He Was Stunned When He Saw How This Little Girl Survived

Only about 1% of the population actually hates America, and it’s armed forces. I had the pleasure of getting to know many Afghan men and women as well as children. These are the most hospitable people I’ve ever met. They will take what little they have and give it to you just to show that they care.

There was a little girl named Madina. She was 7 or 8 at the time. She began to show up on the outskirts of our base, selling bracelets that she made. A month or two passed and we made contact with her because of her consistency. It turns out she walked about 12 miles one way every day from her school to base. (After walking an unknown distance from her home to the school) She did this sometimes barefooted, everyday no matter the weather. We eventually found out through an interpreter that the reason was that she was the provider for her home. Her mother stayed at home to take care of her father (legs were blown off due to roadside bomb that was meant for Americans, to the best of our knowledge) Once this was found out and verified, we all began to pitch in and buy here: a bicycle, clothes, shoes, candy, countless pounds of essential food and oils, toys, etc… One member of our company attempted to adopt her with the permission of her mother. This was unsuccessful because of red tape.

story from afghanistan

Shortly after we returned home in early 2012, we learned some bad news. She is still alive and doing well last I checked, but her best friend (a girl her age who we were just as close with {possibly her sister, hard to know}) was killed right outside the base by a VBIED (car bomb).

story from afghanistan

It’s little relationships like this that will never be shared on your local news. I think about my time there daily. Upon return to the states, I couldn’t bare to go to Walmart. Hearing people complain about trivial crap while standing in line in an air conditioned building, buying hundreds of dollars worth of food. It was too much on many occasions.

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