Christmas 2010, I was in Afghanistan with the 183rd Maintenance Company. We were in LSA Shindand, an old Russian airbase about 70 miles from the Iranian border. We had been in Afghanistan since August. Months earlier I connected with Kim Eyberg and her kindergarten class from Sandia Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her class adopted me and my unit. Kim’s mother Carol made me a camouflage teddy bear shortly after. She made many of those and sent them to deployed service members. I was lucky enough to receive on as well.
For Christmas the kids sent cards they made along with Snowman soup and a two more teddy bears meant for two specific Soldiers. Carol had asked me for three names a few months before Christmas. She made a teddy bear for SPC Rodarte, SPC Green and SPC Godwin. When I got this box and saw what it contained, I knew exactly what I needed to do.
I grabbed my rucksack, attached my bear, gave him a Santa hat, and moved out on a mission. My mission was to search out SPC Rodarte, SPC Green and SPC Godwin to present them with their bear and find other Soldiers from my unit in hopes of putting a smile on their faces. We, my bear and I, handed out the cards, Snowman soup, and asked them to take pictures with my bear. The smiles that we created will stay with me forever. SPC Rodarte, SPC Green and SPC Godwin were shocked and loved their gifts. They lovingly took pictures with their bears to share.
I may have looked silly, and could never take the place of Santa Claus, but it did put smiles on their faces with the help of Kim’s class. It made me feel not so alone and it was a special gift those children gave me. The power of receiving an unexpected card at Christmas, especially from a child, is incredible. Never underestimate such a small gesture.
Merry Christmas
