This war wasn’t all about firing weapons. In fact, we spent 90 percent of our time not fighting the enemy, but doing reconstruction: fixing the hospitals and schools, reprinting school books, rebuilding streets, securing supplies, training their police force, getting the water and power turned back on. At Christmas time, our families sent toys for us to deliver to the children, and money for the adults so they could heat their homes and cook a little easier.
The children in general loved us, and we loved spending time with them, too. We spoiled the girls a little more than the boys and always gave our candy from our MREs to the girls. That, in itself, was hard for them to understand since females are considered less valuable in that culture.
One day I gave a pack of Skittles® to a little girl, and a little boy snatched the Skittles® out of her hand.
“Give those back to her,” I told him as I grabbed his collar. I knew he didn’t understand English, but after a few tries he got the message.
He looked dumbfounded. What are you doing? I’m a guy, I’m one of you, his eyes seemed to say. But he handed them back to the little girl and looked at me again, this time with an expression of epiphany on his face. It’s like a light went on in his head, as though he were thinking, What if girls are important after all? Maybe we shouldn’t treat them like we do. He walked away very slowly, as if he had a lot of thinking to do after that. I bet that was the first time someone stuck up for females in his life.
I’m sure we affected the children of that country more than we affected people my age and older. Adults are set in their perceptions, but when children saw us caring and giving people dignity, it might have been life-altering. When they grow up, they’ll know Americans aren’t evil; we just want everyone to get along.
Lord, help me be a peacemaker and pursue true reconciliation wherever I go.
“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14)