| Blogs > fedders > Freshman,..East Asia Pacific |
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To start a new life... This morning I came over Asia today feature on BBC world about a humanitarian act done by a couple of admirable British women, Emma Bulmer and friend Anna who patiently collected around 50,00 pairs of shoes for Pakistani , part of about 2,000,000 victim of a devastating earthquake last year. These nice ladies were touch after viewing a report on BBC Correspondence, featuring walking barefooted on cold winter snow. They decided to trek upon a quake zone frequently visited by dozens of aftershocks, braving the danger of being hit by rocks falling above the passage way of the valleys, determine to reach their main goal. The moment of touching memories sets in when the chopper arrived bringing along the shoes that was delayed for a day due to road blockades caused by landslide. The scene of smiling accepting their gifts from kind donors brought down some shaken moments of joy and teardrops from Emma and Anna. A sense of fulfillment for their task and deserving honors for this modern day heroines. Elated feelings of hope for these to start a new life with a pair of shoes in the lonely valleys of Pakistan... pic** Mukarram Ali-Pakistani boy earthquake victim-(BBC) 
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5/10/2006 10:58 pm |
This makes me remember my time in Bosnia, just after the war was over...1996. A few of us stayed in Sarajevo for a few weeks, and we were free to drive around the city. The damage was everywhere, buildings and homes destroyed...some of the homes were mined by hateful people to keep the original owners away.  At the time, we went everywhere armed & in uniform. I was proud of the effort we were doing, because we were helping to monitor police and local law enforcement for abuses....the US flag was on my right sleeve, and it got much respect then. Oddly enough, I watched the children...I've always been drawn to them....I didn't care whether the kids were Muslim, Serb, or Croat... small kids are the same everywhere. i am the father of a young daughter If I was armed, children would shy away despite seeing the flag on my sleeve...I know they wanted to be friendly, but were suspicious of the firearms we carried. Riding in the back of the truck one day, I mentioned to one of the guys that "...all the little girls waved to me..."  He laughed, and didn't believe me until he sat and watched the reaction of the kids after we hid our weapons....we would pass a school on our way up to the old Turkish fort in the Muslim area southeast of town ... it was close to the tunnel toward the Serb city of Pale'. After that, we would stow the guns and carry candy in our pockets...the kids would be everywhere, and it was a good thing to see. This would make a very good impression on the parents....they would trust us and this made civil affairs projects much easier to do. In 1998-'99, I returned for six months. Many of the damaged buildings had been rebuilt. The electric trains were running...street lights were on, traffic was annoying, and the new apartment projects were under construction. People were everywhere.... ...and it didn't fail to impress me the parents were out walking with babies and small children. I think Emma and Anna should be more than worthy for a set of wings... 
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Love to hear such humanely gesture of a good soldier offering civilians their services in time of conflict... Thanks for your short note and comment...Bro! Like Gen. MacArthur says" Old soldiers never die, they just fade away!... Vaya con Dios, Companeros'
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5/11/2006 9:14 pm |
Mabuhay and thanks...
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