Posted on 12/23/2007 2:19:51 PM PST by RDTF
Capt. Scott Southworth knew he'd face violence, political strife and blistering heat when he was deployed to one of Baghdad's most dangerous areas.
But he didn't expect Ala'a Eddeen.
Ala'a was 9 years old, strong of will but weak of body -- he suffered from cerebral palsy and weighed just 55 pounds. He lived among about 20 kids with physical or mental disabilities at the Mother Teresa orphanage, under the care of nuns who preserved this small oasis in a dangerous place.
-snip-
Black haired and brown eyed, Ala'a spoke to the 31-year-old American in the limited English he had learned from the sisters. He recalled the bombs that struck government buildings across the Tigris River.
-snip-
Over the next 10 months, the unit returned to the orphanage again and again. The soldiers would race kids in their wheelchairs, sit them in Humvees and help the sisters feed them.
To Southworth, Ala'a was like a little brother. But Ala'a -- who had longed for a soldier to rescue him -- secretly began referring to Southworth as "Baba," Arabic for "Daddy."
Then, around Christmas, a sister told Southworth that Ala'a was getting too big. He would have to move to a government-run facility within a year.
"Best case scenario was that he would stare at a blank wall for the rest of his life," Southworth said.
To this day, he recalls the moment when he resolved that that would not happen.
"I'll adopt him," he said.
Before Southworth left for Iraq, he was chief of staff for a state representative. He was single, worked long days and squeezed in his service as a national guardsman -- military service was a family tradition. His great-great-great-grandfather served in the Civil War, his grandfather in World War II, his father in Vietnam.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
from article:
Southworth’s decision was cemented in spring 2004, while he and his comrades watched Mel Gibson’s film, “The Passion of the Christ.”
I read the whole article...wow..what a story!
What is with the deal that Iraqi children can not be adopted by Americans?
Thank you for bringing this story to our attention. I especially liked the soldier’s mother’s advise to take things one step at a time and let God work.
What a manly dude.
Merry Christmas all!
What a tear jerker!
thanks much.
Great CHRISTmas gift.
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MEL’s -PASSION- sparked by -WE WERE SOLDIERS-
http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1085111/posts
http://www.Freerepublic.com/~aloharonnie/
http://www.Freerepublic.com/~anita1/
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BUMP for a beautiful story with a happy ending
FRWN?
You’re not going to believe this but,.. FRWN to a CNN story.
May the blessings of God shower down on this wonderful man and this boy.
May you and your family have a glorious and blessed Christmas, Ronnie.
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Much Joy & Happiness to you and your loved ones also, Doug.
MERRY CHRISTMAS & Happy New Year.
Ronnie
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
TG A20
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DITTO,
TG A20.
Joy & Happiness to you & yours, always.
AR
Let’s take this BTTT.
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