stress that comes with most other missions. Missions like this give you a bit of hope that maybe someday Iraq might actually make it on its own.

If you or someone you know would like to send school supplies to these kids you all are more than welcome too. School supplies that they need are: Spiral Notebooks, Pencils, Crayons, Chalk, Notebook Paper, and Erasers. E-mail me at gijake@hotmail.com and I will send you the address for us over here and we will make sure that the supplies get to the kids.